Day 28: If you’re looking for a successful outcome to your next website design and development project you better take a good, hard look at your collaboration methods – no matter what side of the desk you’re on. There’s you (the client), there’s the website design firm (us), and there’s the firm’s technology. That’s why it’s a three-way street.

First, let’s start with you. Most, but certainly not all, web projects that extend beyond the agreed upon timetable, go the distance because of client distractions. And that’s understandable. Hey, you have a business to run, people to manage, sales to develop, fires to fight and profitable transactions to celebrate. But in all my years in this business, I’ve found that a one hour commitment each week to the web development process goes a long way. Now, I’m not talking about preparing content, digging up the old photos of the factory in the Red Wing shoe box or chasing down testimonials. I’m talking about one hour to make critical decisions each week, to answer some questions, and review some insights. Believe it or not, this really helps.

Second, let’s talk about us. Most agencies believe what the great director, producer, writer and actor, Elia Kazan said, “I think there should be collaboration, but under my thumb.” Look, your website outcome is directly related to what you put into it. Agencies don’t know your business as well as you do, not even close. The more we collaborate the better the results. That’s in person, on Skype, on the whiteboard, the phone, but never through email. You cannot project manage a website through email. Never.

But you can through technology and that’s a question you should always ask your website design and development firm. Not just their process, but ask them to name the technology tools and resources they use to manage the process. You can’t really drive a technological process without technology, can you? Some tools agencies use are free and that’s okay, but by and large, the enterprise-wide stuff is not, but it’s essential. That’s why it’s a three-way street; you, us and the technology that keeps us collaborative.