Strategy for a successful WordPress project

Before, During and After: Strategy For a Successful WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

FOUNDATION: Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

When you ﬁrst get into the web all you are interested in is about how to do something then after a while you start to ask why you are doing it. Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

A few years ago, I realized, it wasnt working. • Projects were more complex • Details were forgotten • It was about the next deal • Clients became the enemy • How did we get here? Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

On vacation I read, “Let My People Go Surﬁng” - Yvon Chouinard Patagonia Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

1991 Patagonia • Couldn’t sustain it’s growth • Had to re-deﬁne themselves • Created a set of core values • Values became philosophies • Patagonia was reborn Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

I wanted to be part of a business that believed in what they taught. That stood for something. Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

My Six Founding Principles 1. Quality is number one 2. Always be learning 3. Simple solutions will win 4. Expand naturally 5. Do right 6. Give back Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

“The people that make the web have a responsibility to protect the web.” - Jeffrey Veen, Founder, CEO, Typekit (In response to the closing of Geocities by yahoo.) Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

If you keep having problems with clients on every project, youre the problem. Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

“To protect the web, as builders of the web, it is our responsibility to make our clients as successful as possible.” If not, what do we show, how do we learn and how can we grow? Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

FOUNDATION: Sustainability Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Sustainability is being self sufﬁcient, self reliant and enduring the ups and downs of your business. It’s how you tell your clients you run your business. Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Sustainability = Cash Flow Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

BEFORE: Process Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

“In the beginning, it’s not necessarily important what your process is, it’s that you have one.” - Steve Axthelm Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

What method do you use? • Waterfall • Scrum • Agile Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Waterfall approach with some tweaks • The Waterfall method works, because clients get it. There is precedent for it. Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Process Overview • Meet / Estimate / Contract • Kickoff / Mindmap / Schedule • Wireframes / Site Architecture • Design Mockups / Key Pages • Development / Content • Reviews / Fixes / Launch Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

BEFORE: Estimates, Proposals, & Contracts Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

“There are two checks I am happy to write every month, one is to my therapist and the other is to my lawyer” - Mike Monteiro, Mule Design (from the famous “fuck you pay me” presentation) Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Deﬁning Requirements • Really listen, interpret • Talk behaviors, i.e. “it should do this...” • Watch for red ﬂags • Leverage existing standards • Don’t reinvent the wheel • Develop a scope of work • It’s okay to walk away Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Proposal & Terms • Price according to features • Use Freshbooks "Accept" estimate feature • Contract has EVERYTHING in it! • Dates depend on features • 50% deposit, 25% after 30 days, 25% at end • No work released until paid in full • Anything changes, work stops Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

DURING: Discovery Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

A web developer has to be conﬁdent, a salesman, a psychologist, a counselor, a marketer, a charlatan, a designer, a programmer, a researcher, a hacker, a project manager, cool tempered and a human. Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Mind Map Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

DURING: Production Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Schedule Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

“Good design is as little design as possible” - Dieter Rams, helvetica Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Use Metrics • Take the “guessing” out of your design • Back up your decisions to clients • Leverage previous A/B testing results • Review current or similar sites metrics • Identify potential bottlenecks to clients • Address user and business goals ﬁrst Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Wireframes Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Design Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Content Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Revisions • 5 hours of revisions only • Two rounds of revisions • Create list one, do list one • Create list two, do list two • Additional revisions require new estimate and charged $150 / hr • Test like crazy - Browserstack.com Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

AFTER: Education Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Walkthrough & Education • Create a formal review • Reference original goals • Set time for training, 5 hours • Note any last minute bugs • Set a date for launch • Invoice for ﬁnal payment Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Final Power Tips • Set up a regular status update schedule • Warn of blackout period during production • Projects get weird at 3 months, meet up • Go live on a Tuesday • Follow up with your client in a week, really • If you messed up, ﬁx it • If they want more, charge for it Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

When it goes south... • Call client for call or meeting • Its better to have a face to face • Review where things are & whats left • Provide scenarios for completion • Come up with a realistic timeline • Do what you say Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Sleep great • Be elegant • Be professional • Be sincere • Do great work Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

Thank you! • For any questions feel free to contact me! • Wes@CrowdedSites.com Strategy For a WordPress ProjectFriday, March 23, 12

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Strategy for a successful WordPress project

by Wes Chyrchel

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