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Countless
small businesses rely on Web consultants every
day to design and build their Web sites, enhance
existing sites, and put together the pieces of
each company's distinctive e-commerce strategy.
If you're trying to get your company's site up
and running, you can choose among independent
site developers, Web design shops, technology
consulting firms, system integrators, traditional
advertising and public relations firms, and interactive
agencies. Some of these outsource the Web site
hosting and site promotion functions, while others
keep these functions in-house. In addition, Web
design and strategic consulting are often provided
by Web hosting companies.
And like the Web consultants themselves, the variety
of prices that consultants charge for their services
are extreme: They can charge several hundred dollars
for a simple site consisting of a few pages to
$1 million or more for a more sophisticated e-commerce
site with such features as easily updated product
databases, search engines, animated product demonstrations,
secure online transactions, and audio and video
enhancements. In addition, Web consultants vary
in how they price their services: Some consultants,
typically individual designers, charge by the
hour; others, usually Web design firms, charge
by the project.
In
general, however, experts say that consultants
or Web
hosting companies can put together a basic,
professional-looking Web
site for a small business for $1,500 to $5,000
(not including monthly Web hosting service charges),
and an e-commerce site for about $10,000 to $50,000.
A
word of caution: Finding a Web site consultant
can be tricky. Although the Web continues to grow
at a rapid pace and has become a useful tool for
both buyers and sellers, it's also quite unwieldy.
As a result, very few organized associations or
Web sites exist to help find reputable Web design
firms. So when you do locate a potential design
partner, make sure the company you want to work
with is reputable. Check out a list of sites the
company's worked on and look closely at its own
site. Ask about arrangements for maintaining the
site, and make sure your new designer is interested
in your company and its goals.
Doing
It Yourself
If you do choose to do it yourself, first we'll
assume you've got a decent computer and the hankering
to put your business Web site up for all to see.
But you can't do that without amassing an arsenal
of Web authoring software. Thankfully, the days
of cooking up a Web page by slaving over a hot
text document are over. The current crop of HTML
editors provides page previews, tag shortcuts
and more wizards than Dungeons and Dragons. There's
a program out there for every type of entrepreneur,
from rank amateur to technophile. Here's how to
get started . . .
The
Basics
First, how will users see your Web site? The Web
community is split between Explorer and Navigator,
so it's essential to design your Web site with
both in mind. Most HTML appears pretty much the
same using either, but the browsers do have numerous,
yet small, differences. It's best to test your
Web pages in both platforms before launching them
online. Check for a consistent appearance, make
sure all links function properly, and pay special
attention to any frames, tables, JavaScript or
plug-ins that your pages use.
Because
a lot of surfers don't upgrade their browsers
regularly, you should also test with earlier versions
(like Netscape 3.0 and Internet Explorer 4.0).
You can visit Netscape to download versions of
Navigator and Microsoft to download Internet Explorer.
Fortunately,
you don't have to memorize all the text tags in
HTML 4.01 to put up your Web site. But if you
want to take full advantage of programs like CoffeeCup
HTML Editor, you may want to check out the libraries
of Web-building resources and tutorials at Builder.com
and WebMonkey.com.
The
Software
Now we're ready to tackle the software that'll
do most of the grunt work for you. Before we wander
into the Microsoft camp, let's look at Macromedia
Dreamweaver and NetObjects Fusion.
In
addition to its high-octane Shockwave and Flash
Web animation software, Macromedia also makes
the popular Dreamweaver for Macintosh or Windows,
an HTML editing program that includes features
like an integrated text editor for users who already
know some HTML, Microsoft Office integration,
and Flash buttons and text for adding spice to
your site's appearance. Dreamweaver is especially
good for integrating multimedia.
If
you're not already somewhat familiar with HTML
and Web site design, Dreamweaver's palette of
advanced features may seem a bit overwhelming.
NetObjects Fusion is a less expensive way to try
your hand and is also specifically geared toward
building sites for businesses. Available for Windows
only, Fusion is designed with a drag-and-drop
interface, various e-commerce wizards and pre-designed
templates that can simplify the process even more.
Then, of course, there's Microsoft. Its HTML editor,
FrontPage, offers integration with Microsoft Office
and comes with more than 60 business themes to give
your site a consistent appearance. To get the most
out of your investment, check with your Web hosting
provider to see whether it supports FrontPage extensions.
Also, visit OutFront.net, a "Microsoft FrontPage
Learning Community," for its full stock of
Web templates, tutorials, forums and links.
Want Extras?
A good HTML editor will handle most of your Web
site building, but sometimes extra programs add
icing to the Web cake. Adobe LiveMotion lets you
create Web animations and interactive graphics.
With a user interface styled after Adobe Photoshop
and Illustrator, LiveMotion is especially useful
for those of you who have Adobe graphics backgrounds.
NetMechanic
offers a host of tools for optimizing your site.
Its HTML Toolbox searches pages for HTML coding,
link and spelling errors. (You can try it free.)
NetMechanic's GIFBot is a freeware program that
compresses Web images for faster-loading pages.
Never overestimate the patience of a Net surfer
when it comes to slow-loading Web sites.
Most important, be sure to choose
software that meets your HTML comfort level. Any
of the programs we looked at can give your online
business presence the room it needs to grow.
