Your clients may not be able to focus on deadlines. You might get all emails in one day and not have the time to work through each.
Many projects start strong and then derail into chaos (sometimes not an exaggeration). The problem with many web projects is that there is an expectation that everything will always go according to plan, but if you’re not careful, your project can get delayed before it ever gets out of the gate. There are a few guidelines you can follow to make sure your web project on track:
- Properly onboarding your client. Starting the project is exciting, but proper onboarding sets the tone and boundaries for the working experience. Make it clear early on what is your job and what is your client’s job. Explain how you will both be accountable to the deadlines. Talk through any questions and set boundaries early in the project.
- Keep a list of tasks in order of their priority. It’s vital to stay focused and keeping your web project on track. Using a project management tool, organize your tasks by milestones or sprints.
- Learn how to say “no.” Scope creep is a monster. Doing work beyond what was agreed to will always push a deadline.
- Every task should have someone assigned to it and a deadline. There should never be a task without someone assigned. If you want it to get done, there have to be guidelines on who is doing it and when.
- Weekly accountability emails or calls. We have a weekly call with our clients to make sure they understand what they need to do, approve, or send to us. It also keeps us on track because we are constantly accountable to them. If there are any questions, they can be answered together.
- Have a content plan. Content is almost always the slowest part of a web project. Make sure to give enough time for the client to write, review, and send content. Depending on your business process, you can agree to start the web timeline after all content is delivered to you.
- Have contract expiration dates. Create strong contracts with a cut-off date to make sure that the project doesn’t drag on. If the client is too delayed or disappears, you can legally end the project. They would need to pay again and create a new Statement of Work to continue the project.
As a web developer, you know how tough it can be to keep the project moving forward. It’s important to maintain momentum and stay organized for the project to be completed on time. Ensure that everyone involved is well-equipped to take care of their responsibilities for your web projects to hit their deadlines.
