How to make profitable website design development (part 3)

In previous articles, we examined the problems of everyday life and their solution to the topic of “ meetings ”. Today we consider a solution to the following problem.

Theme today is “Problem statement”

I would agree with you, but then we will both be wrong.

Let me remind you the essence of the problem. You have a signed contract. In your head you have thoughts reminiscent of the water agitated by a storm. Lots of ideas to draw. A lot of thoughts on how to surprise a future visitor to a new resource so that he comes in and says “WOW, its cool”, and sends it to friends or likes. You have already wondered how you will be awarded thefwa, awwwards or cssdesignawards (.com) awards. Sometimes you even see a moment when you go out with an agreement in your hand and an advance payment in your bank account: music sounds, the sun shines, everyone around you smiles.

Task parsing

You arrive at the office (home / office), and here comes the moment of realizing how much needs to be done. You sit down and start to think: where to start ?, so as not to forget everything ?, "but we discussed this ... or forgot?", Etc. We need to tell everything to the designer (manager / executors). We call and start the story: "we need to make a project ...". Everyone listens, then inserts their “5 cents”, sometimes they listen and record, sometimes they just listen and nod. It happens that they cling to something and the topic goes wrong, humor is added. The result the next day - no one really remembers what needs to be done. In the best case, the next day or the next day, the designer will bring the first ideas and ask: “what is there on the following pages?”.

After which I want to say: “Together with you, we read the ToRs, drew page diagrams on the blackboard, and discussed the functional ...”. But the fact remains. Firstly, if you are a developer, then you are entirely responsible, you know your business better, and secondly, we are all human beings, and it’s natural for us to forget something (if we talk about staff, then they never forget which cafe, when and what time they want to drink tea and what kind of movie they don’t want to miss because of your presentation of a new project). Again, after that, you’re really offended or want to say that you do not have such staff. If so, then you're in luck!

Let's stop repeating the structure of the project, which pages are included in it, which of them need to be drawn. Of course, there are places that just need to be discussed and debated. For example, the main page or service page, which should be clear to everyone and sell, are the key pages of the service.

Structure work from the first minute

What you need? We talked with the client - get Google. Document right away. Yes, someone needs to deal with him. But the 30 minutes that you spend (do it right now) will pay off with the first client. Registering a Google account, creating a document, naming a document, setting the 9th size, single indentation along the perimeter, A4 format - all this can be done quickly and easily. Do not forget to put the page numbering, this will allow you to reduce the time when you want to refer to the document: "here is the link docs.google ... you wrote in the comments on the 3rd page ...". Also learn how to use short links and give the client a short URL ( https://goo.gl) (_! _) Send the link to the client or ask him for gmail mail, and if the client is harmful, immediately open the document to access the link. Do not forget to use the comments.

“If a person cannot write what he needs - he does not know what he needs” - this is how I always speak openly to clients and it works, it hurts a person and he goes on principle (if someone else wrote this phrase before me) to me).

Next: you need to overcome yourself and learn to write in this document ALL that you want to do for the client. And make your client write EVERYTHING he wants in him. Let's recall the article from ( part2 ) and the fact that we need to save our time and client’s time. This file does not limit the client, it does not push him to tell you something right now, to give you an answer right now. A person can get a link during the day, read in the evening and write an answer in the morning. Benefits, tremendous capabilities, support on all devices, group work and auto-update- all these advantages of google. You can google the document. You do not need to send or write letters, follow the versions ... and generally do anything - give a link, and the client will be happy. Recall another moment from ( part 2 ): the client immediately sees that you own advanced tools. He does not care what version of Photoshop you have or the amount of RAM - he sees your awareness, which is transmitted through tools for interacting with him.

What does the “common document” give us?

Freedom! You can let the client, his assistants, your employees into him before starting work on the project. Make it right right away. Do not make garbage dump out of it. Follow the design. The client does not understand the rules for formatting the text. Make out for him, he will see and appreciate it. If you even have a document in the document, it means that your work has been perfected. Do not allow the slightest chance to doubt it.

Then you hold cards in hand ... How do we keep our documents? Differently. But there is something in common in them:

• Information block - in it we place links to all resources, photos and documents that the client gives us. To do this, you can create a folder with the name of the project in Google Drive and drop all the materials into it, opening them a different degree of access. To the extent that it can contain links to contracts and accounts (but only those who need access). In this block it is worth indicating who writes in what color;
• Block structure of the project. A structured schedule of the entire project, all pages and subpages;
• The block under discussion. An important block. Taking excerpts from it, you can draw up a statement of work, project documentation, an appendix to the contract (also saves time leaving these documents in Google docs; an accountant or lawyer will quickly write your comments);
• The block of questions. Separate the block of chaotic issues from the substance discussed above.
• Block estimates. Everyone leads this block in their own way.

Other services
that we will look at later,
such as (m) maquetter, Mock Flow, provide such freedom.

Total

At the exit, you have a signed contract and an advance payment on the account. You have structured information from the client at the moment, which you need to replenish every time he sends you something new. This advantage is available to all your employees immediately.

The contract and other Google documents you have are there. You sit on a visit to a friend, sleep with your mistress, and relax on a day off. Then the client calls you and says that he accepts the first stage of work, and if you provide him with an invoice in 5 minutes, he will sign it and the accounting department will pay for it. Otherwise, you will need to wait for him 21 days from the warm edges in the winter cold. What you need is to sit down at a computer, tablet, and even copy a document from your phone and send a link in the form of SMS. And rest further.

A general Google document with which you will come to the office and just share the link. Go drink tea while everyone is reading. You already sweated over to put everything together, put it on the shelves and give on a silver platter with a Google border. After reading you, of course, answer the questions. Make out everything on the board. And what will you do? Fix everything in the same document. Write here all the ideas, questions for the client. Provide everything with pictures and screenshots, if necessary (the board can be photographed). And tell the client: "look at the questions on the 3rd page of Google Dox." EVERYTHING (_! _)

In the next chapter, we will talk with you about prototyping, why this is necessary and how this will save time and money.

Previous Parts: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 ,Part 5 .

ps (_! _) I remind readers: the questions “how, what and why to draw” are not discussed here, I describe here only organizational issues. If you have not received the answer you were expecting, wait for the following articles. If you already know how and use it, excellent, I'm glad for you, let others listen. Those who have not applied something described - act. Sit down and try right now. And experienced let them help you in the comments.