Web Project Management

Course Description:

Designed for those with limited web experience or technical knowledge who need to plan, manage and deliver web projects.

This two day course covers all the fundamental areas of web development and will equip you with the knowledge you need to confidently take charge of your project. The course focuses on each state of the web production process - planning, designing, building and publishing - as well as providing a strategic overview of the options available to project managers.

The course also covers managing client expectations, selecting creative and technical agencies, allocating responsibilities within a web team, dealing with budgets and setting deadlines.

This course can be tailored to your exact requirements if you wish – please call for details.

This course includes the following modules:

Introduction

• The basics of web technology
• How domain names work
• Understanding the difference between browsers
• Understanding plug-ins
• Essential terminology

Simple site technology

• What is mark up?
• Which mark up language to use?
• What are the web standards (W3C compliance)?
• What are Cascading Style Sheets?
• About JavaScript
• Accessibility issues - what you should know

Fundamentals of XHTML

• Semantic formatting in XHTML
• Font limitations
• Using Hexadecimal colour
• Page layout
• Using hyperlinks
• Organising pages and assets
• Working with tables
• Understanding keywords and metadata
• Email functionality

Web graphics

• What are jpeg, Gif and png?
• Optimising graphics for the web
• Inserting images into web pages
• What are image maps?
• What are Gif animations?

Dynamically driven websites

• How websites are linked to databases
• Advantages of dynamic web publishing
• About dynamic web architecture
• Dynamic technology - choices and options

Emerging technologies

• Wireless and handheld devices
• What does XML do?
• Latest trends

Tools of the trade

• What does Dreamweaver actually do?
• Dreamweaver essentials
• The capabilities and limitations of Dreamweaver
• What does Flash actually do?
• When to use Flash and when not to use Flash
• How animations are created
• Interactivity in Flash
• Sound and video - advantages and disadvantages

Project Management issues

• Project tools and methods
• A project process and model for web objects
• Estimating time and costs
• Setting deadlines
• About the Critical Path
• Delivering to deadlines
• Managing budgets
• The different roles and skills within a web production team
• Managing the workflow

Client issues

• Defining client requirements
• Planning the content
• Managing client expectations
• Dealing with a changing brief

Selecting an Agency

• Deciding what you want
• Where to look for a partner
• What agencies worry about
• How to brief prospective agencies
• Setting out a selection process
• Getting the best from agencies

Questions and answers