Are you a project manager who has just been handed a new website implementation or redesign project for the first time? Maybe you have a project assigned to you, but you don’t usually manage projects. If so, here are five website project management tips to keep in mind as you run your project:
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Identify Key Stakeholders
Identify all key stakeholders who need to know about the project but aren’t involved in the day-to-day work. As you work closely with many resources on your project, remember that other departments and individuals in your organization will also feel the impact of the changes. Keep these departments informed about the changes and ask for their feedback. This will encourage them to champion your project and adopt changes sooner. It also allows them to make necessary adjustments on their end before you complete your project. Waiting to inform key stakeholders later could delay the project launch if they need to make critical adjustments.
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Arrange Meetings in Advance
One of the toughest parts of being a project manager is finding time for everyone to meet. I joke that that its like solving a Rubik’s Cube. The more stakeholders you have, the harder it is to schedule meetings, especially at the beginning of a project when you’re collecting requirements. A pro tip is to block recurring meetings ahead of time for requirements collection. You might not have all the topics fully identified, but scheduling these meetings in advance will speed up the process and prevent scrambling to arrange ad hoc meetings.
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Collect Data Early
As you start a re-platforming project, identify all integrations and data that are crucial to your website. Often, data is inconsistent or needs cleaning. At the project’s outset, review all data points with your team and architect to identify what you need to clean up. Depending on the scope, this can take significant time. Assign someone on your team to handle the data cleanup and estimate how long it will take. Waiting until the end of the project could impact your launch date.
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Create an Action Log
Develop a centralized action log that everyone on the project can access. When development work is ready for testing, you’ll receive feedback from multiple team members. Having a single document for feedback allows team members to input their comments and track progress on fixes. This reduces the chances of team members mentioning the same feedback multiple times. If team members start sending emails, you might lose or overlook action items, especially if you leave some members off the email chain. A centralized document provides visibility for everyone and streamlines communication.
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Schedule Regular Updates with Senior Leadership
Regular check-ins with senior leadership are essential for you to showcase the great work your team is doing on the project. Even if there are hiccups or things aren’t going according to plan, keeping senior leadership in the loop is important. You never know what valuable input or advice they might have. They can also help identify or unblock major risks that arise during your project.
There are many other tips I could share to ensure your project’s success, but these are the key items I recommend based on my years of experience managing multiple website implementations. Stay tuned for more insights and website project management tips, or feel free to leave a comment with any questions or suggestions!
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