Hiring a Software Developer
If you need to go beyond basic e-commerce--say
you need to track customers' orders on your site
or create a customized internal billing system--then
you'll need to hire an altogether different animal:
the software developer. Unless you're technically
inclined, trying to develop custom applications
for your business is like ordering dinner in a
foreign country--but with more risk. It's one
thing to waste money on a meal you didn't realize
you asked for; it's another thing altogether when
your company makes the mistake of pouring thousands
of dollars into a project that doesn't pan out.
No matter what software development
project you want, you can make it succeed even
if a technical person isn't on staff. Here are
some tips for working with outside developers:
Know what you want. You should have a clear idea
of what you expect in the application you're looking
for. Drafting a document that details its purpose
and desired functionality will convey those expectations
to any development firm. If you're converting
from a manual process, it's useful to have samples
of forms and reports you use and a detailed description
of the work flow. Sketching out the way the material
could translate onscreen will help the developer
understand what you want to get out of your software
and could even inspire suggestions to improve
efficiency. You might be surprised to see how
many manual steps can be eliminated and done automatically
via software.
In your first consultation with any developer,
include people familiar with your current applications
and those who will be using the customized software.
Current users can offer additional insight into
your software needs, while new users may be better
able to explain the specifics of the desired functionality.
This should not be the only meeting you have.
Just handing over a list of needs and expecting
the developer to determine what comes next could
be disastrous. To get the best results, you and
others on your staff should constantly play an
integral part in the development process.
Start your search. Who to hire? You need to determine
whether you need a firm or a freelancer. For a
project that requires a variety of skill sets,
consult firms that can provide a team of people.
If your work is not as time-sensitive or as broad
in scope, a freelancer should be more than able
to address your needs. Rates range from $60 to
$175 per hour, or you may want to negotiate to
have fees tied to performance or the meeting of
deadlines
Seek multiple options. In most
cases, you'll have several choices for carrying
out your project. Different software, programming
languages and even varying sets of skills can
be used to accomplish the same result. As you
interview potential firms to handle your project,
ask why certain approaches are recommended, why
they're better than others and what the drawbacks
of their recommendations are.
Focus on the build vs. buy recommendation.
While some developers will recommend that they
build your desired application from scratch, others
will work with an existing application and build
on top of it. By building an application from
scratch, you have the ability to specify exactly
what you want, but it might take more time to
create. Taking advantage of an existing application
can result in quicker turnaround with less expense,
but it could also mean limitations in either functionality
or interface.
Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to
ask potential developers what they think will
be the trickiest issues to resolve. Even if you
don't understand everything they talk about, you
can definitely get a sense of how well-thought-out
the recommendations are by the developer's ability
to explain his or her position. Also, find out
how the software will grow with you. In this ever-changing
age of technology, you don't need software that
can't change with the times.
Find great developers. Look for developers who
are well-versed in the programming languages you'll
need. Ideally, they'll have built similar applications
previously; it's recommended that each person
working on the project has at least two years
of hands-on experience with the required language.
While this should not be a determining factor
by any means, it doesn't hurt to find out whether
they've provided similar services for other companies
with needs like yours. Always ask for--and check--references.
Compare the services offered by different developers
and try to get the most for your money. But look
beyond their skills; expand your focus and consider
the overall software development package. You
might not realize where the saving graces will
actually lie. For example, one developer might
offer to provide several prototypes for you along
the way and then use your feedback to make necessary
changes before the code is locked down. In the
unfortunate event that you need a major redesign
on the software, such a provision can save you
from potentially draining costs.
Still, a successful project requires
more than just great programming. Whether you
work with a freelancer or a team of people, you
should seek out developers who can create a formal
specification--that's a document that details
the functionality from a functional and technical
perspective. Also look around for developers who
"comment code" well--that's tech talk
for adding notes that describe what the code does.
It's money well spent to ensure that others can
extend your application in the future.
Test the software thoroughly before bidding your
developer farewell. Even though the software developer
should have taken care of this task before delivering
the product to you, it's ultimately your responsibility
to make sure your new software works correctly.
Have qualified staff test the software, have the
developer test it in front of you at your company,
or hire an independent testing lab to go through
and make sure everything works properly.
Despite the many hours spent poring over your
needs and the desired results, it's almost a given
that changes or minor adjustments will have to
be made to the application after installation.
Will the developer be able to handle those adjustments
after he or she gets your initial feedback? And
how will that factor into the price? Don't be
caught by surprise at the tail end of this arduous
process by a series of "extras"--get
answers about costs in the beginning.
The other side of testing is fixing
mistakes, or debugging. Will your developer be
able to assist with this after the software is
installed? Some firms bundle implementation and
training into the software development package,
so this might just be part of the deal. If it's
not, make sure you have a trouble-shooting plan
in place before your developer heads for the door.
Going one step further, ask your designer what
skills are needed to tackle these issues in case
you end up scrambling to hire someone specifically
to fix the bugs.
Get it in writing. Avoid the blame game by covering
details about such niceties as project due dates,
payment milestones, code ownership and quality
guarantees. If you'll be sharing sensitive information,
having potential partners sign a nondisclosure
agreement is wise.
It's particularly critical to establish ownership
of the software when discussing a software development
agreement. You might be surprised to know that
ownership of the intellectual property is not
an automatic inclusion in the transfer of the
software from the developer to the client. Depending
on your needs and wants, you could negotiate to
be the sole owner, to merely have a license to
use the software or any number of options in between.
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