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Achieving Big Project Success With Small Web Teams Monday, September 30, 13

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Page 1: Big project success with small web teams

Achieving Big Project Success

With Small Web Teams

Monday, September 30, 13

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#mStonerNow

@Zablocki

Monday, September 30, 13

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Fran ZablockiStrategist

Hello!

mStoner

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Big Project

vs

Small Project

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Big Project:

Institutional Redesign

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a.k.a.

“The 500 lb. Gorilla”

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Characteristics:

• Takes 10 - 14 months

• All consuming for 3 months

• Owns your world entirely

• But then leaves for like 3 to 5 years so

you can...

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Relax!

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Hm.. Not quite.

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Small Projects

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a.k.a.

“Hordes of 10 lb. monkeys”

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Small Projects:

• Alumni community site

• Capital campaign microsite

• Campus anniversary site

• Those “Hey I need a website” sites

• Those “Oh you didn’t know about that

site?” sites

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Small Projects:

• Alumni community site

• Capital campaign microsite

• Campus anniversary site

• Those “Hey I need a website” sites

• Those “Oh you didn’t know about that

site?” sites

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What to do?a. Wrestle them all at the same time

b. Toss the lightest ones first

c. Shock them with an electrified t-shirt

d. Tackle them with lean, mean processes,

tools and communication

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What to do?a. Wrestle them all at the same time

b. Toss the lightest ones first

c. Shock them with an electrified t-shirt

d. Tackle them with lean, mean processes,

tools and communication

Monday, September 30, 13

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Why?Because you don’t have unlimited:

Time You need it as quickly as possible.

Budget You aren’t minting money.

People Maybe it is just you! #higheredsolo

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How?By taking the project lifecycle and trimming

the fat.

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How?By taking the project lifecycle and trimming

the fat.

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ApproachLean processes

tools

communication

platform

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Lean means:Having the right tools

Collaborating as much as possible

Centralizing documentation

Being smart with time

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The Advantages of

Being Small.

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Small Means:

• Adaptable - You adapt quickly to new situations and can take advantage of new opportunities

• Direct - You don’t need to run everything by committee

• Decisive - Decisions can be made quickly• Multi-talented - being a generalist and wearing

many hats is not always bad! Variety keeps you current.

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Worst Kept Secret #1 :

You can use this on big projects, too.

Monday, September 30, 13

Page 25: Big project success with small web teams

Worst Kept Secret #1 :

You can use this on big projects, too.

Monday, September 30, 13

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Worst Kept Secret #2 :

You can use this with big teams, too.

Monday, September 30, 13

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Worst Kept Secret #2 :

You can use this with big teams, too.

Monday, September 30, 13

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Break down the process:

Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Tools

Communication

Process

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• The best way to save time on a project is to never do it in the first place.

• Portfolio management • Does this Project need to happen? Does it meet a need?• Do we have the time/budget/resources to make this

happen?• Do we have those resources right now?

Strategy

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Be realistic - if the answer is no, you won’t do yourself favors later on by saying yes

• Make more time for the right projects by never starting the wrong ones

• Ultimate goal is to become more proactive, less reactive

Strategy

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Don’t skip it just because “oh my gosh can’t we just get this project done already?!”

• Give yourself time to think by scheduling meetings outside the office.

• Yes, I am suggesting you meet with yourself. Make it sound important.

Strategy

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

Need / Want / Wish Grid

• Identify what must be included and what can wait• Helps to define scope• Helps channel creative but distracting ideas to

somewhere useful

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Set measurable goals• Don’t get paralyzed by the details• Don’t worry if there aren’t already metrics• Pick a number, shoot for it• Adjust later when you evaluate

Measurable Goals

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

Examples of measurable goals• Reach ___ people on Facebook.• Increase engagement ___ percent.• Drive ___ people to the website.• Prompt ___ people to inquire.• Get ___ people to apply.• Attract ___ views of a YouTube video.

