Mastering the 3 Critical Phases of a Web Project

When embarking on a web project, you will encounter a number of obstacles. These can cause delays and negatively impact your results. Whether your project involves developing a mobile application or creating a website, here are 3 critical phases you will face and my recommendations for mastering them.

1. Create your content in advance

During the creation of your website, your provider will ask you to deliver your texts and photos to build the various pages of the site. This step usually takes a lot of time because you may not have the necessary availability to complete this task. On top of that, writing a presentation of your services raises strategic questions about your business. Producing this content is often an opportunity to reassess your marketing strategy. When that happens, the writing gets delayed, and your website does not progress.

To prevent this, think about how you want to present your services before creating your site; even before consulting a provider. This will allow you to give them a more precise brief and save time. Then, as soon as the site's structure is set, start writing. Writing these texts and gathering the accompanying photos often takes more time than anticipated.

2. Approve the design for the right reasons

The graphical aspect of the site is important, and it's often the most anticipated phase of a project. It's also one of its critical phases. Since this phase allows for subjective considerations, it can be challenging to achieve approval of a mockup. The reason is simple: the feeling towards the mockup is subjective, making it difficult to explain why you like or dislike it. This lack of communication and clarity can then lead to delays.

To address this, try to evaluate the mockup objectively, focusing on the proposed navigation scenario, the reading flow of the mockup, and the overall graphic coherence. For more insights, check out my article "How to Objectively Evaluate a Website Mockup."

3. Knowing How to Conclude a Project

Finally, if a web project sometimes gets delayed, it's because new features keep being added. As the project progresses, new needs emerge and become clearer. One might be tempted to address them all to have the "perfect site" for launch. But doing so only delays the launch. It's better to phase the implementation of new features and benefit from an online presence sooner.