building results oriented websites: the method that ends the madness
DESCRIPTION
Content Management Systems gives you a huge tool box to deliver features. As CMSs accelerates the development cycle, the question changes from “How do we build sites?” to “What should we build?” This session presents the strategies and methodologies we have learned and used over the last 12 years to build results driven websites. For decades the gold standard for measuring project success has been the project management iron triangle: on time, on budget, on scope. Despite increasingly more rigorous planning strategies, the average project is still 45% over budget, delayed by 63% and missing 1/3 of the promised functionality. Worse yet, this obsession with certainty is reducing quality, innovation and value while burning out web development teams - and things are only getting more difficult. A new way of thinking is needed to build truly successful projects. This session presents modern strategies and methodologies that have continually proven to beat the averages. We will review the latest research and advice from the world’s foremost software engineers. The session will conclude with a breakdown of the innovative methodologies that drive the majority of the world’s leading websites. This session is for anyone looking to build more successful projects. Project owners will learn how to drive innovation, faster and with less cost. Your development team will learn how to continually deliver better work with less stress and long weekends.TRANSCRIPT
[MM.DD..YY] [PRESENTER]
Nov 19, 2011 Building results-oriented web projects
Building Results Oriented Websites:The Method that Ends the Madness flickr.com/photos/cuppini/2719863711
Why do we plan?
• Look and feel• Features
Stakeholder utility
• On time• On budget• In Scope
Certainty
• Emotional branding• Content• Features• Usability & Experience
End user utility
• Increased revenue• Reduced cost • Increased goodwill
Organizational returns
CB
5 years from now
Features
Certainty
User delight
Org. value
A
What is a results oriented website
flickr.com/photos/ncreedplayer/5403123930 flickr.com/photos/masoncooper/456641277
Why should we plan?
certainty
stakeholderutility
userexperience
returns
waste
1. Maximize organizational returns
2. Optimize user experience
3. Reduce waste
Traditional web development process
Requirements
• Concept • High-level requirements
• Requirements gathering • Requirements spec
Design
• Product (UI) Design• Wireframes
• Detailed Design • Functional specs
Implementation
• Creative design• Content• Development
Verification
• Unit testing• Acceptance testing
• Beta testing
Maintenance
planning
development
live
Big Design Up Front
certainty
stakeholderutility
userexperience
returns
waste
6 months
$
Mid Design Up Front
certainty
stakeholderutility
userexperience
returns
waste
6 weeks
$
Fumbling towards estimates
The McCracken Uncertainty Principle
The higher the feature velocity of a project, the less precise the resources needed can be predicted
Planning for certainty
source: blogs.msdn.com/b/dannawi/archive/2009/05/15/2009-standish-chaos-report-we-are-successful-in-the-failure.aspx
certainty waste
=
certainty no long term value
=
Getting what you want vs. knowing what you want
time
inn
ova
tion
high levelrequirements
design & architecture
mockups validation live
Freedom to innovate
Insight to innovate
certainty less value
=
valuemore money
= $
Where to go
certainty
$
value
waste
cost $ $
AgileBig DUFMid DUF
A better approach
Requirements
Design
Implementation
Verification
website6 months
waterfall
Requirements
Design
Implementation
Verification
features2 weeks
agile
Project management methodologies comparison
Cowboy Agile Waterfall
Requirements Little formal requirements
Lightweight, structured
Very formal Big Design Up Front
Owner - teamAgreements
Usually fixed bid, poorly defined scope.
Typically fixed budget or fixed scope – value based
Initially fixed bid by stages. Modified by change orders.
Owner – team relationship
Undefined Collaborative Contractual
Owner – team communication
Whenever Cycle every 1-4 weeks
At major milestones. May be months apart.
Improvement changes requests
Whatever Discussed each cycle – better ideas easily integrated
Formal change order process built to resist change
Risk management
??? Adaptive - by doing, inspecting and adapting
Predictive – by planning
Light weight planning
certainty
stakeholderutility
userexperience
returns
waste
2 weeks
$
Results oriented light weight planning
certainty
stakeholderutility
userexperience
returns
waste
4 weeks
$$
The plan
online
results
a.k.a more of the right stuff
agile project management
results oriented
user-centeredplanning
more stuff
the right stuff
Process
Types of models• Results models• User role models• User stories• Interface models
Models based• Light weight• Iterative• Comprehendible by everyone• Synchronization• Collaboration
Participatory workshops• Rapid• Comprehensive• Synergistic• Consensus
Results modeling
Process• Brainstorm• Organize• Consolidate & refine• Prioritize
Definition:the benefits stakeholders want to achieve with the site.
