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Before You Call the Web Developer

Part 1 - Discovery

Effective Web development isn't a stand-alone project. It can't happen in a vacuum. To be effective, your Web site must be based on the total company concept and integrated into your overall strategy.

Before you call in a Web developer, here are some questions to which you should have clear answers in your own mind. A good developer will want to know these answers, too. Don't hire one that doesn't seem to care about them.

Mission Statement: This is more than a statement of what you do and who you serve. It's what provides the motivation to open the doors every morning. For example, is the company driven by fascination with your technology, or by improving people's lives with it? If the tone of your Web site doesn't accurately reflect your true mission, it will give visitors a message that won't help you or them.

Strategic Focus: Success requires a clear focus and direction, which must be reflected in your Web site. If you are unfocused and drifting, that will be obvious to visitors. Worst of all is for you to be very clear about it but fail to convey it to your Web developer. Be ready to immerse the developer in your vision and strategy.

Company Stage: Where did this business come from, how mature is it, and where is it going? How large is it, and how profitable? What kind of facilities do you have? What picture of the firm do you want to present on the Web site? Misleading the company isn't good policy, but good presentation can enhance your image.

Product Mix: What range of goods and services do you offer? How do those to be promoted on the Web site fit into the mix? How often are products added, discontinued, and modified? What is the pricing structure - do you offer volume discounts, periodic specials, or special deals to close sales? How stable is the price structure? If e-commerce is planned, these details critical for estimating the complexity of the site architecture. If not, a general idea helps the developer understand the company.

Front-office Infrastructure: How are products or services sold and delivered? Will the Web site augment or replace any existing front-office functions? How will the workflow generated by Internet sales be integrated with sales by in-house staff? You will have your own ideas, but be open to suggestions from an experienced developer.

Back-Office Infrastructure: How will any results produced by the web site be supported by back office functions? Will additional back-office functions be needed? How will accounting for e-commerce be integrated into your normal accounting flow? Can the Web site augmented back-office functionality in any way? A systems approach must be applied to any changes in your operations. If the Web developer is aware of back office operations, she can anticipate how the Web site will impact them in ways that you might not think of.

Marketing: The Web site will be introduced into an existing marketing mix. The developer must understand that environment. What marketing is currently done, and who does it? Have existing marketing people bought into the Web site idea? Will they help with the site planning? What is the overall marketing budget?

Web Motivation: Who decided to do this thing, anyway, and why? Do they have an objective in mind, or do they just think they need a Web site because that's the way the world is headed? What is the level of interest and support among top management? Second-tier management? Other staff? Who will support the development efforts? At this point you may not yet have a well-defined Web strategy, but you must clear that there is good reason to move forward and that the project will be supported at all levels with financial and personnel resources.

Until you have accomplished that minimum level of commitment, don't call the Web developer.

Copyright © 2001 Mary Ann Chapman
Previously published in edited form by Workz.com

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