This article is intended to provide a high level view of a conceptual framework when setting out to build or redesign a website as part of an overall web presence.
We start building our website by asking a few important questions. As we work through the stages of site development, these questions remain foremost and are continually refined.
• Why do we need a website?
• Who will visit and why?
• What will visitors be looking for?
• How will the site be marketed?
Website Components
Three core elements make up any website and are listed here in order of importance
• Content: The information that attracts visitors to the site offering possible solutions to a problem.
• Site Functions: These are the mechanisms that efficiently deliver the content to a visitor. Some possible functional components include: blog, gallery, forum, contact forms, calendar, landing pages.
• Appearance: The graphic interface that creates the look and feel of the site, organizes information into logical silos, and helps guide visitors in navigating from one part of the site to another.
Having determined why a site is needed, what will be offered, created profiles of people who will be served by the site and what they might be looking for, we then set out to code the website.
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What’s a framework?
Not long ago most sites were static online brochures, individually coded by hand. Complex sites offering many functions and with large quantities of to data to serve up were only possible given the resources of those having deep pockets. This situation has changed. With the advent of open source framework applications like WORDPRESS and DRUPAL, the opportunity to develop fully featured database driven websites is available at a fraction of the cost it might have been a few years ago. These frameworks are so sophisticated, flexible, and feature rich, they can be scaled to enterprise level if necessary.
My preference between these frameworks is WORDPRESS in most cases. WORDPRESS is easier to set up and easier to teach a site owner how to use. DRUPAL, while more robust, is also more complex. It’s not as user friendly either but is probably a better choice for larger projects, especially those requiring e-commerce functionality. Deciding to use one framework over the other should be carefully considered within the context of overall site goals.
What do WordPress and Drupal offer in common?
• Content Management: This capability gives the site owner full functional control over most aspects of the site including a broad range of options for customization to tailor site functionality to individual need.
• Support: Open source projects like WORDPRESS and DRUPAL are developed and maintained by large, active communities of developers. Added functionality and the updating of core code files to meet security requirements is ongoing.
Cost of developing or redesigning a site
After presenting initial ideas to a developer estimated costs can be projected covering fixed, creative, and development fees.
Be aware that web development is a creative process. As the site takes shape and becomes more clearly defined, projects are often prone to scope creep. This simply means that as the process unfolds implementation of additional functionality previously not considered can add to the complexity, size and cost of a project.
Additionally, when dealing with evolving technologies such as those involved with web development, there are often unforeseen technical issues that come up adding to the time required for development. Budgeting is not an unreasonable goal to keep expenses from getting out of hand. But it’s not a good idea to be so rigid in adherence to a fixed fee that the spirit of a project is stifled. Properly done there will be a measurable return on this investment.
• Fixed: This covers the annual registration of a domain, the hosting of site files, and other subscription fees required by site functions as those for email subscription and campaigns.
• Development: Time needed to plan, organize, code and build the website. This includes the development of graphic assets including logos, banners, media, and any other images or graphic elements needed to create the look and feel of the site.
• Maintenance: Once built, the site needs to be maintained. To some degree an owner can be trained to perform regular site maintenance. Database backups and framework upgrades should probably be done by an experienced developer familiar with these procedures. Regular site maintenance takes time so when issues arise and a developers help is needed, compensation is provided as either part of a monthly support fee, or billed by the hour.
• Content: Defined as the text and images other than graphic assets required by the user interface. Content development is the full responsibility of the site owner, unless specified otherwise.
One last and important note.
When a site is finally launched and live on the internet, two things must be done if the investment in time, effort, and money is to make any sense.
• Care and Feeding: Adding fresh content as in text, media, images, on a regular basis, is a must. Fresh content will not only raise the level of visibility on search engines, it will give a reason for visitors to keep coming back for new, stimulating and relevant information of interest.
• Promotion: A website must be promoted to develop a following. People must be told the site exists for it to be found. On and offline strategies include email campaigns, direct mail, traditional and electronic newsletters, traditional print and media strategies, and social — Facebook, Twitter, Digg, and Stumbleupon among others. Taken together these strategies are all useful for raising awareness of a site’s existence and its usefulness as a resource.
The Internet is powerful and it’s yours. Embrace it.
Further Reading: On The Web:
Content Management Systems
User Experience
WordPress
Drupal
Photo Credit: John Sutton, 2007. View from the temporary home of the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
