| p>After completing a large Website Design and | | | | testing group is a great way to make some final text |
| Development project, some times it's just nice to call | | | | and graphic tweaks to your pages. Be careful not to |
| the project complete. After all, several months of | | | | let people's individual tastes in color, spacing, fonts |
| living and breathing Web messaging, images, colors, | | | | and other things compromise your vision, though. Pay |
| functionality, work flow, and so much more can leave | | | | attention to the larger idea behind their feedback. |
| you relieved that your project is live, looks great and | | | | Instead of heeding the advice of someone who says |
| works like you intended. | | | | "I hate that color orange that you used for your |
| It is very important, however, to take a look back | | | | registration buttons," find out if the registration |
| and see how successful the project really was. Each | | | | button itself was easy for them to find. Even if they |
| project will have a different measure of success, and | | | | don't like the color, the important point is that they |
| some times the goals might shift slightly along the | | | | are able to get through the registration process, not |
| way, but here's some things to help you determine if | | | | if the buttons are shaded in their favorite colors. |
| your Web site Design and Development project | | | | 3. Check Your Analytics |
| accomplished what it needed to. | | | | Before you launch your new Web site, make sure |
| 1. Review the original projects requirements | | | | you have statistics on how people were interacting |
| Did the original project requirements get fulfilled? For | | | | with your old site. This is crucial to determine if you |
| instance, if a requirement of your Web site project | | | | have improved processes or not. Some times the |
| was that you allow for paid event registration, does | | | | purpose of a project is really just to modernize the |
| your new Web site have that? | | | | look and feel, and that is perfectly fine. If, however, |
| Secondly, was the paid event registration | | | | the purpose was to drive more sales conversions, |
| implemented in the manner that you had originally | | | | acquire more Email addresses, or something like that, |
| imagined? | | | | you need to have the historical data to make an |
| Finally, does the way that the functionality was | | | | educated assessment of whether or not your |
| created for your new Web site work well with the | | | | changes worked. |
| marketing and business processes your organization | | | | Google Analytics, is cheap (it's actually free) and easy |
| has in place? | | | | to use. It's an easy way to get instant feedback on |
| If you answered "yes" to all three of these | | | | how many people are getting to your site, where |
| questions, that's great -- you and your Web Design | | | | they are going, and in many cases, what they are |
| and Development firm were able to keep things in | | | | doing on your site. |
| scope and created a piece of functionality that is | | | | 4. Take A Survey |
| exactly what you needed. | | | | Some times the friends and colleagues who know |
| If you answered "no" to any or all of these, there | | | | about you and your organization might not be able to |
| are two possibilities: either your objectives might | | | | take that additional step backwards and give you the |
| have shifted during the process or your project was | | | | opinions that someone less familiar with you can. If it |
| not successful in the area of having the basic | | | | is appropriate, find a way to survey some fresh eyes |
| requirements fulfilled. | | | | and see what they think. See if they were able to |
| The first case (objectives shifting) is nothing to be | | | | get the basic idea of what you are selling from only |
| worried too about. Many times some objectives or | | | | spending a few minutes on your Web site. See if |
| specifics can change once you are in the midst of a | | | | they were able to easily contact you using the |
| project. It is important to be mindful of "scope | | | | navigation on the site. |
| creep" or asking for functionality above and beyond | | | | 5. Do a Personal Review |
| what was originally agreed to, because this could | | | | What about your Web site would you change after |
| affect both the time line and the overall cost of your | | | | going through this process? Chances are, it's not |
| project, but you need to make sure that the product | | | | something that you would have thought about |
| you end up with is what your organization really | | | | before the entire process started. Don't be too hard |
| needs. Much of this can be determined by going | | | | on yourself for overlooking something that you could |
| through a proper Request for Proposal (RFP) writing | | | | only see after getting your Web presence to this |
| stage, and by working with your contracted Web | | | | new point, but instead be realistic. Is this a positive |
| site Design and Development firm to fully discover | | | | step forward for you and your organization? Is this |
| any additions or changes from your written RFP. | | | | what was agreed upon from the beginning? Are your |
| If you answered "no" and your needs and | | | | customers responding better to the new design and |
| requirements did not change, it is a problem. Why | | | | functionality? Are you getting good feedback from |
| does your Web site not have this functionality you | | | | the colleagues who regularly check your site? If so, |
| need? Was there a miscommunication between you | | | | congratulations! |
| and the contracted firm? Were the requirements not | | | | These 5 things should help you determine if your |
| clearly documented? Were you not able to review | | | | Web site Design and Development Project was |
| the finished Web site before a 'final draft' of the | | | | successful. Make some notes about each aspect and |
| product was available to view? Just as importantly, | | | | see what could be changed easily, and take a little |
| what is being done to fix this problem? | | | | time to see if some of the things on your list might |
| 2. Ask a Sampling of Customers and Colleagues | | | | not be necessary after all. When you spend several |
| Another way to gauge your Web Design and | | | | months living and breathing a project like this, it's |
| Development project's success is to ask the opinions | | | | easy to get stuck in the minute details, but given a |
| of a select group of people familiar with you and | | | | little perspective and time you might find that your |
| your business objectives. Given that these people | | | | original plan had a lot more wisdom in it. Take a little |
| have an understanding of your target market and | | | | time to let the newly launched project take life and |
| what you do, they can give you some advice about | | | | review things again in 1-2 months. You might have |
| what was done right and what could be improved. | | | | some even better ideas then, and you might also |
| It's not a bad idea to get some of these same | | | | realize that a lot of what you have is perfect as is. |
| people involved much earlier in the process. A Beta | | | | |