Atlantic Business Technologies, Inc.

Author: Atlantic BT

  • The Double-Edged Sword of KPIs and How to Use It

    At Atlantic BT, we always talk to our clients about their Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These are the metrics used to determine what is and isn’t working within their business. They provide the basis for an analysis much like a report card. Executives can see whether various projects and campaigns are on track.
     
    Our goal is to help our client build and develop a website that leads to real-world improvement. We want to raise the numbers for sales, revenues, memberships, etc,. To do so, we look beyond simple goal identification. We see KPIs from two different sides. One side affects the planning process for a new website. The other side helps us anticipate the work ahead, post launch.
     
    Let’s take a look at the way you can use KPIs to influence your web development strategy.

    Before Your Website is Built

    While you’re planning your next website, you can use KPIs as a guide. They can help you outline your project and prioritize the use of your resources. In other words, you can use expected results to decide where to spend your time and money. The KPIs act like a Magic 8 ball, but with more numbers and clarity.
     
    This sounds like a simple concept. Alas, it’s harder to put into action than some business owners and executives realize. It’s easy to become distracted by all the possibilities of your project. Once you start looking into things like web designs and app creation, the rabbit hole only grows.
     
    By focusing on KPIs that show up on a balance sheet, you can keep everyone involved in the project on track. Even softer benefits that are harder to measure but make a big difference to the company, matter. And they are often included in KPIs. But, as with so many good things, moderation is key. Be sure to not overwhelm yourself with too many KPIs. It can give your team too much to juggle when they need to be focusing on the end goal.

    After Your Website Has Launched

    Congratulations! Your website has gone live. Now you can use the KPIs you identified, as a scorecard to see how everything is working. You’ll be able to know if the site, and the online marketing plan you’re using, are trending in the right direction.
     
    Again, this can help you to find clarity instead of confusion. After the launching of a large website, there’s bound to be a great deal of feedback and analytics data. Some of it may feel contradictory. This is particularly true if you have many overlapping goals. Perhaps they are all related to revenue, recruiting, information dissemination, and so on.
     
    The KPIs you established at the beginning are there to serve you at the end. By coming back to them, you can determine whether you’re getting the results you hoped for. Then you can adjust your approach as you move forward.

    Want Web Design That Leads to Results?

    When it comes to complex web design, you need a finished product that supports your organizational goals at every level. That’s where the Atlantic BT creative team comes in. We can help you evaluate your KPIs and resources to come up with a plan that helps you reach your most important targets.

    Contact us today to learn more and schedule a free consultation.

  • How Project Milestones Can Boost Confidence, Time, and Focus

    A large web design and development project requires a great deal of planning. In fact, the more complex the project is, the more important it is to have that plan of action worked out fast. The plan needs to be clear with a distinct goal. It must be able to move all parties involved from the initial concept to a successful launch. This plan shouldn’t be a simple checklist of activities. Instead, it should detail responsibilities and timelines, as well.
     
    At Atlantic BT, we see the various phases of web design projects as milestones. These represent natural points in the process where it makes sense to step back and see what we have. We can combine materials and evaluate the work in front of us. After agreements and adjustments offered from all team members, we can move forward.
     
    Milestones makes it easier for everyone involved to see the ongoing progress made. That can be an important factor to communicate. It reminds everyone that their work and time isn’t vanishing into nothing. It also helps keep everyone and everything on the same page. Especially when there are hundreds of minor details to look after.
     
    We’d like to introduce you to a few ideas about milestones in web design projects. You can put them to work as you oversee the development of your organization’s website. By breaking down the process into steps, the project becomes easier to access. You can build your team’s confidence as they see their accomplishments in action.

    The Importance of Milestones

    There are many values in establishing a set of planned milestones. The biggest one, though, is that they let you track your progress from the beginning. The initial discovery and brainstorming phase can be milestone 1. Each level of design for the program will be its own milestone. You can apply this tracking process throughout the entirety of the project.
     
    With regularly-spaced milestones in place, you’ll be able to plan ahead more efficiently. The next point where you’ll need to give feedback to your creative team, will be clear. You’ll also develop a good sense of the project’s pace and how it continues to progress. This is helpful when you’re keeping an eye on those deadlines. You can even use milestones to keep executives and stakeholders on track. They’ll be able to focus on deliverables as they arrive.

    Making Progress Without Micromanaging

    One key advantage of scheduling milestones is that they allow clients to review new work (including previously-requested revisions) at regular intervals. That can reduce the strain of constant back-and-fourth communication between developers and stakeholders. At the same time, it gives a creative team the freedom to work without feeling as if they are being micromanaged.

