Web Site Design Time Frames
May 13, 2008
How long should your web site’s design / development take?
A million dollar question. Literally sometimes.
Much depends on what type of web site you are having built. There are enormous sites with extremely large custom software running different applications offered. But unless you are a fortune 500 company looking to take on a task of this size, likely this doesn’t apply to you.
Most of our clients own bricks and mortar companies. Real estate agents, car dealers, specialty shops, etc. Really too many different types to mention. But you get the idea. Most have a store, office, or physical business location.
Also we provide services to many online companies that sell their goods directly to the public. These fall into the same category simply because for the most part they offer goods or services.
This is the type of web site I want to discuss today.
What I find over and over again when it comes to new clients inquiring about our design and development services is that they are often coming from another design company completely frustrated. They have either only gotten an astronomically high price quote, an extremely long time frame quote, or both.
The problem with this is that it absolutely does not have to be out of this world expensive, and it certainly doesn’t take months to complete the average website for a new client. Including specialized e commerce web sites or scripted sites offering currently updated listings and products.
Nope. It’s a sham.
Simple psychology really. Star Trek psychology. Scottie always told Captain Kirk that he couldn’t POSSIBLY fix whatever was ailing the ship in the time they had before complete and utter destruction. But somehow he ALWAYS managed to fix it in the brink of time.
Kind of the same principal here. With a bit of a twist. See, in web site design, it almost always takes LONGER than the original time frame quote.
Why?
Occasionally it’s because the company does not have adequate staff and just cannot complete the project on time. Sometimes it’s because the client shifts gears mid project and new features, pages, etc have been added. But most of the time it’s the reverse Star Trek philosophy….
If it takes longer, you’ll think they are REALLY working on it and giving you your money’s worth.
But are you getting what you paid for? Really? How do you know?
Just because a web site design company told you it was going to take six weeks to complete your site does not mean that they are going to work on your site for six weeks. No way my friends.
The average customer’s web site takes about 40 man hours. Period.
So let’s do the math here. If Web Site Design Co ‘A’ has assigned five employees to your project, what should the turnaround time be? Yup. ONE DAY.
Yes, that is assuming that they are exclusively working on your project alone, and is not very likely for a successful design company. But even if you allow 1 hour a day for a company of this size, your completion time is only 8 days out….
A long cry from the average six weeks quoted by the majority of web site design companies, huh?
Lucy, you got some splainin’ to doo……
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