Download to read offline
Uploaded byKirsty Burgoine
Speak the Web - Liverpool 24.07.13
The document discusses finding joy through better project workflow as a web developer. It describes the author's typical 7-step workflow: 1) An initial project meeting, 2) A design meeting, 3) Planning wireframes, 4) Designing in the browser, 5) Adding a content management system if needed, 6) Populating and proofreading content, and 7) Going live. The author emphasizes communicating well with clients and any team members to set expectations and prevent issues that could diminish joy in the work. People skills, confidence, teamwork, and communication are said to be key to maintaining positive workflow.
Speak the Web - Liverpool 24.07.13
- 1. Finding the joy throughbetter project workflow By Kirsty Burgoine twitter.com/kirstyburgoine Photo Credit: GoGoRainbow http://www.flickr.com/photos/gogorainbow/2551497701/ Sunday, 11 August 13 Lets face it when we design / build websites in any capacity what we are aiming for is the joy at the end. The knowing that you've done a good job. The website is looking great, the client is happy, feedback is good and we get to go off and skip in fields of daisy's (or whatever you do to celebrate a job well done). Thats living the dream! I'd like to talk to you this evening a little about finding the right workflow for you so that you get feel the joy.
- 2. Who am I? Sunday,11 August 13
- 3. New Years Eve2012 Sunday, 11 August 13 This is me:
- 4. Birmingham ComicCon 2013 Sunday,11 August 13 And so is this: And if you haven't guessed from this I'm also a bit of geek:
- 5. Kirsty Burgoine Web developer/ designer • www.kirstyburgoine.co.uk • info@kirstyburgoine.co.uk • twitter.com/kirstyburgoine Organiser of Shropgeek • Monthly socials • Rebellion - mini conferences • (R)Evolution conference Sunday, 11 August 13 But most people know me as this:
- 6.
- 7. 27th, September 2013 2013.shropgeek-revolution.co.uk Sunday,11 August 13 I started off working in a marketing job which I wished was as cool as this:
- 8. I wish myjob had been this cool ... Sunday, 11 August 13 but was actually more like this:
- 9. Photo Credit: JMRocher http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmrocher2001/481006679/ Sunday, 11 August 13 I was bored
- 10. Sunday, 11 August13 so I learnt how to code and became a PHP developer building bespoke e-commerce solutions. Turns out I'm a bit of control freak
- 11. “These are notthe droids you are looking for” Sunday, 11 August 13 and wanted the freedom to pick the projects I wanted to work on so I went freelance.
- 12. Sunday, 11 August13 I now run my own business specialising in building WordPress websites
- 13. ? Sunday, 11 August13 And that should have been my happy ending there and then right? Well yes and no. when I set up on my own, learning how to manage all of the other stuff was really difficult
- 14. no joy :(Photo Credit: thepretenda http://www.flickr.com/photos/thepretenda/111192551/ Sunday, 11 August 13 Even though I knew I would now have to do all the project management I wasn't really prepared for the reality of that. There are lots of ways to avoid this and I’ve seen lots of talks about avoiding burnout and having a healthy life / work balance. So I’m not going discuss any of that! Instead I’m going to talk through my typical workflow along with a few concepts methods that have I’ve learnt that helped me move away from this and towards this:
- 15. the joy! Photo Credit:Arrested Sunlight http://www.flickr.com/photos/anupamakaranth/8648424360/ Sunday, 11 August 13
- 16. The Client Sunday, 11August 13 Thankfully none of my clients are like this. I always adopt the attitude that I work with the client and not for them.
- 17. I work withthe client and not for them. Sunday, 11 August 13 This helps with my selection process. Don’t be afraid to walk away
- 18. 1. The potential projectmeeting Sunday, 11 August 13 The first stage is always scoping out the project. This usually starts with an initial meeting where I am interviewing them as much as they are interviewing me.
- 19. Sunday, 11 August13 I look for the type of clients that I would enjoy working with. I'm not going to knock out a website in two days for £150, and so I want to work with people that appreciate that. This is a really great screening process for projects. After all, who wants to work with people that make you want to do this:
- 20. Sunday, 11 August13 There are also a couple of other things that are really helpful in this early stage. They are:
- 21. People Skills Sunday, 11August 13
- 22.
