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Key Step in Building a Website
04/16/09



When I work with a company and begin the conversation about their website I find myself in the role of an ‘Educator’.  During this discussion, a company will have their technology lead, their sales or marketing contact and possibly a business decision maker involved and everyone approaching the project from a different perspective.  A technology person is looking to align the right infrastructure, including code language and database.  A sales or marketing person wants to know how the website is going to create more business leads or long term customer retention, and a business decision maker wants to know the overall effect of the bottom line.  Each person has their own perspective on building the website.

Building the Right Web Development Team
Building the right team is critical to the development of any website.  The first major component to that team is the ‘final decision maker’.  You must have someone involved that can take input and turn that input into a final answer.  With many people having a variety of opinions on everything from design to functionality it is key to be able to make a decision.  I recommend a superior within the organization.  Depending on the size of the company it could be a CEO, VP, or manager. 

Next, you have to make sure that you have a variety of different personality types with different areas of expertise.  Most people naturally want to work with people like themselves to avoid conflict in decision-making.  There should be an expected and acceptable level of conflict with any project. Involve someone from sales, marketing, operations, human resources and management.

Picking the Right Web Development Team
I am operating under the assumption that you are looking to outsource your web development.  If this is not the case there still may be some good applicable thought processes that apply.  That being said, the key to a successful website development process is to have clearly identified business goals that are driving the project.  This could be traffic related, customer related, lead generation, more retention or many other possibilities.  Select a web development firm that has the capability to see your vision at the business level.  Many web firms focus on technology or design.  We recommend a focus on solutions.  A good web design company should be able to take your vision and develop a design and site based upon your goals, not your creative likes and dislikes (although that is required as well).

Just remember - each roll within the project is equally important.  Make sure that all of the roles are defined and filled with the best talent for that position.  This is the backbone to a successful web development.

- Brad McCrory
Account Executive

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