Results modeling: types of results models
objectives
valued eventsgoals
Results modeling: brainstorm
increase bike sales
become a recognized
leader in the local biking community
Show the pictorial history of results bikes
The site should be intuitive and easy to
navigate
The site should have a clean
and professional
look
Be more viral
To increase traffic to the
site
Increase bike rentals by
100%
Reduce routine customer call inquires by
50%
Sell more bike repair services
Sell more bikes online
Double our mailing list
Staff should be able to add
and edit content
Expand our digital footprint
Get 500 “Likes” on Facebook
Visitors should be able to find what they want in no more than
3 clicks
Results modeling: organize
increase bike sales
become a recognized
leader in the local biking community
Show the pictorial history of results bikes
The site should be intuitive and easy to
navigate
The site should have a clean
and professional
look
Be more viral
To increase traffic to the
site
Increase bike rentals by
100%
Reduce routine customer call inquires by
50%
Sell more bike repair services
Sell more bikes online
Double our mailing list
Staff should be able to add
and edit content
Expand our digital footprint
Get 500 “Likes” on Facebook
Visitors should be able to find what they want in no more than
3 clicks
Results modeling: consolidate
increase bike sales
become a recognized
leader in the local biking community
Show the pictorial history of results bikes
The site should be intuitive and easy to
navigate
The site should have a clean
and professional
look
Be more viral
To increase traffic to the
site
Increase bike rentals by
100%
Reduce routine customer call inquires by
50%
Sell more bike repair services
Sell more bikes online
Double our mailing list
Staff should be able to add
and edit content
Expand our digital footprint
Get 500 “Likes” on Facebook
Visitors should be able to find what they want in no more than
3 clicks
Goals Objectives FeaturesValued events
Results modeling: refine
increase bike sales
Goals Objectives Valued eventsIncrease by
sales by 50% a month within 6
months
Bike purchaseValue = 40% of the retail price
Results modeling: prioritize
increase bike sales
become a recognized
leader in the local biking community
The site should be intuitive and easy to
navigate
The site should have a clean
and professional
look
Be more viral
To increase traffic to the
site
Sell more bike repair services
Sell more bikes online
Expand our digital footprint
Primary Secondary Tertiary
User role modeling
Process• Brainstorm• Organize• Consolidate & refine• Define• Prioritize
Definition:a collection of defining attributes that characterize a population of users and their goals, needs and intended interaction with the site
User role modeling: brainstorm
local newspaper
sports blogger
website administrator
hotels that need bikes for
guests
people from out of town
fans
staff
new bike rider
bike shoppers
person who wants to
upgrade their bike
competitive rider
bike owners
job seekers
new mom/parent
casual bikers
tour guide
User role modeling: organize
local newspaper
sports blogger
people from out of town
fans
staff
bike shoppers
person who wants to
upgrade their bike
bike owners
job seekers
new mom/parent
website administrator
hotels that need bikes for
gueststour guide
competitive rider
casual bikers
new bike rider
User role modeling: consolidate & refine
local newspaper
sports blogger
fans
staffbike shoppers
bike owners job seekers
new mom/parent
website administrator
tour guide
casual bikers
new bike rider
person who wants to
upgrade their bike
enthusiasts shoppers staff
renters
people from out of town
hotels that need bikes for
guests
owners
competitive rider
job seekers
User role modeling: define
owners
Demographics• Age: 25-55• Gender: 65% male• Location: within 10 miles of store
Psychographics• Active lifestyle• Prefers being outdoors• Green
Behavioral• Significant web usage including search engines and social media• Research purchases online before buying• Significant use of mobile devices
Brand• Custom service is significant driver for brand loyalty• Likely to buy again from same store. Typically 1 bike every 4 years.
Site• Proficient web user • Likely to have high speed internet access
User role modeling: personas
renter
User role modeling: prioritize
enthusiastsshoppers
staffrenters
owners
job seekers
Primary Secondary Tertiary
User stories
Process• Brainstorm• Organize & refine• Prioritize
Definition:describes a features and functionality of the site from the viewpoint of a user role
Trawling for requirements
User stories: format
As a [user role]I want [a feature or goal] so that [a benefit or reason]
* so that is optional
A user story is a documented requirement and a note to discuss later
User stories: brainstorm
As a Bike Enthusiast, I would like to• read the latest bike shop news/blog• comment on the blog• share content through email and social media • see a calendar of events, classes, races• sign up for newsletter and alerts• see special offers• get contact information• see location and hours of operation
User stories: prioritize
MoSCoW approach• Must haves – we need these stories in order to launch the
project• Should haves – these are of high importance, but are not
show stoppers for the next release• Could haves – If we get a couple of these in it would be
nice, but they can be moved easily to the next release• Wants – These are not a priority but we want to keep track
of them as possibilities for future releases.
Interface models
Common interface models• Navigation architecture & maps• Content models • Wireframes and prototypes• Design comps
Definition:graphical or organizational representation of site elements and how they relate to each other
Interface models: wireframes
Summary
1. Don’t obsess over certainty, you will get more done.
2. Software is for the end users, get out of your head and into theirs
3. It is about benefits, not features. Results should be a continual focus.
all-in-one results oriented website
A results oriented website in a box* *box not included
For organizations age 0 to 150
Super secret D7 version:http://apps.leveltendesign.com
thank you!
Tom McCrackenLevelTen InteractiveDirector
Phone: 214.887.8586Email: [email protected]: @levelten_tomBlog: leveltendesign.com/blog/tomLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tommccracken