- 23. People Skills Sunday, 11August 13 When I say people skills, I don't mean the ability to hold a conversation with another person. Hopefully we can all do that! I mean the ability to give geeky explanations to non-geeky people in a way they would understand.
- 24. Confidence Photo Credit: karla_k http://www.flickr.com/photos/karla_k/2776839587/ Sunday,11 August 13 They are interviewing you as well after all and your confidence in your abilities will reassure them and hopefully make them want to contract you for the project. As a slight contradiction, I've also found that having the confidence to admit when you don't know something is equally as good. Nobody knows everything.
- 25. JOY ! Sunday, 11August 13 So hopefully, that meeting went well. They've agreed the project so its time to get going!
- 26. 2. The designmeetingPhoto Credit: VE Fusion http://www.flickr.com/photos/vefusion/8229046461/ Sunday, 11 August 13 This is the meeting where we discuss the design brief in more detail, and go through the initial structure and functionality outlined in the quote.
- 27. Go through the planned workflowwith the client Sunday, 11 August 13 As part of my quotes I always include a section on the workflow for that specific project, so I also go through that with the client so they understand it and set some dates. This includes them in the project as part of the team and also sets their expectations
- 28. The Team Get thewhole team involved in this meeting. Remember the client is part of the team now Sunday, 11 August 13 Also if they are available, I invite anyone else that I have chosen to bring in on the project to the meeting. I find this helps makes the client feel a part of the team. This is a good point to mention:
- 29. Photo Credit: VascoSilva http://www.flickr.com/photos/vasco_silva/4342863369/ Communication Sunday, 11 August 13 As I said, I try hard not to work alone. I work better if I can bounce ideas off of other people. No matter, whether you work in a large team or small business like me, make sure you start to communicate with your team as early as possible. It will set a precedent for the rest of the project.
- 30. Don’t work inisolation! Photo Credit: sohvimus http://www.flickr.com/photos/sohvimus/3033758459/ Sunday, 11 August 13 There are a plethora of ways you can do that if you don’t work in an office with your team, just don’t work in isolation.
- 31. 3. Planning /wireframes Sunday, 11 August 13 Ok, so we’ve done a lot of chatting so far, made sure everyone feels warm and fuzzy about the project and working together. Now its time to do some actual work!
- 32. JOY ! Sunday, 11August 13
- 33. Sunday, 11 August13 the first stage with me is always pencil and paper
- 34. Sketch out thewireframes Sunday, 11 August 13 I sketch out all of the templates required (not necessarily all of the pages)
- 35. inVision App www.invisionapp.com Sunday, 11August 13 a note about gridset outline the content for the client
- 36. 4. Designing inthe browser Sunday, 11 August 13
- 37. Remember them? Sunday, 11August 13
- 38. Photo Credit: lieberman_photo http://www.flickr.com/photos/54951670@N00/50415618/ Sunday,11 August 13 A huge leap of Faith
- 39. 5. Bolt inyour CMS (if needed) Sunday, 11 August 13
- 40. 6. Populate andproof read Sunday, 11 August 13 Content is a tricky one, in an ideal world we do want the content first to design around. I agree with that 100% however, in reality the client is usually very busy, there is alsways some hold up and often they just don’r understand if you don’t get on without it.
- 41. 7. Go Live! Sunday, 11 August 13
- 42. JOY! Photo Credit: lepista http://www.flickr.com/photos/lepista/198956460/ Sunday,11 August 13 I’ve mostly focussed on keeping the client happy within the workflow and managing their expectations. This is because, no matter how you choose to work, if they are not happy they are going to suck out all of the joy
- 43. No joy :( Sunday,11 August 13 I always thinks this sums it up nicely!
- 44. Sunday, 11 August13 Or in conclusion ....
- 45. People Skills Sunday, 11August 13
- 46.
- 47.
- 48.
- 49.
- 50.
- 51. CommunicationPhoto Credit: VascoSilva http://www.flickr.com/photos/vasco_silva/4342863369/ Sunday, 11 August 13
- 52.
- 53.
- 54.