web project management

Saturday, April 8, 2023 Web Project Management & Development

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Web Project Management &Development

Kristina Lively

[email protected]


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Agenda

• Web Site Planning…

• Assessment & Planning

• Web Development Overview

• Tasks & Staffing

• Common Web Project Mistakes

• What Makes a Great Web Site?

• Q & A / Open Discussion


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A Thought:This generation of students coming out of schools and

universities are going to be twice and technologically savvy as the present generation. Many of them will immediately turn to the web for data, information, and entertainment.


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Web Site Planning…

A Web Team is responsible for the development and maintenance of a web site.

A Web Project Manager sees that this is accomplished in a well organized, timely, and appropriate fashion.


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Assessment

What can a web site do for you?• Build a community amongst members, funders, & public• Transmit your mission to a world-wide audience• Conduct surveys & collect information • Collect donations• Disseminate documents such as proposals or reports• Provide current information about your organization • Publicize employment opportunities• Identify research resources and data

(See “Web Site Development Worksheet")


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Audience: • Who is your web audience? • Why would they return to your site? • What will be their level of technology? • What will be the skill level of your audience?

Impact: • How will a web site support your mission?• What is the financial impact of having a web site?

Can you afford one? • How will you assign staff duties to provide for ongoing web

maintenance and updating?• What are the benefits to online exposure? Are there any

drawbacks to having a web presence?


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Visual Identity:

• What logos do you want to incorporate?

• Do you want to develop any icons or graphics?

Content:

• What kind of content do you want available on your web site?

• How often will content to change?


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Planning• The more complex the web site, the more difficult it will be to

maintain. Keep it simple.

• A web site should be efficient and easily be absorbed as a regular function of your organization. It should not take over the all your staffing resources.

• Follow the 80/20 rule, 80% of web site's content is static, 20% changes on a consistent basis.


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Types of Web Sites

• Brochure Web site

• Magazine Web Site

• InfoCentric Web Site

• Community Web Site


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Brochure Web site• The name and contact information of the organization• A few graphics• A mission statement

Magazine Web Site• Newsletters

• Broader information about the organization

• Event information

• Case studies and other articles of specific interest to the organization's mission

• Links to other organizations


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InfoCentric Web Site• Users can submit their e-mail address for mailing list.

• Research papers, articles, press releases, and other documents of the organization are available, and searchable, at least in a basic way.

• Surveys or polls

• Personalized portal or information delivery

Community Web Site• Communicating in chat rooms

• Participating in online forums

• Participating in online surveys

• Downloading video or audio streams


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An Information Architect (IA)…

Clarifies the mission and vision for the site, balancing the needs of the organization and its audience.

Determines what content and functionality the site will contain.

Specifies how users will find information in the site by defining the navigation, key terminology, and searching methodology.

Maps out how the site will accommodate change and growth over time.


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Information Architect Questions

May ask some or all of the following:– What are the key objectives of the site?– Who is the target audience? – What type of information will appear on the web site? – How much information will be posted? – How will the pages be linked together?– What structure and grouping will information appear in?– Will there be a search engine on the site? – What will be the site’s Taxonomy? – Will any downloadable content be available? – What navigational system/organisation will be used?– What file naming conventions will be used?


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Staffing Web Site Projects

Section Heads’ Contribution

• What departments will be involved with the project?

• Who possesses those skills within your department?

• What will the management structure be?– Beware of management structures influencing the design,

colour etc!


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Matching Tasks with SkillsDoes your Web Team have the required skills?

Possible skills needed:

– Design (HTML, graphics, interaction)

– Coding (HTML, scripting, programming)

– Content development (writing, editing)

What is the “cost” of using these skills?

Should your organization consider employing an outside consultant?

– If so, what tasks will be assigned to the consultant

– Can the organization absorb the reoccurring costs of using a consultant?


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Possible Staff Positions:

• Project Manager

• Content Manager and Editor

• Web Server Administrator

• Web Marketing

• Graphic Designer

(Can we think of any others?)


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Common Web Project Mistakes

(From a Project Manager’s Perspective)

• Not knowing why.• Designing for your own Department Head or boss• Letting your Web site mirror your organizational chart• Forgetting to budget for maintenance or training• Treating the Web as a secondary medium.• Treating the Web like your publications department.


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What Makes a Bad Web Site?Long blocks of text

– too much text makes page difficult to read.

Gratuitous use of new technology

Large photos and graphics– say “no” to animated graphics

No contact or date information

Outdated information

Poor site navigation


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What Makes a Great Web Site?• Provide credible, original content.• Provide valuable, timely information. • Web sites should be updated regularly.• For the information to be valuable it should be well-edited. • Easy to download, particularly for those accessing the

Internet with dial-up modems.• Be easy to read. • Be well-organized.• Dominate a subject area; become the site for that subject. • Have a secure and automated server.• Be worth visiting.• Original content is important.

Content is King!


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Q&A / Conclusion

Discuss what makes for a good Web site.

Identify what information should an organization have on its Web site.

How does your organization direct traffic to your site?

How often does your organization refresh your content?

How do you continue to educate yourself and your web team on Web development?

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