Many savvy business managers seem to hit a brick wall when they encounter a technology project-related challenge. Technology providers have historically leveraged the 'black art' component of technology solutions to justify their jaw-dropping prices !

Consequently, many high level managers have come to view web projects as a 'black art' area and either delay addressing the challenge, or divest responsibility to external parties. We are often asked to provide estimates for very large online developments when a firm has already provided a quotation, but the business owner is concerned about the equity or completeness of the quote received.

When we start trying to uncover the business requirements and perform 'due diligence', we often find business owners have begun with a lack of clarity on exactly what they wish to achieve. This initial 'grey area' impacts the potential project all the way through the rest of the process.  The firms quoting on what is needed, have often completely misunderstood the challenge being addressed, and created themselves and the client a situation that is heading past the "point of no return" for all involved.

Here's where we'll let you into an industry secret.  Technology projects do not involve black art.  Web projects are only complicated and difficult to manage if you make them that way !

Your business most likely has a long-term strategy, and business and marketing plans (probably documented, and regularly reviewed), which set out the tactics you'll use to achieve your objectives.  You may or may not report the relevant metrics to a group of stakeholders, or use the process to measure your own performance versus business goals.

If the online environment features in your business and marketing plans, then it is extremely important to analyse your business drivers and identify where technology development dovetails and integrates with the 'rest' of your business. At the very least, you need a document which identifies the competitive environment you wish to address, the key requirements of the systems and processes involved, the timeframes for delivery and how you hope to implement them.

Let's assume a travel-based company wants to improve its 3 year old website, which has become a little tired, been overtaken by some of the competition, is now expensive and slow to maintain, and is receiving mixed feedback from users who are sometimes faced with out of date information.

What's the next step ?  A one-line email to a number of web development firms asking "Please quote for a new website for our business" ?  (surprisingly, that's what many business owners do at this point!)

No, its not that simple, and fortunately so, because you should make sure your chosen supplier is intimately familiar with your needs as a client.

The strategy for the above challenge might occupy 2-3 A4 pages and following in the next section is an example of what it might contain.

Following is a basic indication of some of the information your brief 'strategy' might contain for the sample project we mentioned on previous pages

Background

It is apparent we are losing online market share to a number of key competitors.
We receive irregular negative feedback about our website.
Maintaining website content has become challenging, as the existing provider is often busy, and the number of hourly updates has increased in excess of original budget.

Strategy 

Develop a leading edge presence to deliver our online objectives over the next 3-5 year timeframe

Requirements

1. Undertake extensive user survey and inhouse requirements gathering re. requested features
2. Undertake analysis of direct competitor environment and their web offerings
3. Based on above, develop list of requirements and allocate priority to each.
4. Identify which existing systems and processes the website will affect and/or integrate with
5. Develop a Specifications document and storyboard to explain the required web functionality and interface (potential outside contractor)
6. Secure new imagery to reflect current brand and logo
7. Seek 3 competitive quotations for the Specification from above
8. Appoint provider 
9. Launch
10. Seek recommendations and proposals for online marketing and optimisation of the new site
11. Public relations campaign to promote new features
12. Maintenance phase

Success Metrics

1. Successful launch of new site which fully addresses above requirements by dd/mmm/yy
2. Growth of online sales to x % of total (versus current y % of total) and at least $ x,000 per annum

Budget

The budget for the analysis and planning phase of the project will be taken from the IT funds for 2007/08.  The actual website development costs will be funded by the Marketing Budget 2007/08. 

Full budget impact will be available by dd/mmm/yy.  

Industry resources for Requirements (5) above have quoted between $66-$180 per hour for the required personnel. An appropriate supplier will be chosen pending review of CV / experience.

The budget required for web development will be known following sourcing of 3 quotes from Requirements (7) above.
 

 

With the strategic drivers known, its time to deliver on the requirements.

The process of :

• User requirements gathering
• Development of functional specifications
• Story boarding
• Sourcing new imagery
• Calling for tenders

are all 'typical' project activities which any experienced web design/development firm should be able to competently assist you with.

See our Business Analysis and Project Management sections for more information on the types of skills involved.