Collaborative Web Development: Strategies and Best Practices for Web Teams

In her introduction to Collaborative Web Development: Strategies and Best Practices for Web Teams, author Jessica Burdman quotes industry leaders as saying, "Web development is crazy." Throughout the remainder of the book, Burdman breaks the process of Web development down to manageable chunks and offers techniques to help you successfully complete Web projects without pulling your hair out.

This isn't a book about development tools or programming languages--it's a user manual to the process of managing site development from conception to completion. The focus is on team development since almost all such projects of any scale involve a diverse collection of professionals. Brief interviews with seasoned team leaders add real-world perspective to the topic.

Burdman provides frameworks for analyzing both the project at hand and the team you have at your disposal. She tackles the process with a discussion of getting the project off the ground in an organized and complete manner. The material here is presented in plain English instead of with the usual heavy emphasis on flowcharts and management theory. She also doesn't stop with the summary of a single project cycle but covers client issues, team communication, and ongoing team cultivation as well. This book may not make all your projects go smoothly, but it will sure help. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered: Project scope definition, cost budgeting, team assembly, content planning, team and client communication, client education, quality assurance and testing, team evolution, and case studies.

Developing an effective and successful presence on the Web is a requirement for all organizations. As the Web has matured, the development and management of sites has become increasingly complex. Today, Web site development requires the close collaboration of diverse professionals such as programmers, interactive designers and engineers, animators, videographers, writers, marketers, and businesspeople--all working within a highly coordinated and structured development process.

Written by a leader in Web development methodologies and processes, Collaborative Web Development brings structure and sanity to what is often an overwhelming and chaotic process. Drawing on the front-line experiences of practicing professionals and numerous real-world case studies, the author will help you get a handle on the issues and challenges you face, with proven strategies for effective coordination among team members and clients, a smooth development process, and a successful end result.

You will find in-depth discussions on crucial topics such as:

• Working with clients to determine the goals and scope of a project
• Pulling together an effective team
• Developing a Web Site Development Cycle that is appropriate for your project
• Planning the project, establishing procedures, and setting a timeline
• Communicating effectively with team members and clients
• Managing the client relationship
• Balancing scope and technical sophistication with cost and time constraints
• Managing large-scale Web sites
• Meeting quality assurance standards for Web projects

So that you can benefit from the experiences of those who have been through the process, this book includes concise interviews with accomplished Web site managers and developers who reveal valuable insights and practical suggestions for successful Web site development.

0201433311B04062001