Project Management
Our final tip is to make sure to manage your project. Just as with any other programming project, go into it with a small set of requirements, and understand where you are going before any code gets written.
"Most of the problems with missed schedules and budgets can be traced back to not having a clear idea of what was supposed to be built," Olsen said. "So I'd be suspicious of someone who talks about just skipping over that part of the process and diving straight into coding."
Our team of consultants couldn't stress this enough. "You really, really, really need to have a tight, small list of requirements and obsess over not letting it grow just because Google is doing something a bit more 'cool' with Ajax," said Focazio. "'Cool' translates into 'complicated' rather quickly." Adds Matsuoka: "Complex software development is more affordable than ever, but it still requires careful management."
When looking for a Web consultant, know whom you are hiring. (See sidebar.) "Everybody with a computer, Photoshop, and an HTML tool such as Dreamweaver thinks they're a Web developer," said Adams. "Very few are actually worth the money you are paying."
A good place to start is to know how to check references for any Web consultant that you hire. Consultants are everywhere, and it pays to vet them with care. "Phone the references, meet them, and talk to them," Focazio said. "Do NOT trust e-mail-only references." Bray agrees: "References, references, references. Reputations are not always right, but they are useful input."
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