Planning happens in a few stages: if this seems like a lot, don't worry - for small projects, many of these stages involve just a few minutes of your time. Just think of this as a checklist - remembering what you're supposed to do is important, even if some of the steps get skipped on purpose.
The first step involves a review of the project brief. Are there any questions left over? Have all the important roles been defined? Are critical dates listed? Is a budget defined, even if it's only approximate?
Don't forget the most important question: Is the project's purpose clear. Without a clear definition, you're doomed for failure.
Once everyone's happy with the project brief, everybody signs off on it and the project starts.
A project schedule means committing to delivery dates. Getting these dates on the table and committing to a budget up front is importat to make sure that everybody is on the same page.
Think of the Project Plan as a response to the Project Brief. It summarizes everything in it, and outlines how the projects goals are going to be achieved. It's a road map for the project.
Once everybody's agreed to a plan, we move on to the Execution phase.
]]> Planning is more important than ever in software development, and it's happening less than it ever has. A project without a plan is a recipe for unhappiness.]]>Common sense tells you this simply isn’t true.
Custom content management systems typically offer a tremendous advantage in cases where the structure of the information you need to display contains more than a few simple fields, when you need to design a custom workflow for your environment, or when you need to share responsibility for different areas of content. Many of these things can be done with commercially available content management systems, but you it may be more efficient to build your own system from scratch.
We’ll analyze your content plan and determine the most effective way for you to turn it into a reality. Understanding your options means you can make the right decision for your business in the long term.
Deliverables. Content Management Recommendation document, with background information.
Development deliverables vary from project to project, but generally include all code installed in the functional environment, necessary documentation (both system and user documentation) as well as a backup CD of all code.
Rates. A content management recommendation can be prepared for a fixed price of $200. This involves a review of your existing documentation and data structures, any existing infrastructure, as well as your content plan.
Content Management System Development rates start at US$100 per hour.
]]> Building your own content management system may be the right solution, but it requires careful thought. Why reinvent the wheel if you don't need to?]]>Database planning can seem quite simple at first glance – write down the information you need, separate it into tables and you’ve got your database.
Too often, this ignores the fundamental reason you use a database in the first place: Data Mining.
Using a database to store your company’s information is a great idea, as long as you can use it. Data mining provides the most powerful marketing tool you have if it’s done well.
Choosing a database doesn’t have to be difficult – in fact, your choice of platform often dictates the best database to use. Trust your technology expert’s recommendation- whatever database you’re using, our database planning will help you get the maximum value from your data.
Some databases are hosted in house, others are hosted on dedicated servers at hosting facilities. Both of these solutions work, as long as you remember one fundamental rule:
There’s no sense in building up years of expertise and knowledge only to have it all disappear because of data loss. You may never recover from a loss like this.
Data loss is a bigger risk to most businesses than data theft, and yet many worry more about theft.
Create a backup plan, make sure it’s being executed and don’t be afraid to test its integrity on a regular basis. A backup won’t do you any good if it’s corrupt, or you don’t know how to restore your data.
The heart of our philosophy means that we work with you to maximize your investment. It's our view that the best way to create long term, enduring relationships with our clients is to be open, honest and to promote clear communications.
Long term relationships with clients are our goal - by working together, we can grow and make sure that your technology investment grows with you.
A lot of people say they focus on quality; we take a wholistic view of this and use it as more than just a buzzword.
It's our goal to make sure that you understand everything that we do, and are satisfied that we have acted in your best interests. Because we focus on quality, we're confident that you'll be happier with the final result.
Writing your invoice is the last thing we do, not the first.
]]>Documentation. Any software package you buy should be well documented – this is especially true of your content management system. Without documentation, future upgrades and updates are going to virtually impossible to implement.
Support. Many companies have developed proprietary content management systems that offer little or no support. This locks you into a single source for information, support and future upgrades. Buying a content management system with a broad support network ensures that no matter what happens, your investment is secure.
