Bringing an idea to life takes time, effort, and careful validation, and we fully agree that, in today’s fast-paced world, an idea without the right technology backing it, is meaningless.
So, you\'ve the concept, validated the flow, completed your project plan, and done the market research—essentially, you\'ve laid the groundwork. Now, the next step is selecting a technical team who not only helps you launch but also validates the feasibility of your idea from a technological standpoint.
However, choosing the right development agency can be a daunting task, and you need to ensure your project does not stick midway.
But what happens when things don’t go according to plan? What if your project hits a roadblock or is stuck midway?
This one thing terrifies every client, and this is the reason we recommend spending proper time communicating clearly to ensure you hire the right team to work on your idea. Well sometimes, shit hits the fan, crisis mode is on and it is seldom that we can salvage a project from there.
Basically, if a project is stuck we consider it a point of no return(not speaking of blackholes); meaning- client’s trust is gone and business is affected on both ends.
Let’s dive into this situation and explore possible solutions for getting your project back on track.
For the client, if an MVP is not launched on time, business is affected directly, a website/app/software launch has many things riding on it. In case of a business website, marketing efforts are tied to it and for an ecommerce website, sales get affected. In both cases, business is impacted directly.
For the agency, projects get delayed or halted due to mainly two reasons. Either the resources on the agency\'s end aren’t allocated efficiently and timelines aren’t met internally or new additions to the pre-existing requirements are introduced, in simpler terms, new ideas are introduced which cause disruptions in timelines. As a result of either or both, payments aren’t released on time and the relationship with the client is astray.
We aren’t holier than thou because we as an agency have also gone through these difficulties in the early stages of our operations. To counter such setbacks, we created a simple, fool proof framework.
Your development team’s goals should align with your goals to ensure they develop the right product, and most importantly for right audiences.
So, your tech team needs to break down your idea into its core components and identify the specific needs it has in terms of technology. Finding right answers to questions like -
● What problem does your idea solve?
Every business needs to solve a problem. The solution is entirely based upon the problem statement, the pain points conjure up a solution on its own.
Airbnb
Before Airbnb, travelers had 2 pain points: the high cost of hotels and the lack of personalized, local experiences. 3rd pain point was- many property owners had unused spaces but no platform to rent them out. Airbnb’s founders identified this problem and created a solution that benefited both travelers and property owners. By allowing property owners to list their spaces and travelers to book them easily on comparatively cheaper rates, Airbnb bridged a gap in the market, creating a win-win situation.
● Who are the target users, how do they interact with technology and what is the user’s behaviour?
Understanding your target users and their interaction with technology is crucial for tailoring your solution. This involves demographic analysis, user behavior studies, and technology usage patterns. Here client’s market research comes into play.
Duolingo
Duolingo’s target users are people who want to learn a new language but may not have the time or resources for traditional classes. These users are typically tech-savvy individuals who prefer learning on-the-go. Duolingo leveraged this by creating a mobile app with gamified lessons, making language learning fun and accessible anytime, anywhere. The app\'s intuitive interface, combined with engaging features like rewards and progress tracking, aligns perfectly with the tech habits of its users.
● What is the essential functionality required to deliver my idea effectively?
Identifying the core functionalities required to deliver your idea is vital. These are the features that directly address the problem and meet the needs of your target users. The goal is to create a minimum viable product (MVP) that effectively solves the problem without unnecessary complexity.
Slack
Slack, the communication platform, started with a simple yet essential functionality: real-time messaging for teams. The core problem it solved was the inefficiency of email for quick team communication. By focusing on features like instant messaging, searchable conversation history, and integration with other tools, Slack provided a streamlined solution. Over time, it added more features based on user feedback and evolving needs, but the initial success was due to its focus on essential functionality.
2. Flow Validation- “so that no conflicts happen”
Flow validation means that the feasibility of the project is discussed and checked. Clients have a lot of unique ideas, thus ensuring that they are technically possible, customer friendly and integrate well with the design and layout of the project becomes a crucial step.
Let\'s discuss a project where different modules are interconnected, and the flow of information between them needs to be seamless. This is a critical aspect where your developers\' skills will really be tested. As a tech team, it\'s essential to approach this area with utmost attention and care. Ensuring that the modules are properly linked is key to avoiding issues when the product goes live for customers, helping prevent bugs or system breakdowns.
Let’s talk by example -
One of our recent projects - our client for Clinica online, wanted a telemedicine website where patients could connect to doctors specific to their ailments. Seems simple , an interface for two set of people, but the features, customizations, integrations are many. This clarity has to be discussed and contemplated for smooth working.
To illustrate, during the course of the project, we identified several scenarios where the flow of information could be interrupted. For example, if a doctor has two consecutive 30-minute appointments with no buffer time, the system might encounter problems if the first appointment runs over by even a few minutes. This kind of issue, if not addressed, could result in significant disruptions for live customers, leading to scheduling conflicts and a poor user experience.
We have created several test cases to simulate real-world scenarios like this and pinpoint potential problems. Such use cases demand close attention to detail and the expertise of an experienced team. If these issues are caught and resolved early, it will save both time and costs for the client as well as the tech team. More importantly, it ensures that the product will function smoothly and efficiently when interacting with end users.
Admin Panel
Doctor Panel
Patient Panel
3. Goal Alignment-
An explicit discussion of what are the project requirements and deliverables between your client and you ensures that you have synergy and start lock in step. An approved list of the same by the client and you, will start your project with a clear vision.
For one of our projects Luxury welsh homes, clients requirement was minor fixes in an existing website. After review and inspection of the website, we found scope for much improvement keeping user experience and engagement in focus and drive organic visitors to the website.