Measurable Goals

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

ThreatsOpportunities

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

Strategy Brief

One lean document: 2-5 pages• Business Case - Why should this happen?• SWOT - What factors will determine if this will happen? • Need / Want / Wish Requirements - What needs to

happen?• Measurable Project Goals - How do we know if it

happens?

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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• Planning is hard, particularly if you don’t have history on how long things take

• Be conservative and take your best guess

Planning

Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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• Begin at the end• When do you need it done?• Back it up from there• Be realistic

Planning

Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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• Identify resources, roles, responsibilities up front• Use collaborative tools to help save time• Track time (even if it is a really rough estimate)

Planning

Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Browser - based project and resource planning• Collaborative - allows sharing, commenting,

discussions• Current - dates adjust automatically • Compatible with MS excel, project• $160 / year

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Free, Collaborative cloud scheduling• Integration with Google Drive and Business• Features similar to Smartsheet

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Outlines roles & responsibilities for project teams• Map to position or individual• Sets expectations from the start

Responsibilites List

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Having trouble estimating time? This can help• Keep it simple, keep it lean

Time Tracking

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• If you are having trouble estimating, this can help• Keep it simple and use tools to keep it lean

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• In the beginning, keep it simple. (paper prototyping, back of napkin).

• Use online tools for collaboration points.

Creative Production

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Help quickly organize and weight information visually without needing heavy design work

• Allow focus on important elements such as information architecture, content organization, feature space

Wireframes & Prototypes

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Don’t be fancy• Sketch it out - you don’t

need to be an artist• 5 minutes, 5 people• Quick, cheap way to test

visual ideas

Back of Napkin

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• One sheet (or napkin) for each page element

• Good for quickly rearranging page elements and testing different layouts

Paper Prototypes

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Collaborative wireframing• Allows commenting, sharing, versioning• Let you discuss functionality in the context of the

design instead of separately• $15 / person / month for small teams

UXPin

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• $14 / month for small teams

Hotgloo

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• 10 minutes of silence• Cut the chatter and get everyone’s input at the same

time• Simply look at what is in front of you and write your

thoughts. • Use group chat to share ideas• Open to discussion afterward

Creative Review Meetings

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Usability / IA / Wireframes / Designs• Beyond your core team• As efficiently as possible• Gives you real results to justify your decisions

Testing

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Efficient - use your existing student/faculty/staff/alumni email lists

Surveys

• Free basic service, $17 / month for unlimited questions responses

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• OptimalSort: Online card sorting• TreeJack: IA pathing • Chalkmark: Wireframe / Design Heat Mapping• $109 / month for each

Optimal Workshop

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• www.responsinator.com• Lets you see what your site looks like on muliple

devices quickly• Free!

Responsive Design

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Responsive Design

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Accessibility: cynthiasays.com • W3C compliance: validator.w3.org• Page performance: tools.pingdom.com/fpt • Page performance: www.webpagetest.org

Test, Test, Test

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Likely the most time-consuming tasks in any project• Centralizing your effort on the cloud can reduce

coordination time considerably

Information Architecture,

Content Creation & Migration

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Use bookmarks to allow users to quickly jump to different pages

• Eliminate tons of emails / attachments• Use your information architecture as the foundation• Track what copy is in, what is missing, when it’s due

Evolutionary Google

Documents

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• You want your code to be• in one place• shared with everyone who needs it• always current

Implementation

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• When more than one developer is working on the code, having version control is a must

• Git allows code segments to be ‘checked out’ so that no one else can alter them

• Allows collaboration and saves on code re-writes• git-scm.com

Version Control:Git

Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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• Keeps the bug list up to date• Automatically tracks changes and allows reversions• Allows comments and live chat while viewing• Invaluable during crunch time when heads are down

and meetings can’t happen

Bug tracking:

Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• So easy to skip because “Oh my gosh we just finished the project! Time for cake!”

• Crucially important to all the prior steps on the NEXT project you do.

Evaluation

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• So easy to skip because “Oh my gosh we just finished the project! Time for cake!”

• Crucially important to all the prior steps on the NEXT project you do.

