selecting a digital agency for web redesign - top tips

Selecting a Digital Agency for Web Redesign - Top Tips

Piero Tintori – CEO & Founder

Defining Digital Engagement for Higher Education

About me

Selecting a Digital Agency Webinar

• CEO & Founder of TERMINALFOUR

• A WCMS & Digital Marketing Platform for Higher Education

• 20 Years Web Development Experience

• We count more than 190+ of the world’s most recognizable universities & colleges as clients

Twitter: @pierotintori

[email protected]

•The right fit..

•5 important evaluation tips

•Key questions to ask

•Confirming deliverables

Overview


The right fit…


Potential areas of consideration:

Strategy / UX / Marketing

TechnologyDesign

Project Scale / Budget

Industry Geographic

The right fit


Strategy, Design & Technical Build


• Talk to your short list in advance

• Don’t ask for free “sample designs”

• The best agencies are very busy and evaluating you too

• Be clear about your budget, kpis and goals (at least a range)

• If you have challenges, be open, even “off the record”

• What type of relationship do you want?

• Don’t go over the top with a formal RFP…Skill at answering a RFP ≠ creativity or project delivery

Requesting a proposal…


• If there is a budget & people fit, great way to evaluate

• What to look for:

• Are you happy with the design feel & build quality?

• Similar sized projects

• Industry experience

• But..

• Find your own reference contacts, talk to the clients

• Find out who were the actual team involved in the project

The Design Portfolio…


• Get to know actual project team members, in person

• What help do you need?

• What in-house skills are available to you?

• What are your strengths? identify your weaknesses

• In-house or remote resources?

• Do you need help with your “day to day”?

• It’s all about the relationship…

The Project Team


• Describe the process you undertake to really understand our users and their desires. How do you find our “online unique selling points”?

• If we start on X date, will the project manager specified be available to work in the project?

• What prototyping techniques to you use? (Wireframes, live prototypes)

• What strategies would you propose to increase revenue / conversion on our website?

What questions to ask?


• How do you approach the design phase?

• Will you be undertaking the CMS integration? Will the license (if commercial) be in my name? Can I contact the CMS company directly for support?

• Where is my website hosted? What access will I have to the server? Who is responsible for patching & security? Is it monitored 24/7?

• Is all your work in-house? Any outsourced? Local, international?

What questions to ask?


• Custom or existing template. Framework used?

• What devices and browsers are supported? What is the warranty?

• Agree a change management process, what are the constraints (time, # of templates etc.)

• Accessibility standards

• Responsibilities for content migration / authoring

• Technology (forms, CMS, search, custom code)

Confirming deliverables


Conclusion

• Follow our Blog:

http://www.terminalfour.com/blog

• Our Higher Education Web Survey:

http://www.terminalfour.com/survey2016

• Follow me on twitter: @pierotintori & @terminalfour

Thank You


http://www.terminalfour.com/blog

http://www.terminalfour.com/survey2016