Turn your ideas into reality in 6 steps (image by Da Flai)

In this blog I am going to outline the steps I think are required to deliver a successful web project. These steps can be applied to any size of project whether it is simply building a new site or a whole new web platform.

1. Requirements capture and definition. In my opinion this is the most important step of the whole project. Unless you correctly identify the requirements both strategically and functionally, whatever you deliver will ultimately fail and you will have to start again. Techniques such as interviews, workshops, brain storming and brand boards are used to gather requirements. The MoSCoW technique is also very useful for prioritising requirements. I have already blogged about the importance of engaging the end user when requirements gathering, it is also important you work closely with internal stakeholders to draw up a detailed requirements specification.  The requirements specification can then be used to define functional and non-functional requirements. If you are using a technical partner to deliver the platform, you should also specify the performance requirements. It is important that all requirements are clear and unambiguous. Use terms like ’shall’ or ‘will’ rather than ‘may’ or ‘could’. Later you can then use these requirements to help establish Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to measure the success of the delivered website(s).
2. Design - Once requirements have been defined and specified they can then be used to design the new website(s). This phase includes developing the website Information Architecture (IA) and wireframes of the website. If the project involves new Web Content Management System (WCMS) functionality a functional specification will be developed from the requirements and a training specification to identify what needs to be trained.
3. Build – At this stage all the detailed designs, wireframes, etc are passed to the technical team for development of the platform. You must ensure that the technical team are correctly skilled and experienced to deliver the platform to the required specification and performance. At this stage you should start to plan any required website migration and training. This can be a time consuming stage.
4. Testing – Once the platform has been built it must be thoroughly tested to ensure all requirements are met. This testing should include system testing, performance testing, user acceptance testing and any required penetration testing. You should also ensure any new sites are tested for accessibility and usability.
5. Implementation – Once the platform has been thoroughly tested and signed off you must implement the solution. On a small project this stage will simply involve training, creating content and publishing the new website. On a large-scale project however, this stage could be very complicated and involve website migration, training delivery, website build and launch of many websites.
6. Review and Evaluate – When you have launched your new platform don’t consider the project to be over. It is good practice to review the project process and evaluate it. What went well? What didn’t go well? What would you do differently next time?

This process may look daunting to some, but with the right amount of planning and preparation these steps will provide the structure to allow you to deliver a successful web project.

In future blogs I will look at each of these steps in more detail.