3 Basic Project Management Tips to Avoid Issues in Small Web Projects

It doesn't take much for a small web project to go off the rails. We've all seen it. The project can be moving along perfectly with the client and stake holders satisfied with the progress being made, and then, all of sudden, before you've even realised it, you're scratching your head wondering how it got to this point. It's a common issue in the web design industry. There's no secret remedy for combating these issues, rather a combination of planning, diligence and common sense will assist in preventing disastrous web project outcomes. Below are list of helpful tips for ensuring the project remains on track.

1. Yes, you still need a Project Initiation Document
   

   
   Just because it is small, doesn't mean planning is not required.
   The most important phase in the life cycle of a small web project is the Project Initiation Phase. All too regularly, people dive straight into the project, particularly when it is only relatively small, without the required planning. For some inexplicable reason, people will not reserve the necessary planning for a smaller job merely because it is not overly complex. Anyone who has managed a number of web projects will tell you that the small projects can be just as tricky as some of the bigger ones. So, with this in mind, it is critical to apply a methodical, well-thought-out approach to a web project of any size. A methodical approach begins with the Project Initiation Phase.

   Project Initiation Phase is when you determine why the project is happening, what the project is attempting to achieve and what are the key factors that define the project's success. One of the critical steps to a well-planned initiation phase is the development of a Project Initiation Document. This document is a collaborative effort between the web design team and the client. The purpose of the document is to ensure all those involved are in agreement on the scope of the project.

   The project initiation document ought to summarise:

   1. Key Objectives
      • A mission statement for the proposed site
      • Proposed site goals
      • Site KPIs
         
   2. Audiences
      • Identify your audience
      • User goals
      • User profiling
         
   3. Functionality 
      
      
   4. Content
   
   

   While the Project Initiation Document is critical to the success of the project, it is advisable to keep it relatively concise. Another pitfall to no planning is too detailed planning.

2. Project Plan 
   
   

   Start simple and then get more detailed.
   After the Project Initiation Document has been completed and all participants are in agreement on the scope, the next step to ensuring the project is moving in the right direction is to create a Project Plan. A project plan can take a variety of forms, depending on the nature of the project. It is unrealistic to plan the entire project in minute detail from day one, it just doesn’t happen. Web projects, regardless of size, evolve as discovery, user focus and design is undertaken. Keeping this point in mind, the project plan needs to start simple and then delve into more detail.

   Initially, the project plan is a basic extrapolation of the Project Initiation Document which stipulates the key deliverables of the project, a high-level timeline and the resources needed for the project’s execution.

   Once this plan has been documented, break-up the project into segmented items of work, such as strategy, pre-production, design, development and deployment. In each of these segmented items of work, specify mini milestones and designate a person to action each mini milestone. These mini milestones need to be documented into a working chart or spreadsheet with a dead line, so that the project continues to progress.

3. Risk Management Plan 
   
   Don’t risk not doing it.
   At the beginning of the project it is necessary to outline any risks to the project’s development. All web projects, even the small ones, have risks associated with delivery in the specified time frame, budget and specification. Risks can be anything from the time needed to complete the project, to the technology being used, to the client’s expectations and understanding of the job.

   Some points to consider when developing the risk management plan:

   1. Rank each potential risk in order of its likelihood
   2. Determine how damaging each risk is to the success of the project
   3. Outline how these risks will be mitigated 
   4. Don’t be afraid to share the risks with the client. Transparency and communication is often the biggest hurdle for any web project 

Summary
It is impossible to preempt everything that is going to occur during the development of a web project, however, by devoting the required time to planning during the Initiation Phase, working on a project plan and outlining the potential risks, there is a much greater chance of avoiding unexpected issues.