Building Web Sites All-in-One For Dummies® (8 page)

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Set up weekly production meetings.
To facilitate the meeting, the project manager should prepare a job grid (generally just in Excel) specifying all the tasks, who is responsible for what, expected delivery dates, status, priority, and any contingencies. All team members should update the team on their progress, any issues, and next steps. Make sure that you get good feedback from everyone — statements like, “I'm working on it,” aren't really helpful. At the very least, find out when each individual expects to finish assigned tasks. After the meeting, send out a follow-up e-mail that outlines what was agreed. Include a new job grid reflecting progress and next steps.

Giving feedback that helps

Web projects have a lot of details to be taken care of. Don't forget to establish a process of asking for and receiving feedback. The project manager should inform members of the team that he is going to send materials to the client for review and await confirmation that everyone is ready for the client to see the work. If some pieces won't be ready on time, don't hold up a scheduled review. Inform the client about the status as soon as you're aware of an issue. Proceed with the scheduled review and be prepared with adjusted timelines.

Establish a contact person within the client organization and communicate with that person only. It might sound unfriendly, but it isn't. Having only one contact person ensures that there won't be confusion as multiple people give feedback. The contact person should be responsible for asking people in their organization for feedback, getting
signoffs
(formal acceptance of the work as complete), obtaining materials, and communicating with you or your project manager. The project manager is responsible for communicating with the team, presenting materials to the client for review, and making sure the project flows smoothly.

For more information about communicating feedback with the team (giving and receiving), see Chapter 1 of this minibook.

Keeping the team on track

One of the hardest things to control is
scope creep.
This is what happens when someone — a client or development team — decides to add “little extras” to make the project better. It is the job of the project manager to keep track of those little extras and make sure that they don't add up to a whole bunch of extra functionality that wasn't in the original agreement or budget.

If the client asks for things outside the scope of the project, you have two options for moving forward:

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Incorporate the extra request into the current plan.
In this case, you have to
tell the client that the extra request is beyond the scope of the agreed project and that amending the current scope document (and timeline and budget) is necessary.

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Discuss the additional functionality as a future project.
If the client agrees to hold off on the new idea for later, you can proceed with the project as planned. The good news is that you now have a future job already lined up.

In either case, let the team know about the requests so they can adjust accordingly.

If your client decides to amend the scope of the current project, you must prepare a new scope document, timeline, and budget. You and the client will have to agree to and sign off on it.

Handing Off a Project to a Client

Whether you complete the whole project on your own or with a team, you might need to hand off the project to someone else. When you're planning a project, you need to think about the ongoing maintenance of the Web site and either include a maintenance agreement in your proposal or outline how you'll hand off the project.

A
maintenance agreement
should outline how much it will cost to maintain the site and what services you'll provide. Clients must know that requesting large additions to the site will require a new proposal, scope document, and contract.

If you're planning to hand off the Web site to the client, you and the client must agree on the following:

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What will you hand off?
If you're turning over development materials, how much and in what format?

• The choice of what to do with production graphics is up to you. Some designers keep their original, editable versions of their graphics. Others hand over all the files. Whichever you decide, make sure that the client understands what they're going to get and how they'll get it.

• Whatever you decide as far as the deliverable materials to the client, you need to make sure you keep copies for your own records. Burn the files to discs, collect the site notes, and gather the electronic documents that you've used (e-mails, word-processing documents, contracts, invoices, and so on). Put all the materials together and keep them for your records. Sometimes clients that take on a project come back to you for follow-up work.

•
How much transitional support will you give at handoff?
You might want to offer some training if the client doesn't have inhouse staff with skills to maintain the site. Make sure you figure any training or transitional support work into your budget.

•
How will you transport the material to the client?
It's standard to deliver the site itself to the client's Web server via FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This technique is covered in Books III and IV. Or you might deliver the site files — and other files, too — on a CD or DVD.

Whatever you decide, make sure you get it all in writing. Make sure that everyone understands what you're delivering and how. Consult your lawyer regarding your copyrights and how to protect against your materials being used in a way that you don't intend.

Chapter 3: Developing the Content

In This Chapter

Researching site content

Defining goals for the site

Keeping the site relevant

So you have a client who signed on the dotted line and wants you to create a drop-dead gorgeous Web site with all the bells and whistles that the law allows. When you brainstorm with the client and ask him what he wants on the site, you get an answer like, “You know, the usual.” Argggggggh. Wrong answer. The problem with many Web sites is that they don't have content that's relevant to what's out there. So instead of trying to read the client's mind and put together a site that will fail and inevitably taint your reputation as a Web designer, your best course of action is to do some research with the client to steer him in the right direction. Then, when he's developing the text content for the site, you can do what you do best: Design an aesthetically pleasing site that keeps visitors returning time and again. In this chapter, we show you how to guide your client in the right direction.