The final project requirements included improved logo designs, clickable contact details, engaging CTAs, engaging titles to showcase properties, responsive design (standard practice when we do a project), integrate google maps API and make the website SEO optimized. On top of that, we pitched that to book a consultation, instead of directly going to the third party, take registration on the client\'s website and then push to the third party. This way, the client has a list of prospects for retargeting marketing campaigns.
Thus, this step becomes crucial not only for project completion but for more growth in the project. You brainstorm ideas together and provide innovative ideas to client which have long term benefits for both parties.
4. Project Division
Division and delegation of tasks of a project play the most important role for smooth completion of the project. With accordance to the project, modules should be defined and further tasks are delegated. This is a major step and ensures every task assigned is running on track.
To get a better understanding let’s look into an exciting project we are working on right now.
Not to divulge too much information, I will just say that it is an ecommerce clothing website. After we finalised the project details, the team went into planning mode, wireframing being the first step of the process. Wireframing defines the flow of the website, how the user will interact with the website, what functionalities will be incorporated, basically a roadmap.
For example, how the menu will be showcased, product listing, carting, pop ups, etc,
all this deep dive gives a clear scope of work.
After this roadmap was finalised, distribution of tasks were done by the PM. Wireframing helps give clear direction to the graphic designer, front end developer and back end developer as to what are the tasks.
5. Timelines Defined-
The aim is to deliver an MVP; minimal viable product website as soon as possible so that the business can be up and running and generate revenue for the client. This ensures that we can do ample A/B testing.
Reiterating and taking the above ecommerce website example, planning streamlines everything. Here the timelines were defined on the basis of
Good planning on our PM’s end resulted in clear timelines, taking into consideration the buffers the team needed.
A clear and detailed timeline of project obviously gives clarity to the team but gives most comfort and assurance to the client. He has a clear schedule of the project’s progress and gives space and entrusts us to work freely. If the client is not clear when milestones will be achieved and different modules delivered, he will be take multiple and untimely updates which will result in efficiency and frustration on both sides. Defining timelines thus becomes crucial for the agency and the client and the onus for it is on the agency to do so.
After breaking down your project into its core components, defining timelines, and setting goals, the next critical step is resource dedication. This involves strategically allocating both human and technological resources to ensure project success. Here’s an expanded look at the importance of human resource management and technology selection, illustrated with real-life examples.
For Clinica Online, we had a UI/UX designer make a fabulous, intuitive design so that user experience is top notch. Our graphic designer made interactive banner designs and animations to beautify the website. This was tied together by our front end developer who ensured all the functionalities ran smoothly. Back-end developer focused on building a robust server infrastructure to handle real-time updates, integrated APIs and delivered a top notch project.
An app we are custom building, we decided for the following tech stack to produce a seamless product.
For
1. Framework Development: Flutter
2. Programming Language: Dart
3. State Management: Provider/ Riverpod
4. Backend Integration API: GraphQL APIs to connect with the Laravel backend
5. Database Local Storage: SQLite for offline capabilities
When we decided on these we took into account the requirements of the product, scalability and smooth running. Because our end goals were the same. So your tech stack depends on project’s end goals.By leveraging the right expertise and optimizing the technology stack, a company ensures that its projects are executed efficiently and effectively.
7. Budgeting-
When budgeting for a project, it\'s essential to account for the contributions of each team member and the time they spend on their tasks. This involves detailed tracking and analysis of the time and resources devoted to each part of the project. Let’s consider a hypothetical software development project:
● Sales Representative: Closed the deal in 5 days.
● UI/UX Designer: Completed the design in 3 days
● Graphic Designer: Delivered animation, graphics in 5 days
● Front-End Developer: Took 10 days to develop the user interface.
● Back-End Developer: Spent 17 days working on server-side logic and database integration.
● Project Manager (PM): Contributed 8 days to oversee and coordinate the project
● Technology Cost: The technology stack, including software licenses, tools, and hosting services.
● Overheads: Indirect costs which include office space, utilities, and other operational expenses.
● Contingency: Unseen roadblocks, requirements hit out of nowhere, 10% of project is standard practise.
Budgeting is a fundamental aspect of project management that ensures financial feasibility and aligns costs with expected outcomes. By thoroughly understanding resource allocation and calculating costs based on detailed project division, you can create a realistic and comprehensive budget. This not only helps in managing expenses but also in ensuring that the project is completed efficiently and successfully.
8. Clear communication flow-
Lastly, arguably the most important aspect of any project is having clear communication with your client , team and synchronous collaboration. Keeping all stakeholders updated is vital.
Since the first day your rapport with clients should be clear and good spirited because unseen disruptions are in no one’s control and they sometimes delay things. Here a clear line of communication makes it easy to navigate.
For example in Luxury Welsh Homes, a small project turned into a whole revamp of the website. This was possible because a communication channel was clear, welcoming and open. The client was receptive to new ideas, which made his website better and grew business and we turned the assignment into a big project.
In conclusion, successful project completion without stalls relies on clear communication, proper resource allocation, and selecting the right team. Thoroughly validating the idea, aligning project goals, and defining timelines ensure that the team works cohesively. By dedicating the right resources—human and technological—and addressing potential roadblocks early, you can prevent delays and deliver a seamless project. With meticulous planning and a transparent process, you not only meet client expectations but also foster long-term business success.
Of course, you can reiterate or add something to this framework to meet your specific project needs. This framework will help you streamline your projects and help you dedicate your time where it is most needed i.e. in creating not in managing the project.
Also if you stumble upon something, give us a call, we are here to help!
Great post! Really insightful read