Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You have a great idea
for your website or application and a list of things it will have
to be able to do. You don't have a strong technical background but
you've seen similar things on other websites, so you assume it is
all possible. The only problem is you're not sure how to make it
happen, or what the final product should look like. However, you
feel your idea is worth pursuing and would like help defining
costs, design and technology required to make your vision
happen.
You call the first five web development agencies on Google, ask
for a quote for a new website and list your requirements. The
agency will usually ask for a meeting, that leads to a fairly
generic quote, which they feel should meet your requirements. You
now have five quotes outlining what each agency will provide but
they're all very different and differ widely in price. You feel as
though you're no closer to realising your website and confused
about your next step. You're not convinced that each agency
understood your project in a one hour consultation, nor are you
confident in committing to a costly long-term project without
further research.
It doesn't matter if you're building a website for your business
or a large-scale online application, common sense dictates that you
require a plan to ensure you achieve your desired outcomes. You
could make a diagram outlining the types of pages your site will
require and how they will relate to one another. You could then
describe what each page will do and what information will sit on
each.... or you could observe the structure of other websites and
gradually design your own.
These are great first steps and may be all that is required for a
site with 10 -15 pages. But what if your site will have 100's of
pages, online payment capabilities or special functionality? What
do you do then?
Using a professional
It might be time to hire a professional to guide you through the
site planning process. At Zeroseven we describe this as creating a
technical specification. It is simply a collaborative process where
a client sits down with a Solution Architect to plan and write the
blueprint of their project. This can either be a workshop, or
simply a one on one conversation, depending on your needs.
The meetings result in a document outlining the following:
Website structure - a list of all pages detailing
their specific functionality and purpose
Technology - what technology and platforms will
be used to build and host the site
3rd Party integration - how the site will
integrate with other applications or data sources
Administration - what can be managed and how it
can be managed
Site Map - a visual representation of all pages
and navigation
Wireframes - a visual representation of unique
pages demonstrating their layout and functionality
Why?
Although you have a strong sense of what your site should do,
there are probably many things you haven't thought of or aren't
aware of. There might even be 3rd party solutions that can be
incorporated into your project, saving valuable time and money in
the development process. A Solution Architect will walk you through
the many options available and diagnose the best approach for
you.
In short, a Technical Specification is the blueprint for your
project. You wouldn't build a house without having a set of plans
and that is exactly what a technical specification is.
Who?
A Solution Architect is simply a senior developer, technical lead
or user experience professional with a passion for everything web
related. They enjoy the planning process of a website build and are
keen to help you make the right decisions before any energy is
spent on the build. They translate your vision into the technical
language needed to realise it.
Small investment, low risk
Having a technical specification written may not be the right
approach for all projects. However, if you're not sure whether you
can commit to a large website project, you can commit to an
inexpensive specification.
After capturing the project on paper, you may decide it isn't
worth pursuing, or you may need more time to decide if it is what
you really want. If you do decide to pursue the project, you can
always take the specification (or your blueprint) to gather new
quotes for the work described. You'll then be able to easily
compare quotes, knowing they will meet your requirements
exactly.
If you'd like to learn more about technical specifications at
Zeroseven, please contact us here.