Much goes into developing a website on the technical side of things but an area of discussion that isn’t so frequent is all the other little things that need to be in place in order for you to finish. This article is going to list six of those things you should keep in mind throughout the development process.
Documenting the Process
You never quite know what you may learn or discover when you’re working which is why it’s good practice to keep a journal of notes and ideas as they come to you. One or two of these ideas could become your next project or it could be something you need to recall. A simple pen & paper will work fine for the most part but you may want to go the extra mile by using something like Evernote so you can access these at any time from anywhere.
Performing Regular Backups
Remember to do regular backups of your work files as you progress through the development to avoid any setbacks if you lose these files due to user error or a technical problem. You can use services like Dropbox, for free, to automatically back up these files.
Doing an “Average Joe” Test
Design is based around principles and creativity but even our best intentions and ideas sometimes fall flat when it reaches the end user. Sometime throughout the process, try getting someone that’s completely random to look over your work. This set of fresh eyes can identify problems with the work you may not see because you’re too involved and greatly aid with the usability of the site.
Protecting that Computer
When working with a mass of files, resources, and communications somewhere along the line you could end up clicking on something that is malicious. Being attacked by a hacker or falling victim to malware can ruin all of your hard work if it’s severe. Make sure you’re protected. There’s no excuse, especially with so many programs out there offering free antivirus for malware protection.
Getting Enough Rest
Development work can require you to spend a great deal of time in front of the computer to meet deadlines which often leads to plenty of late nights into the wee hours of the morning. However, when you’re tired you begin to make mistakes and these mistakes simply set you further and further back because you have to do the revisions. Make sure you’re getting an ample amount of sleep so you’re working to the best of your ability.
Balancing Out Your Schedule
High profile clients may demand a great deal of your time and of course you’ll bend over backwards for them because it’s such a lucrative contract. Don’t forget about the little guys. Blowing off the smaller clients to work on the big project can really do a number to your profits because you never know if these small clients are the type to keep coming back time and time again. Make sure you’re balancing your schedule so you’re not putting your eggs in one basket, basically.
Developing a website is really quite exciting whether it’s for your projects or for a client. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the coding and design process and then completely forget about all the other factors that go into being able to complete the work. Check to make sure you’re keeping these things covered next time you’re working and you’ll definitely be a rock star at your work.