Monday, February 5, 2007

New Service: Project Planning

It seems that many customers who come to me have not planned their website or print project. My normal flat-fee prices don't include this time-intensive service. I would really have to get into the company in question, to almost become a temporary staff member, to plan out their website for them from soup-to-nuts.

I'm now offering project planning services, both for website design, content and feature planning, and for print design campaigns and marketing strategies. My usual services require design briefs, copy (content), assets (photos, logos, multimedia, and all other materials) and a list of features provided up-front. I will provide only cursory project planning assistance, guidance, or advice during project intake. I will not write for you, research for you, draw up diagrams, etc.

What my project planning services will provide will depend on each company's needs and budget. Prices will start at $100 for something relatively simple like site diagramming and navigation planning, and from there the sky's the limit; you tell me your budget, and I'll come up with a list of what services your budget allows for, or you give me a list of the services you're looking for, and I'll come up with a price. Or we can do hourly rates, I'll come on-site, and I'll become a member of the project team.

Services may include:

  • Serving in the capacity of a knowledgable aide in the process of project planning

  • Company profiling

  • Supplying principles or relevant persons with questionnaires for the project

  • Corporate history review

  • Mission statement assistance

  • Research into your competitors marketing materials or website

  • Market research for design related to your specific industry

  • Review of your current marketing strategy, advertising, materials, website, etc.

  • Business marketing development

  • Content planning

  • Feature planning

  • Step-by-step planning of a website or printing campaign

  • Website navigation and hierarchy planning

  • Guiding your representatives through the creation of an RFP or design brief

  • Suggestions for assets or copy to be included in the project

  • Composition of a creative brief on your behalf

  • Storyboards, mockups, thumbnails, or sketches

  • Composition of custom color schemes for the project

  • Stock photography, font, or clip art research

  • Copy editing, and review or copy writing

  • Acquiring permissions or releases for included materials

  • Supplying lists of materials to submit to Eclectic Tech or other contractors



If you choose to use another vendor to complete the project outlined, I can offer:
  • Overseeing project progress and resolution, quality control, communication with vendors

  • Vendor research (printers, programmers, designers, etc.)

  • Supply vendors with materials for the project



These services don't alleviate the principles of your organization from their responsibilities in project planning: I will need to interview them, acquire lists of materials, names to get releases for photography, a company history, supply of old marketing materials, and more. What this does is add another member to your web design team who is knowledgeable, insightful, and entirely dedicated to the one project, which allows your principles to concentrate on other projects with the assurance that if something is needed from them, it will be brought to their attention.

[tags]planning,education,information,news,print design,time,web applications, web standards,writing[/tags]

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