How to Master Project Management for Web Developers in 2022

What is website project management?

Project Management for Website Developers is the use of project management to deliver website projects, from new website builds to redesigns and site migrations.

1. Plan your Project Management

Before anything is created, make sure your client understands the site’s needs and how the design addresses them. Use our planning guide to map a project’s requirements and set client expectations.

Get the details

Understand what portions of the site need rebuilding, and what portions of the site need improvement. Develop and execute based on the plan – with some initial research will help you with your strategic design.

Understand a realistic end goal

Make sure you understand what the client wants to achieve. Also make sure to explain if this is technically possible – meaning it could be done in the allocated amount of time with the allocated budget. Create hypothesis as to why people are misunderstand or not completing certain parts of the process.

Identify what’s missing

As you dig in, understand the missing information that is needed to help users better engage with the products or learn more about the services offered. Understand how to write product descriptions, brand identity, and any search optimizations techniques for the particular niche.

Agree on the requirements and scope

To actually solve any design and site functionality issues, some solutions might need more time and greater scope. Make sure to dive in and identify the scope of work before – including any content copy, photography, or design features that might take a lot of time. This saves the project and makes sure that it runs to completion. Inform your client that you need more time and budget for any content, graphics, development and testing. Try to remove any surprised and unplanned work.

Set realistic milestones

Map out the project’s requirements to give a realistic sense of the project size. Each element can be used as a milestone where you check in with the client, gather feedback and bill them for a portion of the scope. After you understand what is required, you can hire other people – like writers or photographers – to fill any requirements you can’t do yourself.

Sign off

Once you and the client have an outline – you need to put it in writing and sign off on the scope of work. It’s important to have similar expectations on the project before kicking it off.

2. Execute

After a vision is created, create a plan of execution. Communication is the key to manage all the moving parts.

Have a kick off

Bring people together to get everyone on the same page. Go over the project milestones collectively and set the appropriate expectations. The meeting should set all the appropriate expectations and get everyone on the same page.

Communicate consistently

While the client has signed off on the scope, their needs may change. Similarly, as you spend time on the project, you may think of something helpful for your client that wasn’t initially in scope. Regular check-ins can have the added benefit of organically generating business.

3. Learn

Have a post launch check up

Once the project is finished – check to see if everything that was agreed upon was completed in the scope. Asses if the client got the results they were after. Also, do a circle survey after the project was completed. Likewise, ask if you would do the same project again. Evaluate if you would work with this client again and the team.

Apply what you learned

Think what you can do to achieve better results. If you went out of scope, understand what happened. If your writer took longer, or the images turned over later, give people some examples before setting a timeline. As long as you continuously learn, there is no time to stop and not keep improving. Apply what you learn, reinforce in your reflections.

There is a lot to project management, which is why it’s a discipline in itself. Using our basic tips can help you reach the desired results. For more information on how we can help you organize your projects, connect with us here.