What Should A Web Site Cost?

What Should A Web Site Cost?

What Should A Web Site Cost?

Allen Gunn Allen Gunn

Executive Director, Aspiration Executive Director, Aspiration

These materials have been prepared by Aspiration These materials have been prepared by Aspiration

These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0

Overview for This Call

Overview for This Call

►

Shameless Hearsay and Pricing Gossip

Shameless Hearsay and Pricing Gossip

 Rates, site costs, anonymized nightmare stories_{Rates, site costs, anonymized nightmare stories}

►

Sweeping Generalizations and Arm Waving

Sweeping Generalizations and Arm Waving

 Wherein I share my non-objective perspectives_{Wherein I share my non-objective perspectives}

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Practical Process Suggestions and Guidelines

Practical Process Suggestions and Guidelines

 You _You cancan retain control of your destiny! retain control of your destiny!

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Shameless Shout-Outs to Our Ecosystem

Shameless Shout-Outs to Our Ecosystem

Questions

Questions

About Aspiration

About Aspiration

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Our Mission: Better Software for Nonprofits

Our Mission: Better Software for Nonprofits

 We work with all stakeholders in the process_{We work with all stakeholders in the process}

►

In our work, we:

In our work, we:

 Provide strategic consulting for software products_{Provide strategic consulting for software products}

 Coach orgs on sustainable technology processes_{Coach orgs on sustainable technology processes}

 Train and mentor orgs in effective use of tools_{Train and mentor orgs in effective use of tools}

 Track available tools: socialsourcecommons.org_{Track available tools: socialsourcecommons.org}

 Run events where developers _{Run events where developers} listenlisten to users to users

Assertion #1

Assertion #1

“

Assertion #2

Assertion #2

“

“

Web sites are like

Web sites are like

vegetable gardens”

Assertion #3

Assertion #3

“

What Should a Web Site Cost?

What Should a Web Site Cost?

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Consider “typical” entry-level nonprofit site:

Consider “typical” entry-level nonprofit site:

 FOSS Content Management System (CSM)_{FOSS Content Management System (CSM)}

 Update-able by organization staff_{Update-able by organization staff}

 _{1 or 2 page templates1 or 2 page templates}  _{25-50 pages25-50 pages}

 Email signup_{Email signup}

 Online donations_{Online donations}

What Should a Web Site Cost?

What Should a Web Site Cost?

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Cost components

Cost components

 System architecture - not needed w/“typical” sites_{System architecture - not needed w/“typical” sites}

 Creative design (largest cost variant at low end)_{Creative design (largest cost variant at low end)}

 _{Implementation and deploymentImplementation and deployment}

 _{Content placement and/or migrationContent placement and/or migration}  Training and support_{Training and support}

Who Charges What?

Who Charges What?

►

Implementors we work with:

Implementors we work with:

 $75 to $150/hour_{$75 to $150/hour}

 $85-$100/hr is what we'll pay_{$85-$100/hr is what we'll pay}

 _{$125-$150 is for custom/”special” development$125-$150 is for custom/”special” development}  _{Above $150/hour, you're often paying for styleAbove $150/hour, you're often paying for style}

►

Obvious considerations

Obvious considerations

 The mystery number: total hours required for job_{The mystery number: total hours required for job}

 Check references, check references, check... _{Check references, check references, check...}

What Should a Web Site Cost?

What Should a Web Site Cost?