    Of course, in order for these benefits to be realized, milestones need to be scheduled often enough to keep things moving. But, balance is important. Don’t schedule them so frequently that they become a distraction.

    Milestones as a Time-Saving Tool

    Another often-overlooked benefit of using milestones is that they define feedback periods. Web design clients can be prepared to offer notes, feedback, and requests for revisions. Executives can take the time to evaluate what they’ve seen, and even solicit opinions from users and colleagues. The process will be less stressful because they’ll know they won’t have to go through this on a daily or weekly basis.

    The result is a structure that puts everyone on equal footing. It is clear to the entire team what is expected of them, creative work isn’t being duplicated, and the flow of communication is improved.

    Need a Creative Team That Can Handle Institutional Web Design?

    Building a large website – like one needed for a corporation, university, or government agency – requires experience, technical skill, and the ability to manage workflows and deadlines. You’ll get all that and more when you hire Atlantic BT in North Carolina. Contact us today to schedule a consultation about your project.

  • 3 Time Management Problems You Need to Avoid for Web Projects

    In a perfect world, web developers and their clients would live happily ever after, from the get go. They’d gather together, agree on a concept, make a plan, and then execute it, with no issues. Time management would be effortless.
     
    Unfortunately, things rarely happen that way. Almost half of all large web design projects take longer than planned. One of the best ways to ensure your next website launches on time is to know why so many others don’t. Arming yourself with information about the common causes of delays is a solid move. You’ll be better equipped.
     
    Here are 3 time-management problems that hold up web development projects, along with some simple solutions you can put to use immediately.

    #1 Unrealistic Schedules

    Some web development projects are bound to take longer than expected. These are the ones that begin under a banner of unrealistic expectations. Perhaps the web design team gave a highly-optimistic estimate to win new business. Or maybe the client insisted on pushing for a fast launch date. Regardless, everyone was bringing a large platter of Impossible to the planning table.
     
    You can get better estimates from your creative team by asking more questions. How many of their projects reached their deadline on time and for the fee quoted? Can you verify this through case studies or references?
     
    You should also do your part to encourage realistic timelines. Trust those you’re working with to use their time, and your own, efficiently. Web development is a huge undertaking. Your web developers’ requests for time to test, revise, and be ready for any potential issues, are valid. Don’t press them to remove these expectations from their proposal. Then you can avoid disappointment down the road, when reality sets in.

    #2 Client-Side Delays

    Clients tend to worry about web developers taking longer on a project than intended. Alas, it’s even more common for client-side delays to hold up projects.
     
    Don’t worry. We understand. It’s easy for executives to over-deliver when they’re excited about a project. The energy of the idea can mask the amount of work and communication involved. We’ve seen dozens and dozens of websites face delays because of the client. For example, they’ll be unable to provide content for a new set of pages on time. Writing new material sounds easy until you sit down to do it. Suddenly, the entire workday has passed and you’re still staring into the abyss of a blank screen. (Not that we would know anything about that…).
     
    Another roadblock that causes delays is poor communication. Disagreements between different executives or departments can slow down the revision process. A lack of quality, clear feedback can grind a project to a halt. You can prevent these issues by planning ahead. Set the right expectations and workflow processes in the beginning. Be sure these are in place before the creation of actual designs and software.

    #3 Poor Project Management

    Designing and assembling a large website is a complex and intensive endeavor. This fact is often overlooked or completely missed. There can be a ridiculous number of parts to put together. Thousands of images, text blocks, plug-ins, and meta descriptions are the tip of the iceberg. Your team generates, combines, and integrates each piece into the entire plan.
     
    The most experienced web design teams realize this. So, they structure work in a way that makes sure bottlenecks are rare. They’ll emphasize sequential and parallel planning. This helps to avoid the duplication of any jobs. And, no one is ever ‘stuck’ waiting for something that won’t arrive for a long time.
     
    When it comes to institutional web design, artistic and technical skills are important. But, don’t overlook the importance of strong planning and project management.

    We Handle Complex Web Design Like No One Else

    At Atlantic BT, building large and complex websites is our specialty. If you want to turn your project into an example of efficiency, rather than suffering through delays and budget overruns, we can help. Schedule a free consultation to learn more.

  • Executives are Blanking on the Truth Behind Strong Website Design

    Institutional website design is a specialty all on its own. Small businesses have a variety of options to choose from, when they decide to go online. There are hundreds of creative firms, template services, and freelancers available. They all do great work and can make a solid layout for a business at the beginning of their online journey. But, consider institutions like universities, governments, and major corporations. When it comes to updating the websites of these beasts, you’ll need to do a lot more work. Every detail matters.

