You're embarking on a new website or app development project. The sales team, consultants, and developers all assure you it's straightforward. But is it? Let's dive in.

There are typically three responses you'll hear:

1. Expertise: "This is simple for us!" - They genuinely understand and are experienced.
2. Overconfidence: "No worries, we got this!" - They lack understanding and experience.
3. Ulterior Motives: "Sign here first!" - Your project is secondary; their primary interest is the contract.

Rarely is the project as simple as the first scenario suggests.

Why am I qualified to discuss this?

I wear multiple hats: Developer, Technical Consultant, and Owner of a Development Company. My experiences range from resurrecting derailed projects to acknowledging when a project is unfeasible.

So, How Tough Is It?

For the right team, it's a walk in the park. For others, it's a challenging maze. Let's explore the journey from concept to completion:

1. Introduction: The client shares their idea with the development team.
2. Consultation: Discussing the feasibility, pros, cons, and potential.
3. Requirement Gathering: A Business Analyst refines the idea into a detailed document.
4. Design: Crafting the visual essence of the project.
5. Architecture: Deciding the foundational tech solutions.
6. Development: Bringing the design to life.
7. Feedback: Demos, changes, and refining based on the client's input.
8. Quality Assurance: Ensuring functionality on all fronts.
9. Deployment: Setting it live on the right servers.
10. Maintenance: Long-term support for ongoing operations.
11. Business Alignment: Ensuring the project fuels business growth.

Most clients focus solely on the sixth point. To achieve success, all 11 stages must align.

Two Primary Approaches to Achieve Success

1. Process-Oriented Approach:

   • Essence: A well-defined series of steps.
   • Prerequisites: Sufficient resources and a managerial overview.
   • Best For: Larger companies with substantial budgets.

   Pros:

   • High success rate due to robustness.
   • Suitable for large clients with hands-off management.

   Cons:

   • Requires vast resources.
   • Expensive, not suitable for startups or small-scale projects.

2. Human-Oriented Approach:

   • Essence: The belief in human capability.
   • Prerequisites: A linchpin individual with multifaceted understanding and expertise.

   Pros:

   • Cost-effective and agile.
   • Streamlined decision-making.

   Cons:

   • Finding the right individual is challenging.
   • Risk is pinned to a single individual.

Finding the Right Individual: They should possess skills, successful project experiences, and have tangible stakes in the project's success or failure.

Final Thoughts:

If you possess the funds and are prepared to spend generously, the Process-Oriented Approach with a penalty clause for non-completion might suit you.

However, if on a budget, select your development partner with caution. The wrong choice could cost more than just money; it can erode trust, time, relationships, and even your self-confidence.