Evaluation

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Scheduled right after launch• Honest assessment:

• Did we meet our goals?• How close were our estimates?• What did we do right?• What did we do wrong?• What did we not see coming?

• Make it the first thing you look at the next time you do a project like this

Project Debrief

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Strategize Plan Create Implement Evaluate

• Free, powerful. Get it.• Allow you to measure against past pages• Tons of options for goal setting

• Pathing and funnel reports• Visitor behavior• Device usage (ie mobile)

• If you have a brand new site, be sure this is installed!

Google Analytics

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Strategize

Plan Create

ImplementEvaluate

Communicate &Collaborate

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• Lean - cut out everything that is unnecessary, but don’t skip anything that is necessary

• Get away from email as much as possible• Reduce the time wasted on feedback loops (ie: the

endless reply all email thread from hell)

Communication & Collaboration

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• Don’t meet to discuss, meet to decide• Don’t have one if you don’t need one• Everyone reviews/comments before the meeting

starts

Meetings

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• Save time by getting the basics done right• Agendas• Note-taking• Minutes

Meetings

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Golden Rule: never have a meeting without one.Template:

• Date, time, connection method• Agenda items• Review deliverables from last meeting• Discuss open items• Add new items• Upcoming deliverables and responsibility• Upcoming milestones (next 3-5)• Next meeting (if known)

Agendas

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Golden Rule: always take notes. No, you won’t remember.

• Designate a meeting leader and note-taker • Have a note-taking buddy system (ie: Fran always

takes notes when Susan leads the meeting).

Meeting Notes

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Golden Rule: Copy and paste the agenda and you are halfway there!

• Date, time• Attendance• Agenda items• Review deliverables from last meeting (notes in italics)• Discuss open items (notes in italics)• Add new items• Repeat upcoming deliverables & milestones (next 3-5)• Schedule next meeting date while you have everyone’s

attention

Minutes

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Sometimes you need to pull your head up and see where you are in relation to where you should be.

• Can be monthly, quarterly. Less frequent than regular meetings

• Compare estimated timeline to actual• Let you flag slippage and discuss causes of and

solutions for issues

Periodic Status Reports

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Collaboration Tools

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• Shared calendars allow different levels of detail, including showing anyone (the public) when you are busy

• Can share with those who don’t have Google accounts. • ‘Find a time’ allows you to quickly see what is open for

a group of people• Free.

Google Calendar

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When in-person meetings aren’t possible

• Hangouts are a great way to see people who might be remotely located.

• Lots of tools • Chat room• Screen sharing• Document collaboration with Google Drive

• Still free.

Google Hangouts

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Central location for all • project correspondence• files• agendas• notes• conversations• project calendar

• www.basecamp.com• $20 / month for 10 active projects

Basecamp

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Bringing it all Together:

Lean Platform for Small Projects

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Lean Platform

• We’ve heard many times from clients about the need for an approach that is the right fit for small projects and small teams

• We’ve created new approaches tailored to provide focused, nimble web solutions

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Lean CMS Platform

WordpressMonday, September 30, 13

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Why Wordpress?

• Powerful platform• Easy to use: industry standard for interface usability• Quick to implement• Saves time with parallel production of design and

content

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Why Wordpress?

• Strong base functionality• Strong development community with variety of plugins

and frameworks to meet different needs• Good fit for departments and schools with small web

teams that need a CMS sized for them

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Lean Platform, Process & Tools

• Using many of the tools, techniques and strategies you’ve seen here today• 5-6 month time to complete• Parallel tracking of phases• Tailored for smaller projects and smaller teams

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Lean Timeline

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We’re flexible.

This is only one approach. We can:

• Customize this one

• Customize an approach just for you

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Interested?

Let us know!

We’d love to work with you.

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Thanks!

Questions?

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Page 107: Big project success with small web teams

Fran ZablockiStrategist

@Zablocki

[email protected]

585.300.4559

Mallory Wood

Director of Marketing

@mallorywood

[email protected]

802.457.9234

Contacts

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