What could go wrong with your website project?

I don’t want to be negative, but like any other type of project, having a website created can run into numerous problems. From choosing the wrong person for the job, to not being able to decide on a design, these obstacles can cause serious delays in a project, even bring the whole thing to a complete stop! Below is a variety of these common obstacles and pitfalls that you need to be aware of. Take a deep breath….

Choosing the wrong person for the job

It’s top of the list, because it’s the most common problem people come across when having a website done. Perhaps the person chosen for the job doesn’t really have the design and development skills and expertise to create the type of website needed. They may have offered to do the job at a bargain price, but going cheap comes with the risk of poor quality and service. Choosing the wrong person will cause upset and lose you money.

Deciding on a design

A web designer will prepare graphical concepts of how a website could look and feel. The client will need to provide feedback during the design stages of the project to ensure a final design is created. Situations occur when there really are ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ each wanting their own way on that final design. This can create frustration on all parties involved and severely delay a project.

Wanting more and more

Another huge problem with having a website done, is that many people may want to add additional things to their website. This of course takes the project beyond its original scope which the web design company or web designer provided a price for. Any additional work requested beyond the agreed project scope will more than likely be chargeable.

Changing minds

Poor planning in defining the purpose, objectives, design, and features of a website may result in someone changing their mind during the project cycle. The person working on the website will have priced up the project on what was initially required and agreed on. Taking the project suddenly in another direction means time and money has already been wasted, which of course can result in frustration and friction.

Communication Breakdown

Ensuring healthy communication channels between all people involved in a website design project will be key. Any miscommunication between the website design company team members and clients can lead to misunderstandings, delays, and dissatisfaction with the final website. Reputable web design companies will have robust communication channels in place to ensure that information flows freely and regularly at all times between all parties involved.

Delayed content

Content for the new website, that’s the text, images, video clips etc. will mostly be the responsibility of the client to provide. Writing up text content, choosing the right images and having a video professionally done all take time. One of the most common delays to website projects is that clients do not have this content ready, so everything comes to a complete standstill.

Integration with third party software

Many people will want their new website integrated with third party software, e.g. Payment gateways, accounting systems, CRM, delivery companies etc. The company creating the website will often require the client to set up accounts with these third-party software companies and then provide them with the details. Delays do happen setting up these types of accounts, which of course will impact on the timeline for delivering the website.

Resource constraints

Making sure that enough funding has been allocated to see the website project completed is essential. Having people who have the time and commitment to work alongside the web design company to see the project through is equally essential. Failure on both will unfortunately have a negative impact on a project’s progress.

Poor workmanship

Going back to the very first one on our list is using the wrong person for the job. The website may not be built right, not look as promised, have poor functionality and be open to security breaches. All of these will have wasted time and cost money to fix, often leading to the client throwing in the towel and finding someone else to work with. Keep in mind that most web design companies will be loathe to pick up someone else’s work and only offer to start the project from scratch.

Lack of Testing:

With website development it all comes down to quality and testing to ensure a website works the way it should. Inadequate quality control and testing before the website launches can result in undiscovered issues and bugs surfacing once the website is live. This can negatively impact a client’s business and reputation until the problems are resolved by the web design company.

And how to avoid these pitfalls?

Preparation is key to minimizing these risks. Choose someone with a proven track record in web design and development, who has already created the type of website you want. Check their portfolio, read their reviews, ask for references and speak to their customers. Make sure you have a clear direction for your new website – how it should look and what it should do. Make sure you have the funds at hand for the whole project. Choose someone in your company you can trust who can commit to the project and see it through with your chosen web designer.