Cost. The software components of content management systems can range from Free to thousands of dollars. More important than this is keeping an eye on the full cost of your project. A free solution that comes with thousands of dollars of consulting costs to implement doesn’t do you any good. Any solution that’s handed off to you without detailed documentation of the type of customization work that’s been done could cost you thousands of dollars down the road if you need to find a new devloper. Don’t lose site of the whole board when you’re looking at cost.
Extensibility. Your content management system should include a plug-in architecture that makes it possible to add features that aren’t part of the core functionality. Even if you don’t need this architecture immediately, it may be necessary in the future in order to implement some new functionality.
]]> Content management systems give you -- not your designer -- control over your site. Using one as the basis of your site is the first step in taking control of your online communications.]]>Information Architecture provides that plan, with a focus on helping your users satisfy their information needs. The proper site structure, headings, search tools and other factors can dramatically improve your site’s information scent.
Good architecture not only improves customer satisfaction, usability, and information scent, it also helps your site in the quest for customers at search engines. Search Engine Optimization can be a highly effective marketing tool – if your site’s content delivers on the promise. Well organized sites are the building block of a good search engine placement.
Rates. Information Architecture work starts at US$100 per hour.
Deliverables. Information architecture deliverables vary from project to project. At a minimum, a site map and content overview are usually requested. In some cases, selected low fidelity prototypes can be desirable. Design briefs can also be provided if visual design work has not yet been completed.
]]>Getting there means using a combination of skills to create a site with the right content, architecture and visual design in order to achieve your goals.
Usability testing can and should be done prior to launch for any project. Like Quality Assurance, Usability Testing shouldn’t be thought of as the last step before your project is launched: it’s an iterative process that’s integral to the success of your project.
Our philosophy of improving usability reflects this: starting with low fidelity prototypes made with pencil and paper, the entire project is storyboarded. These storyboards are shared, reviewed and discussed. Changes are made where necessary. We use paper for lots of reasons - mostly because it's cheap, and easy to make changes.
All of this is the foundation for the visual design. Multiple concepts are built, reviewed, and tested.
One visual design is chosen and then revised until it’s ready for production.
If the development timeline and budget permit, an initial skeleton shell is prepared that allows users to interact with a text only version of the site. Essential graphical elements may be included in this test, but the point is to ensure that the site’s structure and content meet the needs of the target audience.
As the final product is assembled, users are tested using a task driven model to ensure that the site meets the defined standards.
Usability reviews can be done in a number of different ways ranging from simple written reports based on analysis, online testing and surveying to sessions with web site users and participants. A detailed usability review will comment on all aspects of the site - content, architecture and visual design. Contact us for details.
Deliverables. Deliverables vary by project, but always include a usability analysis and report.
Rates. Usability work starts at US$75 per hour. Fixed rates can be negotiated when sufficient project details are available.
]]> Usabilty is a simple concept with powerful possibilities: the success of the iPod is probably the best example. Understanding how to make usable software can be a critical factor in the success of your project.]]>Quality Assurance is a continual process that plays an important role in ensuring your project is completed on time. By working with the development team in an iterative process, Quality Assurance helps to eliminate the last minute bug hunt that so many projects suffer from.
Deliverables Exact deliverables depend on the nature of the project, but a minimum of one QA report per week should be expected. This report will detail all issues addressed during the previous week.
Rates Quality Assurance & Testing work can starts at US$50 per hour.
]]> Quality assurance isn't about catching bugs just before release - it's about preventing them from happening in the first place.]]>An accurate project plan starts with an accurate project specification.
A good specification includes both the necessary technical details and the necessary business details. Technical specifications and restrictions define the parameters within which the project will operate – this can include your existing hardware and software environment and any necessary interfaces it provides, or the parameters within which you would like to operate in a future environment (i.e. "use only freely available Open Source" software or "must be compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 and higher and Apple's Safari 1.3 or higher.)
Sniffing out the necessary business requirements means working with your staff to determine what elements of your business are, and are not, relevant to the project at hand. Missing details will inevitably lead to unexpected project costs when these features have to be added in at a later date – at great cost.
Preparing a good specification document means working with your staff and understanding what developers need to know – we can handle both of these.
