So You Want A Do-It-Yourself Web Site?

Developing a presence on the World Wide Web is similar to building a new branch office.

by Akarin Weatherford

Developing a Web site is a complex area that requires proper management attention. Like many areas of business, if not properly managed this development project can become a "black-hole" for both management time and investment dollars. This article will provide some insight into the mechanics of developing a Web presence.

Standardized Tool Sets
A number of development tools are available in the market. It is best to use name brands, avoiding shareware and homegrown tools, and always get the newest or latest version. The key is consistency, and this is true for both hardware and software. Establish a common toolset for all developers and enforce its use. These policies will more than pay for themselves with lower tech-support fees, less development downtime and lower upgrade costs.

There are many toolsets currently available. The following is a partial list and is not intended to be a comprehensive list or endorsement:

Roles and Responsibilities
Technical leadership is the key to the execution of the project. It is essential that you have one point of control for development efforts. The technical leader's role is to understand management's vision and to have a clear understanding of the technical abilities of the team and tools. He or she provides a central control point for any changes to the project and serves as a translator between the management team and the technical staff. The technical leader monitors the development staff, filters the needs and concerns of the development team, and makes sure the planning and schedule dates are met.

Project Planning
Develop a realistic schedule that does not set your team up for failure. It is important that you understand all the components that will interact with your business systems and the level of activity required to interface these systems. Allow enough time for testing. Understand lead times for hardware, software and communications. Make sure you have a feel for the team's abilities. This is the point where you may want to consider going outside for talent. It is unrealistic to expect development miracles from high school or college students, a relative who wrote a Web page, or non-degreed IT staff of small local Web site consultants or Internet Service Providers. To do the project right, you need to understand that developing a Web presence is an engineering project every bit as complicated as a major systems installation.

Development Process
The process of developing a Web presence is best broken down into four major steps.

It is tempting to jump right into the Do It stage. This stage, however, is the least important of the four. Without the Think It stage, there is no way to determine what you really want and the scope of the project. Without Design It, there is no way you can create the architecture for a robust and scalable system. Without Test It, there is no way to ensure predictable results from your site and its online applications, and you will quickly lose credibility with your customers.

Operations and Maintenance
If you are not an ISP (Internet Service Provider), do not plan on hosting your own site unless you have a "big-dog" infrastructure. Find a national hosting service that provides Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), fire suppression, physical site security, multiple Internet backbones, system backups, a capability for system and database maintenance, a tool set, and a detailed reliability and quality of service agreement that you can live with. Maintenance should always be planned as a recurring cost and, where possible, keep the original developer involved in the project and maintenance.

Questions to Ask
Determine whether you should do the project yourself or hire an outside developer. Answering the questions below will help you decide.

Doing Project Yourself...

Using Outside Resource...
The more you know about a potential contractor, the better your odds for success. Change the "I" in the questions above to "you." Also ask:

Remember that the decision to build a Web site is the decision to bring another channel of distribution to your customers. Look at it as if you are building a new branch office. It is a significant investment and needs to be managed for the current environment as well as the future. If you develop the Web site correctly on the front end, you will save big over the life of the project.