Crucial Questions to Ask a Web Developer Before They Start Working on Your Site

So, you have selected your web design company and given them the go-ahead to start work on your new business website. The next step will be the project launch, or kick-off, meeting. The web designer will have plenty of questions for you, and they will likely have some standard pater they will reel off too. But what should you be asking a web developer at the kick-off meeting?

The relationship between a client and a web developer can be fraught with problems. It is easy for misunderstandings to creep in, which can lead to project delays and costly disputes. So, the kick-off meeting should be used by both sides to set the ground rules and expectations for the project. Here are the crucial questions that clients should be asking web developers at a project launch meeting.

Who is My Project Manager?

When you hire a professional web design company, several people will probably work on your website’s development. It’s not your job to keep track of these various individuals, and it would be counterproductive for you to do so. A project manager or lead-consultant will probably be managing your project and be your first point of contact during the project. You will likely have been dealing with a salesperson up to this point. But the sales team will be mainly out of the picture once the project has begun. So, you need to know who will be managing the development of your site. And it would be best to try to build a good working relationship with that project manager.

How Will the Project be Managed?

Good project management is key to a successful web development project. So, it would be helpful for you to know how your project will be managed. Your developer might use project management software, like Asana, Basecamp, or Trello. Or, they might have a proprietary system they use. There will be milestones that will need to be reached to keep the project on track. Your developer will want to update you from time to time and may require input from you at certain stages. Project management software will help you see how the project is progressing and facilitate the exchange of information.

How Will We Communicate?

You will need to know how and when you will communicate with your developer or project manager. For example, how often will you be updated on progress? Who should you contact if you have any questions? Will contact be made by telephone, or will you use Skype, Zoom, or email? Good communication is, of course, is essential for the timely completion of a web development project. It would be advisable to answer any questions that your developer may have as soon as you can. You should also be kept up to date with regular progress reports. However, it is best to try to avoid micro-managing the development project yourself. Too many unnecessary check-in phone calls from you may hinder progress on your site.

What Will You Need from Me?

It’s your website, so input from you will be required throughout the development project. Any delays in supplying the required information may result in the late delivery of the finished product. It is best to get a list of the information needed from you at the project launch meeting. And it will help if you tell your project manager when you will and will not be available during the project. It would also be advisable to get a timeline when your approval will be needed for certain development phases. Should you not sign-off on a critical phase of development on time, your developer may be unable to move on to the next stage.

How Much Freedom in Design Decisions Does the Developer Have?

You may have given your web developer an exact and detailed specification for your site. Or you may have provided only a broad outline of your requirements. In either case, your developer must understand how far they can deviate from your specifications during the project. Sometimes, following a design specification too closely might cause performance issues, for example. So, can the developer make minor changes in the appearance of the site to enhance performance? Or will all deviations from the spec require your prior approval? It is worth considering that if you tie the developer too tightly to the spec, it could cause delays and increase the project’s cost.

Who Calls the Shots at Your End?

“Who Calls the shots at your end?” is a question that you need to answer and convey to your developer. Design by committee is never a good idea. So, your project manager or developer will need to know who within your organization is authorized to make decisions about your new site. If you have a team of stakeholders involved in the project, it would be best to appoint a project manager of your own as the developer’s sole contact point. Any input into the project or change-requests can then be filtered, managed, and communicated to the development company through the agreed channels.

What Are the Deliverables and Timeline?

If you have a hard deadline that must be met, it is best to state that from the outset. For example, the go-live date for your website might need to coincide with a marketing push. You will also need to know if the development project might be delivered in phases. And you will need to see the target delivery dates and any stage payments that may become due on each phase’s delivery. It is best not to insist on an aggressive timescale if one is not necessary. Of course, you don’t want a development project to drag on forever. However, you will usually get a better solution if you give a developer a reasonable amount of time to develop your website.

What is the Process for Testing and Remedial Fixes?

Whether your website is delivered in phases or on one date, you will invariably have Feedback and may want some changes made. There may even be some functionality bugs that need to be ironed out. So, it will be helpful to know how your developer tests their work. And you will need to know what opportunities you will have to try your site and ask for any changes to be made. Your developer will probably have included a limited number of remedial modifications within the quoted price. However, significant changes outside the scope of the original specification will most likely be charged separately.

Conclusion

The best way to avoid disputes with your web developer is to agree on the project’s specification and scope in advance. And do everything that you can to prevent delays occurring at your end. The project kick-off meeting provides the opportunity for both parties to set expectations and agree on a timescale. The most crucial thing to remember is that your developer wants you to have the best website you can within your budget constraints. If both parties work in partnership to achieve that aim, the result will be a website both sides are proud of, delivered on time and to budget.