How often does a project get stuck at a standstill because you didn’t receive feedback from the client? Or how often does it get delayed because the feedback didn’t reach the appropriate decision maker? If we could avoid all this internal chaos that comes along with managing a web design project, processes could be streamlined and work would become that much easier for everyone on the team. Here are 5 things you can take care of to achieve just that.
1. Identify decision-makers and assign a project manager
Who’s going to be in charge of approving the decisions from the client-side? Identifying these decision-makers becomes important as these are the people that have a better idea of the objectives, constraints, and requirements that are expected at the organizational level. This avoids the changes at the last moment that happens because the person who was approving the design ideas didn’t actually have the authority or the knowledge to do so.
Once you have identified the decision-makers, assign a project manager who would not only handle the communication with the client but also make sure the day-to-day responsibilities are carried out smoothly. Working in silos is a large part of working on web design projects but so is effective coordination and project management. That’s where the project manager can come in and make sure the internal chaos is avoided.
2. Have an inspiration library in place
Has it ever happened that you agreed on a web design style with the client before getting on with the actual work and in the end, they just didn’t like the style? It happens many times. Why? Because while you may have an idea of what the end product would look like, the client may not. Having an inspiration library in place from where you can show the client some examples of what their end product would look like makes things much easier for the client as well as your team.
They may also help the client identify any special features or elements they may want in their product. You can then figure out a way to tailor that trend to fit into the project.
3. Develop an initial project plan
After understanding the project scope, requirements, and deadlines given by the client, the first thing you need to do is develop an initial project plan. This would mean breaking down the project into parts, denoting the tasks and processes that would go into each part, and then coming up with deadlines for each milestone. Sharing this plan with the client beforehand ensures you both are on the same page and roadblocks are avoided moving ahead. For example, your client may need you to finalize the design and content for the home page of the website first and then work on the other parts. You can then take this into account and avoid the chaos that would come along with unscheduled changes to the plan.
4. Streamline your communication process
How often will meetings be conducted? When will they be conducted? Who will be a part of these meetings? Web design projects often require a continuous feedback and communication process because these projects usually span a period of two to eight weeks. By having a communication process in place, you ensure a steady feedback and suggestions inflow and thus your work keeps progressing smoothly without having to wait for days on end to receive a reply from your client while your team is stuck on a part of the project.
5. Have tools in place
How will the team coordinate with each other? What tools will they use to conduct meetings while they are stuck working remotely because of the pandemic? By having tools in place, the entire team stays updated on the project progress and knows the task dependencies and deadlines that are approaching. Trello is a great tool for managing your entire project and dividing it into milestones. We also make use of Brutask to see our team’s to-do lists for the day and how much progress has been made during the day.
To make the feedback process precise and easier, ruttl is the go-to tool that allows your client to comment on live websites without having to go through the hassles of signing up and logging in every time they need to suggest something.
To prepare yourself for your upcoming web design projects and avoid internal chaos, sign up for a free trial of ruttl today!
