How to Save a web project from the beginning
Topic | development
Posted by | Ron Flack

This is a list that I've built over the years ... Kelly Goto and others as similar questions. Use them at will ... like they are your own. If you change anything ... tell me, I'd like to add/edit my list.

/// Who are you, what do you want to tell your customers?

Talk about your goods/services

Jeffery Zeldman asks "Why does it matter?" -- Why does it matter?

Talk about how you are unique in the market place

Talk about who your customers are/could be

How do you want to voice yourself in conversation w/ your customers

/// Big Picture Issues to address out the gate:

IF current site what do you like about it?

IF current site what needs to be different?

Who will use this site?

What will they be able to do?

Business Goals

Who are the players in your industry ... List sites that you like ... talk about what you do/don't like

Self maintained?

Status of Current Web content? Is there a CMS in place?

What assets are in place, branding, advertising pieces, news letters?

Software integration Requirements

What kind of computer, os, browser and email do you use?

eCommerce? How many products. Photos, Data in place?

Time Frame

Budget?

Who are the stakeholders

Are there items in place that can not change?

Stakeholder platform browser screen rez

Version 2 starts in the last 1/3 of version 1


/// Technical Expectations/Needs:

Hosting

URL, Domain

Current host FTP Server/User/Password

Current Host Backend PHP, MySQL

CMS Access Requirements / MySQL etc

Key Technical Contact Person/email

Key Content Contact Person/email

Current Site Status [Maintain during production]

List New email accounts desired

If we provide hosting -- What time zone?

Who will maintain content?

Technical Contact -- email phone

HIGH Priority Browsers, MAC/PC firefox, MAC Safari, PC IE7, IE8

LOWER Priority Browsers, PC CHROME and (IE6 ?)

SEO Optimized markup/xhtml/css

Google Analytics http://www.google.com/analytics/sign_up.html

Page Orientation (Centered 1024)

Stakeholder Platform, OS, browser, monitor resolution, level of technical understanding

Current system integration needs


This is by no means every issue that needs to be covered, and there's not a client on the planet that will have all this information at the time of your first visit ... but the really good thing is that the issues are planted in their minds. A short follow up meeting can usually get the rest of the info in place so everyone understands each other.

Hope this severs you well my friends,

rf

Apr 11, 10 | 10:58 am
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How to voice a Rhodes
Topic | players
Posted by | Ron Flack

Feb 23, 10 | 5:56 pm
(64) views | permalink

Fireworks, Center in Document Action
Topic | software
Posted by | Ron Flack

Fireworks use to have the greatest action called "center in document". Since adobe bought Fireworks it has been omitted. It's really useful to be able to center a selected element in the current document. Most often I've found this useful when I'm pasting into a Fireworks symbol and want the newly pasted object to be centered in a symbol that's used in multiple locations.

http://www.ronflack.com/downloads/software/fireworks_center_in_document.zip

Feb 22, 10 | 1:49 am
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