Knowing What to Put on Your Site

When you go to a bookstore and open a book on cooking, you find recipes and information on how to prepare them. When your client's customers visit her Web site, they expect to find content that relates to the title of the site. You know, truth in advertising and all that bunk? In most cases, the client is responsible for the text content. If your client has created content for the Web, or is experienced in marketing, you're home free. If not, you need to act as the voice of reason and steer your client in the right direction.

As the Web designer, you're responsible for the look and feel of the site. This includes elements such as navigation menus; the colors used for the background, buttons, and text; fonts used for the text; and so on. Your choices are driven by your personal taste, experience, and your client's vision. However, factor in two additional parameters: your client's intended audience and competing sites. After all, people don't expect to find a picture of a girl in a bikini on the cover of that Bam guy's cookbook, do they? In the upcoming sections, we show you how to guide yourself and your client in the right direction.

Finding out what your client's visitors need

During the initial stages of the client/designer relationship, figure out what your client's grand vision for the site is. If your client doesn't have a grand vision but wants a Web site because everyone else has one, you might have a problem. If, however, your client does have a viable product, service, or cause, there are probably several hundred sites devoted to the same product, service, or cause. The following list shows some methods of ascertaining what visitors will require from your client's site:

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Visit the Web sites of your client's fiercest competitors.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If your client's competitors have successful Web sites, explore the sites in depth. Make sure you do your exploration with the client so she knows what type of material you'll require from her to complete your design. Bookmark the sites and refer to them when creating your design. Of course, creating a blatant copy of the competitor's site is not good practice. Put your own spin on what you consider are the most successful elements of the sites you visit.

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Find out which elements are considered standard for a Web site in your client's industry.
For example, all photographers have galleries of portfolios, and most e-commerce sites have some sort of catalog and online shopping cart. Savvy Web site visitors expect to see these elements when they visit sites. If your client's site doesn't have these elements, visitors might go elsewhere for their needs.

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Poll existing customers.
If your client has an established bricks-and-mortar business, he has another excellent resource for determining content for the site. Ask existing customers which Web sites they frequent that offer services similar to your client's. See Book I, Chapter 4 for more information about creating relevant content.

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Decide whether the site should be interactive.
Many Web site owners have customers fill out questionnaires, and other Web sites entertain customers with interactive games or quizzes that relate to the product or service being offered. Find out whether interactive elements are usually associated with Web sites that sell products or services similar to your client's. Book I, Chapter 4 contains more information about creating relevant content and Web elements.

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Find out what technology your client's intended audience uses to access the Internet.
All Web site visitors want a fast-loading site, and this information can help you provide that. Your goal as a Web designer is to make an attractive, fast-loading site. The definition of
fast-loading
varies greatly depending on whether your client's intended audience uses dialup modems, DSL modems, or cable modems.

• If your client has an existing Web site, you can garner some insight about what types of technology an audience is using by looking at the site's statistics tools. Ask your client what statistics package is in use and request a report — or better yet, request access to the tool itself. You can also research online for general benchmarks and acceptable ranges for different types of audiences. While the latter will be less specific than the first information source, it is better than making assumptions.

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Find out whether visitors of Web sites of businesses similar to your client's expect bells and whistles, such as Flash, videos, slide shows, RSS feeds, blogs, downloadable documents, interactive content, and so on — the list could go on.
If they do, make sure that your content is backward compatible. For example, if you create Flash content that works with only the latest version of Flash Player, you're potentially alienating a large part of your client's potential customers.

• Check the Adobe Web site for information about the latest versions of its players and penetration of the various versions of its players. Include alternate versions of content for visitors who do not have access to the latest versions of plug-ins, and also include links to the manufacturer's Web site where they can download a newer version. For example, include a link to the Flash Player download page if you use Flash on a site; include a link to the Apple QuickTime page if you use QuickTime content on the site.

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Find out whether visitors like to personalize their experience on Web sites similar to your client's.
For instance, if your visitors are accustomed to being able to sign in and maintain a profile or shopping preferences, add that type of functionality to your site. If you don't, your audience will leave your site in favor of one that delivers the experience they want.

Dealing with copyright issues

Copyright laws protect creators of original content — such as writing, art, photographs, and so on — from people using unauthorized copies of their work. Copyright laws also apply to Web designers. When you create a Web site, you're using content supplied by your client. If your client indeed created the text and images you're using on the site, he owns the copyright to this material. If, however, you use material that was not created by the client (such as photographs and music), you must license the right to use this material as part of your design. If you purchase a collection of clip art or purchased stock images from one of the stock art houses
and your license allows you to use the image as part of a Web design,
you're covered under the copyright laws. Notice the caveat we include regarding your license? That's right. Even if you bought it, that doesn't mean you can use it. Some licenses are very rigid and allow a limited number of uses for an item. Many licenses also prohibit significantly altering clip art.

