Good Project Management in Web Development: The Key to Success
Project management involves the use of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to design activities that best meet the project's requirements (Project Management Institute)
The same principles of project management apply in the IT industry when creating a website or application.
Every project has its own "life cycle" - from the initial idea to the closing of the project. This cycle consists of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the project. The project manager plays a crucial role in coordinating processes and ensuring their control. Each phase of the cycle is crucial for the project to proceed efficiently and with quality, which the project manager reports to both superiors and clients.
In web development, the initiation phase typically begins with a new client initiating a meeting with the desire to redesign and improve an existing website or create a completely new website or application. The second option occurs with clients with whom there is an existing collaboration - internal experts in web development should analyze the website or application, identify shortcomings (both functional and design-related), point out potential weaknesses, and provide recommendations, advice, and ideas for solving problems and improving the current version of the website or application. After aligning the client's needs and goals, deadlines and budgets allocated for the project are defined, and then the planning process commences.
The planning process involves collecting all necessary information about what is important for the client to present and how they want to communicate with potential clients or colleagues through their digital content. To ensure a successful website, it's essential to hire several experts, including web designers, copywriters, and web developers. For larger and more complex projects, it may be necessary to hire teams of these experts who have their own project managers. In the planning phase, it's crucial to clearly outline the project to collaborators, specify expectations, timeframes, potential risks, and challenges that may arise during the project itself. The planning phase also defines the sequence of tasks, primarily focusing on material delivery and implementation. The project manager aims to minimize downtime through effective coordination and grouping of tasks, thereby enhancing efficiency. Brainstorming meetings are highly beneficial during this stage to address any dilemmas that may arise in the planning process.
The planning phase plays a significant role in determining whether the project will be successfully completed or not; it is crucial because it involves everyone with an interest in the project's realization. Following successful planning, the project moves into the implementation phase. During implementation, the project becomes tangible and visible. The project's success hinges largely on how effectively the project manager leads the process and motivates collaborators to give their best in completing each task. The flow of information between the client, project manager, and project collaborators is key at this stage. Consequently, various tools are often utilized to integrate all information in one place, allowing the project manager to maintain constant oversight and control over website development progress. This becomes especially important in changed business circumstances, such as decentralized or remote work environments, where tools like Trello, Asana, Jira, ClickUp, among others, facilitate communication between designers, developers, copywriters, and project managers, ensuring the workflow remains smooth and transparent. Clients can also monitor the entire process to ensure it aligns with the plan and adheres to specified time frames.
In some instances, the client may not be actively involved in the implementation phase, requiring the project manager to regularly update the client on project dynamics. This communication is crucial as additional changes and content corrections may be necessary during implementation to meet the client's expectations and ensure maximum satisfaction.
Once each team of collaborators completes their tasks, and before the final presentation to the client, the project manager conducts thorough checks to ensure alignment with approved content, verify adherence to design specifications, and identify any necessary additional changes or corrections. Responsive design across all devices, especially mobile phones, is imperative. Only when all criteria are met, and after the client's final approval, is the project officially launched live and declared closed. Following project closure, the project manager conducts an analysis to identify successes, areas for improvement, and any remaining dissatisfaction, contributing to ongoing advancements and improvements in project management practices at all levels.
For Marketing mreža website text written by: Dragica Munćan, Digital Project Manager, Smartpoint Adria
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