    At Atlantic BT, we’ve been working on large-scale web development projects for 20 years now. We’ve learned a lot along the way and we know how to best make these web projects successful. The foundation of our role is the website itself. We create sites that work for a wide range of customers, users, and decision-makers. But, another facet of our job is to ensure that our clients stay focused on what matters.

    That can sometimes be a challenge. Why? Let’s look at a few things executives tend to forget about institutional website design.

    Functionality is Just as Important as Aesthetics

    As humans, we naturally gravitate towards the visual. We rely on our sight to identify threats and opportunities on a subconscious level. We can process pictures thousands of times faster than text or words. Psychologists have even shown that what we see impacts us in a more emotional way, than what we read.

    Knowing that, can we blame anyone for placing their priorities on aesthetics? It isn’t hard to understand why executives tend to focus more on the visual aspects of web design. The look is important. Striking an emotional chord with an audience has immense value. But you don’t want to be all surface and no substance. Consider the ultimate goal. You are building a tool to be of service to large groups of people inside and outside of an organization. Of course, this means that website functionality is also as important as aesthetics. Programming and plug-ins provide the body your site actually lives within. So, you need it to be strong, healthy, and smart. A beautiful website that doesn’t work, is of no help to anyone.

    Online Marketing Makes or Breaks the Project

    Alas, despite how functional and breathtaking your website is, none of it matters if it’s never seen or used. The only way to ensure that such a tragedy does not take place, is to market the website effectively. You need to promote it in order to attract customers and users. There are plenty of tools at your disposal. Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, these guys run the world now. They are yours to use. You need their users, and even the media, to take notice and spread the word about your new content and upgrades.

    For that reason, institutional website design is only the first step. Often, it’s online marketing that will make or break your project on the balance sheet. This is through search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, and social visibility. These are, of course, only some of the tools at the disposal of a good digital marketing team. Be sure to prioritize your marketing strategy. Then pay special attention to what happens to your website post launch. Consider these observations when evaluating proposals from creative teams.

    You Can’t Neglect Your Website After Launch

    The marketing and promotional aspects of launching an institutional website are important. It brings you the audience you need. But, once that audience arrives, they will have expectations that you should be ready for. Your users will assume that the website will always be functioning well, and staying up to date. So, ongoing maintenance, updates, and content additions are crucial. Otherwise, the big investment you make in an upgraded web presence can become a sunk cost.

    Remember that large websites are never finished. You can launch them, but they’re going to need work to stay fast, stable, and secure. You will get plenty of value from your web presence as you continue to promote and pay attention to it. But, you’ll be less likely to find yourself asking for proposals for yet another fresh design, as time goes on.

    Learn More About Institutional Web Design

    It doesn’t matter what stage of the website design process you might find yourself in. If you are beginning to think about a large web development project, or you’re now collecting RFPs, we’re ready to jump in at any time. The creative team at Atlantic BT in North Carolina can help you get the answers you need. Schedule a free consultation. You’ll be able to see how we can help make the web design and development process easier.

  • A Project Charter is the Only Thing You Need to Start Your Web Development

    We can see them coming a mile away. Executives and project decision-makers, laden with heavy regret. By the time they reach us, they’re feeling grim. When it comes to their web development project, things took a turn. It had been obvious to their team that changes and improvements were necessary. We know what they’ll say before they even raise their weary heads. Revenue is declining, search visits are trending downward. The most heartbroken among them will deliver the blow. The website has stopped being fully-functional. “What do we do? The project should survive, yes? Can it? Survive?”
     
    Under those circumstances, it’s only natural that our clients want to move as quickly as possible. They are eager to get beyond talking and thinking and into actual designing. But, no matter how pressed they feel to get something done, we can’t let them run amuck. We always encourage them to put together a project charter before any work begins. In fact, they should do it before they even start budgeting.
     
    A project charter is an outline of what the goals are, how to reach them, and what the anticipated outcome will be. It doesn’t have to be a complicated puzzle, with long pieces of yarn attaching each part to the next. But, this kind of document and outline can help clarify things in three specific areas.

    #1 Web Design Needs

    If you don’t know why you are doing something, then how can you do it? Every new web development project needs a purpose. It’s important to not begin your project, without understanding your ultimate goals. This is particularly true of development projects at the institutional level.
     
