Getting your new project live can be a painful experience, especially if you fail to avoid some of the more common pitfalls.

As an agency we employ professional project managers to work with you; to ensure your new build is delivered as effectively as possible. However, there are a number of common pitfalls that you can help to avoid and hence ensure that our project managers are in the best position to make your project a success.


Share your business case:-


Let’s be frank, you are about to spend a large chunk of money on your website, and there has to be a reason for this; be it new business functions, additional sales, increase in audience penetration, greater audience engagement or similar. This reason is the basis of your business case - it doesn’t need to include complex return on investment calculations. However, sharing what you are trying to achieve with your project manager provides a base line against which we can measure success. A clear business case also enables 9xb to deliver beneficial and expert advice where needed and to ensure that dedicated resources are provided at the correct stages of the build process.

Be clear on the what, we’ll worry about the how:-


If you want a successful project which delivers your desired outcomes, to time and to budget; the best thing you can do is to provide a clear summary of the user requirements for your new system. This could be as simple as providing a list of things that different users are required to do on your website. By focussing on what you need people to be able to do, we are able to develop user-friendly solutions that are delivered within your time and budget constraints.

Providing clarity on the above, as well as on the functional requirements of the site (how it will work) helps your project manager to mitigate risks and challenges as they inevitably rise.

With clear change processes in place and by maintaining a constant dialogue throughout the build; your project manager will drive your project to a successful conclusion, having agreed solutions with you throughout the scoping and build process.

Anticipate the resistance to change:-


No matter how well you involve the stakeholders within your organisation, prepare for the resistance to change. As much as you want your stakeholders to be as excited with your new build as you are, people as people will provide negative and critical feedback - along with the positive. This will especially apply when you are asking people to change the way they work.

We can work together with you to help deliver training where it is required and to agree a suitable release schedule, which will in turn help to present your new project in the best possible light to your stakeholders. We would also advise that a proportion of your project budget is held back as contingency in order to add enhancements and provide on-going development support, post release.

These three simple practices will ensure that you get the most out of working with your digital agency, whilst enjoying the process!

Tags: Project Management,