In Choosing a Web Company, Experience Countsby Stephanie Lummis

I recently sat on a panel discussion about how to choose a website development partner at the 2010 AIM Conference. I have written about this subject before but I thought it was worth expanding on one key attribute: Experience.

When most people think about building a new website they think about design and coding. Although these steps are integral to the successful development of a website, there are many other domains of expertise which are essential to the process. You can't build a successful web asset without them.

Website areas of expertiseBusiness Strategy: The builder needs to understand why you are building a website in the first place and be able to answer a few critical questions. How will the website help achieve overall business objectives and support growth? Which business processes can be moved online?

Human Computer Interaction: They aren't just any humans; they are your humans - your potential stakeholders. Understanding how they behave online and what they expect from you is fundamental to success.

Information Architecture: You can't stuff content into a design. The right builder will develop a solid blueprint before design happens. How should the information be organized, structured and inter-related to provide optimal usability? Think sitemap and wireframes.

Content: What are your key messages? Are they being delivered based on how people read online? Otherwise, your website won't effectively communicate with your target audience.

Analytics: How will the success of the website be measured?  Your website developer should be able to help you establish KPIs and know how to act on them.

Emarketing: This is life after launch. Will the new website be able to grow and evolve with your orgainization? How does it fit with your offline marketing and communications efforts?

So far we’ve covered the disciplines of business, library science, fine arts, psychology, statistics, English and computer science. Very well rounded, indeed. Yes, there are many qualified individuals in these fields, but consider  - they don't teach:

• Designers how to write copy
• Information Architects about colour theory
• Developers about link strategy
• Behaviourists about CSS
  

This doesn't mean the builder you choose has to have an expert in each of these areas on staff. But the appreciation and knowledge of all of these domains  - the understanding of how all parts work together  to create a successful website (i.e. an asset not a liability), can only come through experience. 
 
Contact us today to have a professional help you plan your website development.