Sten Pittet
09-04-2006, 08:29 AM
As I've been going through a lot of discussions with people about websites development and renewal I thought this might help some people.
1. Why am I doing this ?
That's the first question I should ask myself. Is there a good reason for me to spend hours and work hard on a specific project ? If not then I just should not do it because I'll be wasting time on doing a thing that won't really have any effect. And as everyone knows, time is money.
2. Who's my target ?
I need to know who I am aiming for. A lot of people claim to say "everybody" but it can't be it. I have to figure out which part of "everybody" I want to attract. Am I looking for the 15-18 years old ? For the 20-30 ? For the geek community ? This is what I have to define.
But don't get me wrong, saying "I'm doing this because I want the 30-45 years old woman to use my website" doesn't mean that if someone doesn't meet my expectations I will tell him to leave with this kind of message : "I'm sorry but you just don't match the website".
Answering the question "Who's my target" helps me to devise the project. But whoever use it afterwards, I'll let him do !
3. Is there a community ?
It's important for every tool to have a community using it. Because they can promote it for free. Linux has a huge community supporting it and spreading it all over the world. It would be a shame to loose such a buzz marketing potential just because I wanted to do a new thing that I and only I like.
If you want to make money on the net, most of the time you'll be developping websites for people, and not only for your eyes. You will have to let people think that they are part of your product simply because they really are.
My advice is to mind what they would be thinking before doing anything.
4. How good is my SEO ?
Big question today. This goes with the preceding question. If you really have a lot of people coming from search engines then you have more flexibility to conceive the project. Because a lot of newcomers can say "Wow ! That's really something ! I bookmark it and I'll come back soon".
5. What is the personnality of the web site ?
I really think that it matters to give a personnality to a project. This helps to build a community around it. So if you don't have one, try to find it. If you have one, stick to it. Of course you can evolve but don't get people lost, they might think that you don't know what you're doing.
6. How do I want to get what I'm planning ?
I need to know what resources I have to develop the project. I include :
* Time
* Money
* People
* Knowledge
Don't try to do something that you know you can't. Give yourself ambitious objectives but not utopian ones.
7. What are my advantages & disadvantages ?
The best way to improve something is to know its weaknesses and strengths.
8. What will be my advantages & disadvantages ?
Figure it out, whatever you do you will always have weaknesses. And you'll do another project because of that. But don't be surprised when someone will point at what you're lacking. Be aware of it as much as you can so that you'll be able to say "I know, and I'm working on it".
9. Am I creating a need ?
That's the best thing to do. If you create one then people will come back at you. Moreover they will send some people to be addicted to. Look at the cigarette and the alcohol, you will always find someone who will propose you to try it. Especially when it looks fun.
10. Am I creating meaning ?
Some part of these questions are influenced by Guy Kawasaki's writings and speeches. I'm admiring his work and this is one of his best advice I think. To create meaning.
1. Why am I doing this ?
That's the first question I should ask myself. Is there a good reason for me to spend hours and work hard on a specific project ? If not then I just should not do it because I'll be wasting time on doing a thing that won't really have any effect. And as everyone knows, time is money.
2. Who's my target ?
I need to know who I am aiming for. A lot of people claim to say "everybody" but it can't be it. I have to figure out which part of "everybody" I want to attract. Am I looking for the 15-18 years old ? For the 20-30 ? For the geek community ? This is what I have to define.
But don't get me wrong, saying "I'm doing this because I want the 30-45 years old woman to use my website" doesn't mean that if someone doesn't meet my expectations I will tell him to leave with this kind of message : "I'm sorry but you just don't match the website".
Answering the question "Who's my target" helps me to devise the project. But whoever use it afterwards, I'll let him do !
3. Is there a community ?
It's important for every tool to have a community using it. Because they can promote it for free. Linux has a huge community supporting it and spreading it all over the world. It would be a shame to loose such a buzz marketing potential just because I wanted to do a new thing that I and only I like.
If you want to make money on the net, most of the time you'll be developping websites for people, and not only for your eyes. You will have to let people think that they are part of your product simply because they really are.
My advice is to mind what they would be thinking before doing anything.
4. How good is my SEO ?
Big question today. This goes with the preceding question. If you really have a lot of people coming from search engines then you have more flexibility to conceive the project. Because a lot of newcomers can say "Wow ! That's really something ! I bookmark it and I'll come back soon".
5. What is the personnality of the web site ?
I really think that it matters to give a personnality to a project. This helps to build a community around it. So if you don't have one, try to find it. If you have one, stick to it. Of course you can evolve but don't get people lost, they might think that you don't know what you're doing.
6. How do I want to get what I'm planning ?
I need to know what resources I have to develop the project. I include :
* Time
* Money
* People
* Knowledge
Don't try to do something that you know you can't. Give yourself ambitious objectives but not utopian ones.
7. What are my advantages & disadvantages ?
The best way to improve something is to know its weaknesses and strengths.
8. What will be my advantages & disadvantages ?
Figure it out, whatever you do you will always have weaknesses. And you'll do another project because of that. But don't be surprised when someone will point at what you're lacking. Be aware of it as much as you can so that you'll be able to say "I know, and I'm working on it".
9. Am I creating a need ?
That's the best thing to do. If you create one then people will come back at you. Moreover they will send some people to be addicted to. Look at the cigarette and the alcohol, you will always find someone who will propose you to try it. Especially when it looks fun.
10. Am I creating meaning ?
Some part of these questions are influenced by Guy Kawasaki's writings and speeches. I'm admiring his work and this is one of his best advice I think. To create meaning.