When it comes to creating a new website, planning, and assigning roles is a crucial task. This is even more critical for large web projects involving institutional web design. Without the proper guidelines in place, you can never be sure that everything is taken care of. There can be important details and considerations missed or overlooked.
This would be true even if there was only one small team involved. But, that’s not the way large-scale web development works. At Atlantic BT, we have our group of designers, programmers, and content specialists. On top of that, we work with a variety of executives, managers, and vendors on a regular basis. This significantly increases the need for an organizational system.
We’ve followed a specific strategy for managing project flows over the years. There are the written project plans that keep everyone on track. But, we also assign different tasks and phases using a RACI model. That stands for:
- Responsible
- Accountable
- Consulted
- Informed
Generally speaking, all the major contacts fall into this group. They may not have the same roles for each step, but it’s a handy way of keeping everyone involved and informed.
The Benefits of RACI
A structured workflow process is necessary if you want to keep everyone on the same page. Without one, it would be easy to see how things can quickly become convoluted. A lack of communication and clarity can lead to poor decision making. Choices happen without the proper input from the appropriate parties. Or, projects can stall while one team waits on another. They might need feedback or work from someone who didn’t realize they were on the clock.
RACI lets us manage big web development jobs more efficiently than we would be able to do otherwise. That’s because it keeps us from duplicating tasks both within and outside of our offices. For example, we know who will be generating a given piece of content when it’s due. And we know which parties will be responsible for approving it when it’s finished.
Another big advantage of the RACI system is the focus it provides. It frees everyone involved to work on what is most crucial or important at the moment. Clients don’t have to track us down in advance of deadlines. At the same time, we don’t need to bother them at the last minute so a project can move forward. Everyone is on the same page, communicating and paying attention. Therefore, everyone is free to do their best work when and where it can have the greatest impact.
Why Clients Should Care About Workflows
“Wow, this RACI Method sounds like a neat idea”, you might be thinking right now. “But it doesn’t really apply to me, since I’m overseeing a web design project, I’m not drawing or coding.” Ah! But it can! It’s even more valuable to clients. No executive should work with a firm that doesn’t have a similar system in place.
Ultimately, a well-organized plan for institutional web design keeps the project running smoothly. You’re working with hundreds of details and moving parts. A team that ignores this aspect of the job is going to cost you time and money in the end.
The day-to-day process your design team follows may not be the biggest concern for you. But, you should care very much about the way they plan to manage input and communicate with you. Remember the four letters (RACI) that make web design a smoother process and don’t hire anyone who doesn’t know them.
Is it time to get organized with a creative team that can keep deadlines, schedules, and budgets in check? Contact Atlantic BT today to schedule a free consultation.