Deliverables. Detailed project technical specification. Detailed project outline and corresponding supporting documents as necessary (i.e. ERD, Software Flow Chart.) Risk document, outlining the perceived potential risks of the project that will need to be tracked.
Rates. Complete project specification documentation can be prepared at rates from US$75 per hour. Fixed rates are available by negotiation.
]]> The rule in design has always been "What you see is what you get". In software, the trick is making sure that "What You Get Is What You Expected."]]>Stay focused on what matters today and let us help you with your future.
Responding to RFPs can be a lot of work and shift your focus from current work. Contracting out the response process can keep your available resources focused on current projects, in addition to offering other advantages.
An Outside Perspective. It’s easy to lose sight of how the agency receiving your RFP perceives you. By bringing an outside perspective to the RFP process, gain a valuable perspective on issues that may have a dramatic effect on your proposal.
Client Side Insight. Our past experience as a purchaser of software development services means we understand what your clients are looking for. Put this experience to work for your business today.
Deliverables. Final RFP document, proofed and edited. Delivered in PDF and MS Word format.
Rates. Proposal writing starts at US$50 per hour. Fixed rates are available. Contact us with details.
A final edit and review can be invaluable by itself. Our editing services give your proposal that final level of polish it needs to be perfect.
Preparing your proposal means an almost endless number of times reading and rewriting. Bringing a fresh set of eyes in for a final review can catch errors that have been missed by tired eyes.
Have you ever submitted a proposal based on a template & forgotten to replace a company name? Avoid embarrassing mistakes like this with an editing review.
Deliverables. Edited, marked up copy of your proposal (either in MS Word format, or edited on paper.) Recommendations document providing realistic ways to improve the proposal document.
Rates. Editing alone begins at US$40/hour. Requests can be accommodated with as little as 24 hours notice, and a 24 hour turnaround is possible on proposal documents less than 100 pages in length.
]]> A good proposal means new, profitable business. Mistakes can be costly - including the wrong company name, typos, and poor langage use all make your company look unprofessional and disorganized.]]>Properly planned software means a few things.
Defining the scope of the project sets expectations from the outset – don’t make promises you can’t keep, and make sure that people aren’t expecting features can’t get built.
Missed timelines are a common problem that doesn’t have to happen. A good plan breaks the project into manageable, meaningful steps so that accurate timelines can be planned from day one.
All projects – big or small – have important roles that need to be filled. The size and scope of these roles can vary from project to project, but they need to be identified in order to succeed.
It’s far too easy, and far too common, for good planning to be left too late – it’s too easy to get excited and just start coding. Avoid disappointment by getting organized first.
Our project planning process means working with you to develop a plan that works for everybody.
Deliverables. Project plan document. Project timeline document. Project cost estimate.
Rates. Project planning is ordinarily done on an hourly basis, at a rate of US$75/hour. Fixed rates are available.
]]> All projects require planning, not just big ones. Small ones just need less of it.]]>All code should be documented, and standards exist to define this. You should make sure developers are doing this documentation as the work is done, but better late than never.
Developing custom software solutions can be costly – good user documentation is a critical component of software success.
User documentation can mean online help, printed manuals, and detailed training materials or a combination of all of these.
By the time a project is complete, the original project specification has often flexed and changed. The technical documentation process updates the project specification and creates a valuable detailed record of all technical aspects of the project.
Deliverables. Completed, edited documentation in digital format. (Format to be specified in project plan.) Printing can be arranged at additional cost.
Rates. Documentation can be prepared on an hourly basis, or can be included in a larger project at a fixed rate.
]]> Documentation isn't an afterthough. Good documentation is as important as good code, if not more so.]]>Call 206.629.8735
You can also reach us on Skype at skot.nelson
]]>Clear communication has become more important than ever.
"Technology is Impersonal" is a common refrain. Not so.
People have very intimate relationships with their personal technology. Well designed online tools can build these same kind of strong realtionships with your customers.
We get things built. We help you understand. We help your customers get things done.
We make technology that works. We make your technology beautiful.
]]>