    As you consider what your project needs the most, separate items into categories. Which ones are absolute must haves? Which ones are pie-in-the-sky hopes? And which ones are insane and impossible? This organizational tip will help you stay focused on what matters the most. In turn, knowing exactly what you need keeps you on the path to your goal.
     
    We build our success on the premise that we won’t begin a new project unless we’re 100% clear on the ideal outcomes. It gives us a beam of light to follow. By following the same approach, you can begin your project with clarity. Knowing exactly what you want to accomplish will help everyone keep their eye on the prize.

    #2 Expectations for the Project

    Expectations can be a big umbrella. When a web design project is large and intensive, that umbrella becomes bigger. You’ll want to define your plans for the finished website as a whole. On top of that, you should outline what you expect to receive from your creative team. You can include internal partners on that outline, as well.
     
    Where does the initiative for the outline come from? How can it best begin? It’s better if everyone is speaking the same language from the start. Sure, you can outline many of your expectations in a contract or agreement. But waiting until that moment can put many people at a disadvantage. Having open and honest discussions about expectations from the get go, helps everyone. That’s particularly true for contributors inside your own building or organization. They need to know what their roles and responsibilities look like throughout the web development process. Or rather, what kind of umbrella they’re working with and providing to you.

    #3 The Resources That Can be Committed

    Now that you know where you want to go and how you want to get there, you have to plan on what you need. Of course, you can start collection proposals for your web design project. Then you can follow that up with some comparison shopping. However, jumping into that lake first only leaves you all wet. When you’re trying to manage budgets and scheduling, efficiency is key. A smarter approach is to decide from the outset what kinds of resources can belong to the project. Then adapt that to your needs and expectations.

    If your aim is to achieve all your goals (and that is an admirable endeavor!) be prepared for some needed flexibility. Based on the proposals you receive, you may have to scale your budget up or down. But, starting out with some general figures will make it easier to make the right decisions. At the same time, your creative partners will have great parameters to work within.

    Ready to Work on Your Project Charter?

    If you’re gathering information for your web design and development project, we’d love to lend a hand. Now is the perfect time to talk with the experts at Atlantic BT. Even if you’re only looking for some advice on pushing your internet strategy in the right direction, we’ve got you covered. Schedule a free consultation and see how we can help.

     

  • 5 Reminders of How to Best Manage Complex Projects

    Complex projects don’t beat around the bush. They are exactly what they sound like; a large undertaking, layered with a variety of tasks, different people to manage and communicate with, and multiple goals to achieve. How can you make it to the finish line in tact, with so much to juggle? One savvy project manager shows how she stayed cool and found success. 

    Once upon a time, I was given an assignment I thought would kill me. It was the mother of all complex projects. I was 25 and working as a Senior Project Manager for a small gaming company in NYC. Suddenly, I was to oversee the full development of a $2 million contract. 

    The video game was being designed to enhance over 400 classrooms throughout the US. It would educate high school students on the subjects of business and accounting. The process was mammoth. We planned for 100 unique characters and needed to write a six-week course curriculum. On top of that, we would provide players with custom-build avatars.

    This was the most complex project we had ever tried to tackle, and we realized we had bitten off more than we could chew.

    As the Project Manager (PM) I began to ask myself, “Why me?”

    In an instant I had the answer to that question: I thrive off of complexity. I enjoy untangling the most complicated, multi-layered project and making it tangible.

    What Makes a Project Complex?

    It’s important to understand that there is a difference between a complex project and a difficult project.

    A complex project isn’t necessarily a difficult one. Projects can be difficult due to cost or performance, but this doesn’t automatically mean that it’s complex. Complexity refers to projects that include ambiguity or uncertainty. They are surrounded by unpredictability. Other indicators of a complex project include:

    • Involvement of many teams & stakeholders
    • Numerous moving parts
    • Project timeline
    • Budget & restraints

    After identifying the complexity level of your project, it’s time to use your skills to tackle the beast, one bite at a time.

    The Essential Skills You Need to Manage Complex Projects

    Managing a complex project requires more than the ability to herd cats and spin plates simultaneously. This is just one of the many skills needed for project management. Others include:

    1. Adaptability
    2. Collaboration
    3. Communication
    4. Expertise
    5. Leadership

    To be successful you must be adaptable. A project is constantly evolving and project managers have to evolve with it. You can’t always think in black and white terms. There will come a time when you have to adjust and flex your management style when the situation changes.

    Communication is probably the most important project management skill. Over 90% of a PM’s time is spent communicating. It is essential that PMs can effectively convey vision, ideas, goals, and issues. They also need to produce reports and presentations that are informative and clear.