The best defense here is to read the fine print before using any item you purchased, or are contemplating purchasing, for use in a Web design. If you purchase a collection of images or music for use in your designs, make sure that they're royalty free. If not, you're responsible for paying royalties to the copyright owner of the work. Copyright laws also protect logos. If your client sells a product line and requests that you use the product logo on the Web site, make sure this is permissible by the company that manufactures the product. In most instances, your client has to agree to certain terms in order to display the licensed version of the logo on the Web site.

The written word is also copyrighted. If your client provides you with verbatim descriptions from a product catalog or another Web site, he might be in violation of the copyright law. Certain items can be copied and used under the Fair Use Doctrine (see the U.S. Copyright Office site on Fair Use at
www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
). Even though you're using material that might be copyrighted by others, the manner in which the material on your site is presented is unique and should be copyrighted by the owner of the site you're designing.

Another copyright issue is the completed site. You can copyright the site by adding the following at the bottom of each page:
Copyright 2009 by
your client.
All rights reserved.

In the end, the best defense is a good offense, which, in this case, means that you and the client should create as much of the content as possible. If your client presents any material that might be questionable, strongly suggest that he contact legal counsel. Attorney's fees are a lot cheaper than paying for duking it out in court.

Finding out what your client needs from site visitors

Before you launch your favorite HTML editor, do your homework and find out as much as possible about your client and the type of Web site she envisions. If you already designed sites for similar clients, your knowledge can help guide the client when she's at a loss for answers. Ask your client what her goals are for the site. Get your client to go into detail concerning site goals. Learn as much as you can about her business, and make sure to take copious notes. The following are a few questions you can ask your client to clarify her goals:

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Does your client want to sell goods to visitors?
If so, will the client rely on the site as an online catalog and have personnel fill orders via phone, or will the site be a full-blown, e-commerce site on a secure server? (See Book VII for more information about e-commerce Web sites.)

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Does your client want to inform visitors?
If the client has an established bricks-and-mortar business, she can use a Web site to cut down on overhead. For example, instead of giving out catalogs, the client can provide product specifications on the Web site, which eliminates mailing and printing costs and also cuts down on the personnel needed to staff the phones.

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Does your client want a service-oriented site?
Clients use service-oriented sites to answer frequently asked questions from customers, handle service issues, and so on.

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Does your client want repeat visitors?
If so, you have to design a site that gives visitors a reason to return. You also have to tell your client that the site must be updated frequently in order for visitors to return. The frequency of updates varies depending on the goals and audience of the site. Some sites need daily updates and new content; other sites can be effective with seasonal updates. For instance, a site for a vacation destination may not need to be updated daily; a seasonal change or monthly update could be all that's necessary to serve the audience. The most important thing to remember is to set expectations with visitors that there's a reason to return to the site, and then deliver on that promise.

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Does your client want to collect contact information to keep visitors apprised of new information about his products or services?
Some clients may want to offer a newsletter to their visitors. You will need to know this and address the need either through creating a system to handle a newsletter or by finding a newsletter service for your client to use.

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Does your client want to frequently update the site?
If so, negotiate a separate contract for ongoing updates. Some clients will opt for doing their own site maintenance. You will need to know what their plan is before you start the project because it will affect both the budget and how you build the site.

• For a client that wants to maintain her own site, you have options for how to proceed. You can build the site with Dreamweaver templates and advise her to use Contribute (Adobe's easy-to-use and inexpensive WYSIWYG editor/site management tool). You can also opt for building the site with an open source content management system, such as Joomla, Drupal, or even WordPress. There are several good options if you choose this route. The “right” one will depend on your personal preference as the designer/developer and on the project's needs.

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Does your client want to maintain ongoing communication with site visitors?
If so, what sort of communication would they like to have? Would the client benefit from using a blog, newsletter, message board, forum, or other social media? The answers will depend on how much time the client wants to spend interacting, how interested their target audience is in interacting, and what their favorite method of interacting is. Some sites will have visitors that will like a message board but won't care about using MySpace. Other sites can leverage a site like MySpace very effectively. As a site designer/developer, you can help figure out what (if any) communication will be best for the site.

Tell your client when his goals require technology or design elements that exceed his budget. If your client insists on using these elements, give him the price for the additional elements and be prepared to write an addendum to your contract.