talks! How Much Should a Website Cost? December 17, 2009 Audio is only available by calling this number: Conference Call: ; Access Code: Sponsored by

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talks! How Much Should a Website Cost? Presenter: Allen Gunn, Executive Director Aspiration Sponsored by

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Today’s Speakers Kami Griffiths TechSoup Assisting with chat questions: Becky Wiegand, TechSoup & Suzi Grishpul, Radical Designs All presentation content is Creative Commons licensed :) Allen Gunn (Gunner) Aspiration

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Agenda What are you trying to accomplish? Who do you include in the process? Where to start and what to do? How to engage implementors? What are the relevant technologies? What should you expect to pay? What is the staff time commitment?

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: About Aspiration Mission: Better software for nonprofits –We work with all stakeholders in the nonprofit software ecosystem In our work, we: –Provide strategic consulting –Coach orgs on sustainable processes –Train and mentor in effective use of tools –Run user-driven collaborative tech events

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What are You Trying to Get Done? Creating and redesigning web sites are different tasks; do you want to: –Build a site from scratch? –Layer new look onto existing content? –Completely overhaul existing site? Costing will depend on the task –Graphic design is a large determinant –Overhauls can be more expensive than whole new sites

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Who Do You Include in the Process? Web projects are organizational development opportunities in disguise –Follow transparent process for whole org –Have an internal communication strategy Include all stakeholders from the start – Don't “leave it to the techies” - ever –Interview each stakeholder to understand how the site should support their work –Think in terms of “publishing workflows”

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What to Discuss? Answer fundamental questions first –How do we describe our organization? –How do we explain our work? –Who is empowered to speak on behalf of the organization? –What is the process for approving externally published content? Addressing these before starting a web project drives down costs

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What to Discuss? Answer external questions next –Who are primary and secondary audiences for the intended site? –What value/benefit will you provide each audience to draw them to the site? –What are your goals for what they do on the site and take away from the site? –What content needs to exist to support answers to all the above? Engage external audience members!

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Where to Start? Idealized web site pre-process –Answer internal and external questions Know your overall goals for the site –Sketch out “information architecture” Marshall content to support that vision –Draft “user stories” Describe how audiences and staff will use site –Sketch out “wireframes” Approximate how pages might look –At some point above you need help

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What to Do Next When you reach the extent of your organizational capacity, write an RFP –Provide essential information : Background on organization and work Explicit definition of project goal(s) Distillation of “what we know so far” Explicit enumeration of desired deliverables and needed services –Keep it short and clean

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Where Should the RFP Go? Seek review by peers with experience Ask allies for suggested vendors –Ask the same on relevant mailing lists and social networks Select 2-4 vendors to engage –Ask for short clean responses –Good vendors respond first with questions –Look for experience with “orgs like you” Pick a relationship, not a platform

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What Does the Process Look Like? Project milestones –System architecture Not needed for “typical” nonprofit sites –Creative design Largest cost variant at low end –Site design –Implementation and deployment –Content placement and/or migration –Training and support

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: How to Manage the Relationship? Follow a well-defined change process –“Verbal” is not such a one –Get time, cost estimates on new features –Get immediate notification on overruns Do Ask, Do Tell –Talk it before walking it Request granular billing and invoicing –Know what you're getting charged for as it is happening, not at the end

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What are Appropriate Technologies? Nonprofits should “ALWAYS” use an open source CMS –WordPress, Drupal, Joomla!, Plone are state-of-the-art publishing tools –Correctly used, they maximize flexibility Plan for breakup or divorce –Minimize custom code creation –Avoid technologies with lock-in contracts –Know your migration options in advance

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What Should You Expect to Pay? What kind of site are we talkin' about? –Let's say: pages of content sign-up feature Online donation support Minimal additional interactivity Maintainable by staff using web browsers Site traffic statistics produced –“Brochure-ware with a growth path”

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What Should You Expect to Pay? Costs vary widely, BUT –Rudimentary (non-ugly) Wordpress sites can be had for $ –Excellent state-of-the-art sites can be had for $2K - $10K –Above $10K, make sure you know why –Above $20K, raise red flags –Graphic design is biggest cost variant

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What Should You Expect to Pay? Cost escalators –Integration, integration, integration 3rd party and custom applications –Legacy databases Older sites and systems –Additional features CRM (connect to DIA, Salesforce, CiviCRM) Forums, chat, events calendar, Google,...

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What Should You Expect to Pay? Consultant hourly rates vary widely but –Plenty of great shops in $75-$120/hr range Good shops have multi-tiered rates –Above $150, usually paying for reputation Strategy services are an exception –Check references, check references,... Costing models –Graphic design can often be flat-rated –Approach flat-rated sites with caution

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What Are the Ongoing Costs? Fixed hosting costs –Monthly hosting for most orgs is $10-20/mo –For high-volume sites, $100-$200/mo –Domain name no more than $10/year –Hosted tools (CRM, newsletters, action,...) Variable maintenance –Budget to upgrade CMS in timely fashion –Anticipate need to add features –New graphic assets can be expensive

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: What is the Staff Time Commitment? What is your communication strategy? –Regular site updates can be done in just a few hours per week Frequency, complexity of updates correlates to required staff time Content development is larger cost –Interactive community features up costs Responding to comments Managing discussion boards Allowing other user participation

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Resources Aspiration provides coaching on all nonprofit technology processes –Web site planning –RFP design –Proposal review Join us for “Managing Nonprofit Technology Projects – DC” –Two days of collaborative learning –February 8-9, 2010

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Resources Implementors we (heart) –Radical Designs (radicaldesigns.org) Best-of-breed campaign, event, social media SF Bay Area –FloatLeft (floatleft.org) Consummate Drupal professionals Washington, DC –PICNet (picnet.net) Best Joomla! sites, Nonprofit Soapbox SF and DC

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Resources Implementors we (heart) –Happy Snowman (happysnowmantech.com) Excellent Drupal shop SF Bay Area –OpenFlows ( Drupal and CiviCRM NYC

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Resources Design shops we (heart) –Design Action (designaction.org) Excellent activist art and design collective Values-driven and passionate Oakland-based –Quilted (quilted.coop) Innovative and creative design cooperative Values-driven and passionate Bi-coastal

How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Summary You CAN control your web destiny, and web site costs Know what you want before building Process, process, process: have a plan Less is more: when in doubt, leave it out Avoid moving targets Use existing code, avoid writing new Talk to folks about what you're doing

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How Much Should a Website Cost? Conference Call: Access Code: Get the Most Out of TechSoup At TechSoup, you’ll find a range of technology services to help your nonprofit: – Read helpful articles in our Learning Center – Request donated software, hardware, and online services – Join our community forums to learn from your colleagues – Browse upcoming events and conferences

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