An article written by Abyzov Igor and published on the Habrahabr portal about the basic rules for profitable website development. The article is written in 5 parts, we publish the third (first part, second part).

In previous articles, we looked at the problems of everyday life and their solutions for the topic of “meetings”. Today we will consider the solution to the following problem.

Topic today “Problem Statement”

I would agree with you, but then we would both be wrong.

Let me remind you the essence of the problem. You have a signed contract. You have thoughts in your head that resemble stormy water. Lots of ideas to draw. Many thoughts on how to surprise a future visitor of a new resource so that he or she comes in and says “WOW, its cool”, and sends it to friends or likes it. You are already wondering how you will be awarded thefwa, awwwards or cssdesignawards (.com). Sometimes you even see a moment when you go out with an agreement in hand and an advance payment in your bank account: the music is playing, the sun is shining, everyone around you is smiling.

Analysis of the problem

You come to the office (house / office), and then there comes a moment of realizing how much you need to do. You sit down and start thinking: where to start?, How not to forget everything ?, “but we discussed this … or forgotten?”, Etc. You need to tell everything to the designer (leader / performers). We call up and begin the story: “we need to make a project …”. Everyone listens, then puts in their “5 kopecks”, sometimes they listen and record, sometimes they just listen and nod. It happens that they catch on to something and the topic goes in the wrong place, humor is added. The result the next day – no one really remembers what needs to be done. In the best case, the next day or every other day, the designer will bring the first ideas and ask: “what is there on the next pages?”.

After that I want to say: “We read the TK together, drew page diagrams on the board, discussed the functionality …”. But the fact remains. Firstly, if you are a developer, then you have all the responsibility, you know your business better, and secondly, we are all people, and we tend to forget something (if we talk about staff members, then they never forget which cafe, when and what time they want to drink tea and what movie they don’t want to miss because of your presentation of a new project). Again, after that you will probably be offended or want to say that you have not such a staff. If so, then you are in luck!

Let’s stop repeating the structure of the project, which pages are included in it, which ones need to be drawn. Of course, there are places that just need to be discussed and re-discussed. For example, the main page or service page, which should be understandable to everyone and sell – the key pages of the service.

Structure your work from the first minute

What you need? If you talked to a client, start a Google document right away. Yes, someone needs to deal with it. But those 30 minutes that you spend (do it right now) will pay off with the very first client. Registering a Google account, creating a document, assigning a name to a document, setting the 9th point size, single margins around the perimeter, A4 format – all this can be done quickly and easily. Do not forget to add pagination, this will allow you to reduce the time when you want to link to the document: “here is the docs.google link … you wrote in the comment on the 3rd page …”. Also learn how to use short links and give the client a short URL (https://goo.gl). (_! _) Send the link to the client or ask him for gmail mail, and if the client is harmful, immediately open the document for access by the link. Don’t forget to use the comments.

“If a person cannot write what he needs – he does not know what he needs” – this is how I always say openly to clients and it works, it hurts the person and he goes to the principle (if someone else said this phrase before me, write to me).

Next: you need to overcome yourself and learn to write in this document EVERYTHING that you want to do for the client. And get your client to write EVERYTHING he wants in it. Let’s remember the article from (part 2) and the fact that we need to save our time and the client’s time. This file does not restrict the client, it does not push him to tell you something right now, to give you an answer right now. A person can receive a link in the afternoon, read it in the evening and write an answer in the morning. Benefits, wide range of possibilities, support on all devices, group work and auto-update – all these benefits of google.document you can google. You do not need to forward or write letters, follow the versions … or do anything at all – provide a link and the client will be happy. Let’s recall another moment from (part 2): the client immediately sees that you own advanced tools. He doesn’t care what version of Photoshop you have or the amount of RAM – he sees your awareness, which is transmitted through the tools of interaction with him.

What does the “common document” give us?

Freedom! You can let the client, his assistants, your employees into it even before starting work on the project. Make it right right away. Don’t make a garbage dump out of it. Follow the design. The client does not understand the rules for formatting the text. Make out for him, he will see and appreciate it. If you even have order in your document, it means that your work is perfect. Do not allow the slightest chance to doubt this.

Then the cards are in your hands … How do we keep our documents? Differently. But they also have something in common:
– Information block – in it we place links to all resources, photos and documents that the client gives us. To do this, you can create a folder with the name of the project in Google Drive and drop all materials into it, opening them to varying degrees of access. Up to the point that it may contain links to contracts and accounts (but only those who need access). In this block it is worth indicating who writes in what color;
– Block project structure. Structured schedule for the entire project, all pages and subpages;
– The block under discussion. An important block. Taking excerpts from it, you can draw up a technical specification, project documentation, an annex to the contract (it also saves time leaving these documents in Google docs; an accountant or lawyer will quickly write you his comments);
– A block of questions. Separate the block of confused questions from the point discussed above.
– Budget block. Everyone leads this block in their own way.

This freedom is given by other services that we will look at later, for example (m) maquetter, Mock Flow.

Outcome

At the exit, you have a signed contract and an advance payment on the account. You have structured information from the client at the moment, which you have to replenish every time he sends you something new. This advantage is available to all your employees at once.

You have the agreement and other Google documents in the same place. You are visiting a friend, sleeping with your mistress, relaxing on a day off. Then the client calls you and says that he accepts the first stage of work from you, and if you provide him with an invoice in 5 minutes, he will sign it, and the accounting department will pay for it. Otherwise, you will need to wait for him 21 days from warm edges in the winter cold. What you need is to sit down at a computer, a tablet, and even copy a document from a phone and send a link in the form of an SMS. And rest further.

Shared Google document with which you come to the office and just share the link. Go have tea while everyone is reading. You’ve already worked hard to put everything together, put it on the shelves and give it on a silver platter. After reading, you will, of course, answer the questions. You will sort everything out on the board. And what will you do? Record everything in the same document. Write down all ideas, questions for the client here. Provide everything with pictures and screenshots, if necessary (the board can be photographed). And tell the client: “look at the questions on the 3rd page of google dox.” ALL (_!_)

In the next chapter, we’ll talk with you about prototyping, why you need it, and how it can save you time and make money.

Other parts: Part1, Part2, Part3, Part4, Part5.