How can I manage multiple web projects with a deadline without outsourcing?
I don't have money to invest in outsourcing. Beside outsourcing, what is the most effective way of complete 20 website design projects that are fully monetized and traffic generation optimized on or before December 2015? I fell into the folly of pursuing many site projects at the same time and I don't want to give up. I strongly believe nothing is impossible to him who believes. I'm in dire need of an expert's advice please.
Expert Answers
Sort by Date
Sort by Votes
Nov 13, 2015
Hi Godwin,
I love to keep the things straight and simple!!
Hope you have done the requirement document properly and precisely, if your answer is yes!!
You're on right track !!
Else, I am the solution. Contact me right know!!
Jul 29, 2015
You may look at the functionality all those websites would have. Create an initial website using any CMS out there. If I were you, I would get a shared hosting account, get a recent copy of any open source CMS out there (the one I feel comfortable using), I will create a database and proceed to install this first website. If I happen to find a Theme that I like for customization, reliability and flexibility, I then would install that one on my CMS. When I have the initial website, that can be clearly address and designed so differently on the other projects, at that moment I will replicate that website 19 times more.
There are themes so versatile that allows you to play with design, layout and patterns in incredible ways that no other of your websites would look the same.
When you have those 20 folders with their cms connected to their respective databases, then it's a matter of pointing the correct domain to its pertaining folder.
Focus on having your initial website well done.
What you are trying to attend is doable as per December meaning 4 websites a month. Not bad. The first week you can have all instalations and databases connections done. Create a plan to focus on each websites for a week. Eakkkk!! a hard work men.
Good luck.
Jul 26, 2015
20 Website design projects can be very easy which take 20 days to complete all or can be complicated which need 3-5 months to complete 1 project ...so I don't know ...Which 20 projects you should make good money and the most wise approach is to engage few very good professional to work on your projects to meet economy of scale which you look for even more projects to make the profits good.
I wonder what had stop you from engaging people and remain lack of money.
Anywhere since you think you can make it, just work very very very very hard and you can make it.
Jul 25, 2015
Make a list of all the features your projects will involve. Use a common base and create those that are repetitive.
Then, starting with the least difficult, complete the first one. Check what you can use in the next, use it and upgrade. And so on, until you reach the most difficult one. This scheme works not only technically, but also if you do all the work yourself, you do see a progress and don't feel lost.
Anyway, one at a time is the answer. The trick is scheduling and doing non-repetitive work.
I myself am a programmer and I prefer to work from skratch. I know the little popularity my method has now a days, however if you want an own product, this is the way.
Jul 24, 2015
Try to do it on an incentive basis or use Interns who could profit from being a professional in your company's new adventure...
Jul 24, 2015
If you have the money, you can invest in templates/themes and customize them to fit your needs. It should be a lot cheaper than hiring someone. As you design, make sure you're changing things that can be modified easily in the templates (some come with PSD files!) and don't create additional technical difficulties.
Other than that, you should probably be able to hire someone to do the work for you for at least a bit less than you are charging. You simply put your name on their work and that's it, one less project for you to worry about.
Jul 24, 2015
Hello Godwin, for basic informational sites, try wordpress and the likes as suggested by most in the forum. If you are looking for bespoke development and want to introduce custom interactivity, I'll suggest you explore Django. That should save you a considerable amount of time and effort. Will you be helping in the hosting as well? Most hosting providers give a ready tool to allow owners to quickly build a reasonably good site. Feel free to reach out if you need any other inputs.
Jul 24, 2015
The most effective way in my opinion is to divide them up over the time you have left and finish them one by one. Either starting with the heaviest projects first or the quickest ones, which ever fits your working style.
Aside from that I would like to add that although to some degree a lot is indeed possible when you believe in something, it can be dangerous to think that nothing is impossible. In my humble opinion you are better off if you know your own capabilities so you can can believe in, and rely on yourself to take on whichever is at hand.
Jul 23, 2015
I am not sure which platform / technology you are working for all the 20 website mentioned above, may be it Open Source CMS or Bespoke development which will directly effect the project delivery timeline
If you are using any Open Source Platform, you may various alternative option to goahead with purchasing Theme for WordPress, Joomla, Magento, Drupal and cut down the custom design and development time. Show the Theme to Client and once approved go far implementation
Nowadays, these Theme come with built in feature such as Responsive Design and other which will also make you Job easier and meet the expected delivery line
Now if you are leveraging Open Source you may go for API / Plugin for implementing any new features which also cut the project delivery timeline
But if you are looking for Bespoke design and development, the scenario may be different
Apart from above you may use Bug Tracking Tool such as Mentis, Project Management Tool (BaseCamp) to track the things, automated
Last but not least, all depends on the team work, motivation and willingness
Jul 23, 2015
Godwin,
As Vamsi suggested the key is reusuability of as much of the technology stack as possible. This would start with hosting, include a software platform like wordpress, with multiple templates you can implement different user interfaces. Use same plug-ins across web-sites to leverage learning curve. If you have to develop custom functionality make them as components usable across your web sites.
Good Luck!
Doug
Jul 23, 2015
Try to reuse code ,like login functionality ,contact us,etc will be similar for all the websites .Basically use object oriented programming's advantages.Which language are you using ?Have you decided on that?
Jul 23, 2015
Are these commitments to clients? Or for your own sites? (I'm guessing the latter.)
What if you pick either the one with the most potential for revenue that you can get up and running quickly, or the one you can get up and running fastest with decent potential to bring in revenue?
Then you'll at least be bringing in money to reinvest in development and traffic.
Proceed through the list in that manner until you get them all done.
Alternatively, apply the 80/20 rule and only do the 4 that will generate 80% of your revenue anyway and optimize the crap out of them.
Jul 23, 2015
If you cannot afford to outsource, I would suggest another option. See if you can find a student or graduate who would be willing to intern for you. They would gain experience doing the work as well as completed work to show in their portfolios.
That being said, did you price the projects too low? If yes, you have learned a valuable lesson for pricing future projects. If not, you should have enough profit to at least outsource some of the work.