    Communication goes beyond documentation. It also requires building a relationship with your client and your team. If no one trusts you, the project will fail. You must be willing to collaborate with your team. Working with others to get things done is important on all projects, particularly on something that is really challenging. You cannot succeed by yourself. Work with your team and client to achieve success.

    Lastly, leadership and expertise go hand-in-hand. If you can lead, you can deliver. Leadership is all about guiding, directing, and motivating your team to do their best work and understand how their tasks contribute to the overall vision.

    Leadership comes with experience; neither are skills that can be taught. They only develop over time from real-life, practical work with your team. Having these essential skills is the backbone for identifying what makes a project complex and how to navigate it.

    Let’s put these concepts into concrete action.

    1. Document. Again. And Again

    A project may be broken down into the most perfectly manageable mini-projects. But, without clear documentation on the individual pieces and how they relate to the whole, the project remains opaque to anyone aside from the main project manager.

    Clear, up-to-date documentation is the insurance against this issue. It defines everyone’s roles and their deliverables. Also, it ensures that the overall vision isn’t trapped singularly inside someone’s head. If a new hire comes on board during any stage of development, in any role, there needs to be a clear road map outlining where the project has been and where it’s going.

    As the project manager, it is your job to document everything. Send out a project status to the full team every week. By providing clear documentation, both your team and your stakeholders can stay informed throughout the entire project lifecycle.

    2. Continuously Clarify Your Goals

    If you do not understand the “why” behind your project, you will not be successful. Understanding the why brings clarity to the goal(s) of the project. It allows the entire team to find ways to innovate and bring their own areas of expertise to the table.

    Project Managers tend to focus on delegating tasks. Our brains fall into a divide and conquer mindset. As the leader, you are expected to paint the bigger picture for your team. Don’t be afraid to push your team outside of their comfort zone. However, remember that people aren’t machines.

    If we are constantly delegating tasks without clearly defined goals, our team will fail. It is important to pick our heads up and continuously clarify project goals. When your team understands their roles and the task at hand, they are able to dive directly into execution mode.

    Clarify your goals to ensure your project remains aligned with the initial premise—not just once, but continuously. Remember and accept that you will not know all the answers Yet, you can push to explore all possible outcomes and what they would mean for the project.

    3. Create More Visibility

    When navigating complex challenges, teams often find themselves bogged down in the details. It becomes a struggle to move forward when you’re buried under too much information.

    To create more visibility within a project, adapt a management tool that works best for you, your team, and your client. This tool will allow everyone on the project to stay informed and see what is happening. Use this as your single source of information. This type of tool will provide real-time insight into the decisions and activities that are relevant to each member of the team.

    Additionally, consider process mapping for complex projects. The process map is a visual representation of the project’s forecasted road map. It allows both our team and our client to know where we are in the project and what activities are planned. Having a physical copy printed and hanging on a wall helps our teams stay on the same page. We are able to point directly to our current status and identify dependencies and risks in real time. This keeps us on track and the client informed.

    4. Be Flexible

    The only constant in complex projects is change. I don’t care how amazing you think your project plan is, it will change. If you are not willing to adapt and be flexible for the sake of your client, you risk losing them. Plan for unknowns, pivots. and adjustments early on. Be sure to set up processes that allow your team to remain nimble and respond to changing demands.

    [pull_quote]The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. -George Bernard Shaw[/pull_quote]

    There is no such thing as over communication for project managers. We have lots of ways to communicate. Even better, the most popular methods don’t require you to open your mouth. Find out what style of communication works best for your project and stick with it.

    If digital communication works best, go with it, but never assume your team is reading everything you write.  If you are not getting results, be proactive in your communication. There are times when it is necessary to have face to face conversations. It will help ensure the message is not lost through back channels and that the team is clear on the objective.

    Moral of the Story

    Remember why you do what you do. You may second-guess a decision that you’ve made, but at the end of the day every complex project needs a PM.

    The project manager either adds value by making stuff more efficient and effective, or reduces risk because, without a project manager, bad things are going to happen. The PM takes care of communication. He or she is the human shield between you and the development team, ensuring the team can work effectively without too many interruptions.

    Never settle and never accept the constraints imposed upon you.  Remember that you have more power than you think.

    At the end of the day, everything turned out alright with the video game contract I was tasked with. We realized we couldn’t be everything to everyone and hired additional help. Eventually, we launched the game. We ended up creating a high school course curriculum that ran for 6 weeks in over 400 schools nationwide.

    We wowed the client.

    If you’re someone looking to be wowed by a well-led team, we might know some people…