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Answer as of 4/7/09: $500 to $10,000

Answer as of 4/7/09: $500 to $10,000

 $500 is ultra-simple Wordpress/pre-fab template_{$500 is ultra-simple Wordpress/pre-fab template}

 $2000-$5000 is ““typical”” Drupal/Joomla site_{$2000-$5000 is ““typical”” Drupal/Joomla site}

 _{Design can push budgets closer to $10KDesign can push budgets closer to $10K}

 _{Budgetary red flags should fire above $10KBudgetary red flags should fire above $10K}

►

Additional costs

Additional costs

 Hosting (at most, $50/month; $10-20 average)_{Hosting (at most, $50/month; $10-20 average)}

Cost Escalators

Cost Escalators

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Integration, integration, integration

Integration, integration, integration

 3₃rdrd party and custom applications _{party and custom applications}

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Legacy databases

Legacy databases

 Older sites and systems_{Older sites and systems}

►

Additional features

Additional features

 CRM (e.g. connect to DIA, Salesforce, CiviCRM)_{CRM (e.g. connect to DIA, Salesforce, CiviCRM)}

 _{Forums, chat, events, Google, ...Forums, chat, events, Google, ...}

Sweeping (Clumsy) Generalizations

Sweeping (Clumsy) Generalizations

►

Nonprofits get developers involved too early

Nonprofits get developers involved too early

in the process

in the process

 _{Go to them with a vision (see next slide)Go to them with a vision (see next slide)}

►

Nonprofits should not pay implementors for

Nonprofits should not pay implementors for

group therapy/organizational development

group therapy/organizational development

 _{Web projects surface process and control issuesWeb projects surface process and control issues}

►

Good design is critical; expensive design not

Good design is critical; expensive design not

Web Process: Readers' Digest Ver.

Web Process: Readers' Digest Ver.

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Don't EVEN THINK about engaging

Don't EVEN THINK about engaging

implementers before you've agreed on:

implementers before you've agreed on:

 _{Your specific and concrete goals for the siteYour specific and concrete goals for the site}

 The audiences you're designing the site to serve_{The audiences you're designing the site to serve}

 What value you want to deliver to each audience_{What value you want to deliver to each audience}

 What take-aways you want visitors to leave with_{What take-aways you want visitors to leave with}

 Content required for all the above_{Content required for all the above}

►

Mantra to repeat during this phase:

Mantra to repeat during this phase:

 “_“Technology Last”*Technology Last”*

Web Process: Readers' Digest Ver.

Web Process: Readers' Digest Ver.

►

Engage target users, verify assumptions

Engage target users, verify assumptions

 Does your vision match how they want to be _{Does your vision match how they want to be}

served?

served?

►

Design in Photoshop before you code

Design in Photoshop before you code

 It's cheaper and faster than code-otyping_{It's cheaper and faster than code-otyping}

►

“

“

Finalize” design before you code

Finalize” design before you code

 Avoid chasing your tail_{Avoid chasing your tail}

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Put site in front of target users early & often

Put site in front of target users early & often

Cost Control

Cost Control

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Don't build what they ain't asking for

Don't build what they ain't asking for

 Use traffic tools to see what folks are actually _{Use traffic tools to see what folks are actually}

looking at and where they're coming from

looking at and where they're coming from

 Google Analytics rocks – if you don't care about _{Google Analytics rocks – if you don't care about}

your privacy or 4

your privacy or 4thth amendment protections _{amendment protections}

►

Don't write custom code if at all possible

Don't write custom code if at all possible

 Each line of code you pay to write is a stone _{Each line of code you pay to write is a stone}

around your organizational ankle

around your organizational ankle

 Learn to use off-the-shelf features_{Learn to use off-the-shelf features}

Technology Selection

Technology Selection

►

Know your technology stacks

Know your technology stacks

 PHP/MySQL (aka “LAMP”) is usually cheapest_{PHP/MySQL (aka “LAMP”) is usually cheapest}

 For other stacks, less implementors=higher costs_{For other stacks, less implementors=higher costs}

►

Be curious and nosy

Be curious and nosy

 Ask orgs/allies what they're using, what they like_{Ask orgs/allies what they're using, what they like}

►

Consider WordPress

Consider WordPress

 _{Simple, powerful CMS with a migration pathSimple, powerful CMS with a migration path}

Implementor Selection

Implementor Selection

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Select relationships, not platforms

Select relationships, not platforms

 Let implementor define platform, not vice versa_{Let implementor define platform, not vice versa}

