Every now and then I hear stories of online campaigns that have gone horribly wrong. A Web site for example that’s been live for two years, but has never had its performance measured; an offline campaign that is supported by an online campaign which someone forgets to get up on time; a project that goes live, fails to meet the desired outcomes and has a redevelopment commissioned only three months later; or project that wasn’t backed up before a server crash, and had to be redeveloped again from scratch.

These stories come to me from clients, candidates and even the occasional potential client who discovers (after the budget is spent) that they made the wrong choice, and now need some advice. Whenever I hear these stories I am reminded that there are still a lot of Web cowboys out there.

For a Web cowboy, following process can be a real bore but a lack of it is at the heart of their mistakes. They prefer to saddle up, dig in the spurs and ride out, in any direction, into the open country. Forget risk analysis, forget road maps and forget milestones - just get out there and see what happens. Sometimes it works. Most often however it doesn’t.

A successful online project needs careful thought and a dedicated Account and Project Management team to make it happen. Before you get on the horse it’s important to ask where you are going, how you are planning to get there, when you want to arrive and what you want to happen once you reach your destination. And of course, before the bells and whistles are considered the most obvious question needs to be asked: how will this project deliver profitable results to our client?

Riding out with the cowboys can be exciting, and maybe even more fun (in that fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants sort of a way) and by cutting corners it may even end up costing you less. But like the Wild West of the past, law and order is necessary for ultimate success.

For your online project, having a professional and dedicated Account Manager will ensure you get control and accountability. The first step is to research and plan, asking questions about your audience to develop a profile of your users. Then determine the desired results, see if any legacy systems need to be considered, understand the fundamentals of your brand, and how your business works. Once that information has been shared your Account Manger can apply their expertise to develop a Road map – outlining long term goals and how to achieve them.

Meanwhile your Project Manager will don the Sheriff’s badge, focus on the detail and ensure your milestones are fence-posted. This way we’ll ensure you’re safe from being looted, and you’ll know what to ‘pony-express’ back to your stakeholders along the way.

Next time you meet a Web cowboy, consider the fact that you need some law and order to become a true success in the online frontier.

Pepi Ronalds, Studio Manager

Labels: Process and Methodology