►

Select organizations, not individuals

Select organizations, not individuals

 Teams offer sustainability and accountability_{Teams offer sustainability and accountability}

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Don't be a first date

Don't be a first date

 Experience with NPOs _{Experience with NPOs} andand orgs 'like you': Critical orgs 'like you': Critical

►

Insist on someone who talks your language

Insist on someone who talks your language

Process Schtuff

Process Schtuff

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When in doubt, leave it out

When in doubt, leave it out

 Resist the urge to suggest “enhancements”_{Resist the urge to suggest “enhancements”}

 Moving targets always drive up costs_{Moving targets always drive up costs}

►

Know the difference between template and

Know the difference between template and

content

content

 Distinguish between code and data_{Distinguish between code and data}

 Implementors should focus on templates (code)_{Implementors should focus on templates (code)}

 Org staff should focus on content (data)_{Org staff should focus on content (data)}

 _{Don't assign content changes to implementors Don't assign content changes to implementors} (That's what the CMS is for)

Financial Schtuff

Financial Schtuff

►

Follow a well-defined change order process

Follow a well-defined change order process

 “_“Verbal” is not such a oneVerbal” is not such a one

 Get time and cost estimates on new features_{Get time and cost estimates on new features}

►

Do Ask, Do Tell

Do Ask, Do Tell

 _{Ask for estimates first on any “new” featuresAsk for estimates first on any “new” features}

►

Request granular billing and invoicing

Request granular billing and invoicing

 Know what you're getting charged for as it's _{Know what you're getting charged for as it's}

happening, not at the end

Implementors We (Heart)

Implementors We (Heart)

►

Radical Designs (radicaldesigns.org)

Radical Designs (radicaldesigns.org)

 Best-of-breed campaign, event & social media_{Best-of-breed campaign, event & social media}

 SF Bay Area_{SF Bay Area}

►

FloatLeft (floatleft.org)

FloatLeft (floatleft.org)

 Consummate Drupal professionals _{Consummate Drupal professionals}

 DC_DC

►PICNet (picnet.net)PICNet (picnet.net)

 Best nonprofit Joomla! sites, Nonprofit Soapbox_{Best nonprofit Joomla! sites, Nonprofit Soapbox}

Implementors We (Heart)

Implementors We (Heart)

►

Happy Snowman (happysnowmantech.com)

Happy Snowman (happysnowmantech.com)

 Drupal_Drupal

 SF Bay Area_{SF Bay Area}

►

OpenFlows (www.openflows.org)

OpenFlows (www.openflows.org)

 Drupal and CiviCRM_{Drupal and CiviCRM}

 NYCNYC

►

Chicago Tech Cooperative (chicagotech.org)

Chicago Tech Cooperative (chicagotech.org)

 _{Drupal and CiviCRMDrupal and CiviCRM}  Chicago_Chicago

Summary

Summary

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You CAN control your web destiny, and costs

You CAN control your web destiny, and costs

Know what you want before implementing

Know what you want before implementing

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Process, process, process: have a plan

Process, process, process: have a plan

Less is more: when in doubt, leave it out

Less is more: when in doubt, leave it out

Avoid moving targets

Avoid moving targets

►

Use existing code, avoid writing new

Use existing code, avoid writing new

Talk to folks about what you're doing

Talk to folks about what you're doing

And...

And...

►

Come to Penguin Day San Francisco!

Come to Penguin Day San Francisco!

 April 25th, 7_{April 25th, 7}thth _{and Market Streets and Market Streets}

 Learn about Free/Open Source web publishing_{Learn about Free/Open Source web publishing}

 _{Meet lots of great implementorsMeet lots of great implementors}  _{www.penguinday.orgwww.penguinday.org}

That's All!

That's All!

Questions?

Questions?

Comments?

Comments?

Thank You!

Thank You!

These materials have been prepared by Aspiration These materials have been prepared by Aspiration

These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 These materials are distributed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0