Questions related to Web development are answered in this article were asked by someone on our facebook page and the questions look answerable and valuable for web development beginners. So I am writing all these without any research and I am just including my personal point of view and experiences and mostly that is my best method. I hope it will be helpful for you too.
These answers can be helpful to market, promote, manage your website development/design services. It will also help to answer questions of the client on freelancing websites. These are also helpful to get ideas about writing cover letters related to web development. And if someone wants to learn, or want to build own website by own, then it’s also good.
1. What things do I need to do before starting/creating a website?
Ans: Before creating a website you need an idea, plans, budget, work time, finishing or exit plan. And most importantly the purpose of the website or app. If you know such answers, it will help you to choose the best web development skills/tools, programming languages, frameworks, project time & budget, and team.
Let’s learn these in an example:
- If you’re a freelance web developer or running a small web development agency then you need to create a website for a client. In this case, what you need do before creating it.
- Purpose of website or purpose of client
- Budget
- Duration (project completion time)
- Support number/chat if needed.
- Sample
- A complete website from scratch or existed project.
- Etc.
Now set your prices based on the value of your time and web technology accordingly.
In more details:
- You need complete information and understanding of what clients want from you. Such as what they want to showcase to the world? What are their products/Services? Who are the target customers of the client? How bigger is the future plan of the client? Can they provide you all the data such as images, content, logo, etc. or do they want a complete website from scratch to include basic SEO?
Do they know anything about web development/design/websites etc? Do they know about hosting/domain/renewal and maintenance cost etc?
And You can also ask for samples so that you got an idea of what kind of taste they are looking for. And don’t forget the budget.
etc.
You need to discuss and communicate with the client. You need to understand everything from the client and their behavior as well as the way of communication. So that you can create your plan of execution for the development of a website for the client.
And if you can’t communicate that much. Then ask simply Why do you want to create a website? While 90% of times clients will tell you that they want a website for their JIM or Homestay and they want like this.
Now, in the end, you need to understand and plan how you’re going to create it.
Now, this is the 1st part that I mostly used before creating any website for the client. And I discuss all things before starting any project.
It will help to build long-term dealings and relationships with clients. The better we know about the client and their expectations the faster and accurately we can help them. And in return, we not only get money but also get various projects from reference.
Things to remember:
- You need to communicate less and listen more. The more you listen when clients talk, the better you can plan the product and services for them.
- Make sure your communication can not confuse the client while discussing.
- Each client is different, so don’t be too smart or too low.
If you’re a self-employed/student/freelancer but creating a website for your own then there’s not much different, think yourself like you’re a client of yourself.
If you’re a self-employed/student/freelancer and want to create a website for your own business, product/services/ etc. then it’s not that much different. But the following things can be helpful?
Why do you want to create the website? Write this answer as short as in one line. For example, you want to create a website to market your own web development services.
How much time you will dedicate to creating it. If web development is your main work, then do it as fast as you can. So that you can showcase your work to other clients.
Budget? How much I can spend and important it to spend. And in which thing I need to spend. Such as on theme, domain, hosting, social media marketing, SEO. or you do it all on your own.
2. Which one do you prefer: teamwork or alone? Why?
Ans: The answer is based on many conditions:
- If I don’t have money to pay for the team or if they don’t want to work on the project or if the team is not able to do it or I don’t have any team or support then I do it by myself whatever it is. It becomes tough but that’s the option.
- If I have a team or I am the team leader, then I delegate almost everything related to the web development project. And provide support when the team finds any difficulty or bug. But in that case, I am training how to solve it so that next time, they don’t need me.
- But if I am working with other clients or other web development teams from any country then I do whatever is delegated to me, I do that on my own or sometimes with the team.
- I prefer teamwork, but I can’t compromise on the quality that clients want or I won’t. It takes time. But that’s the condition that I discuss while taking or working on any project.
- If there is no option then I am the only option. And If really need this work to be done or it’s helpful for me to work hard on this, then I dedicate myself to doing it as fast as possible.
- But sometimes the client wants quick results, and If I am not able to do it on my own or by the team no matter how hard we tried, then I outsource or tell the client about the next possible solution to get things done.
- I know I don’t know everything. So I am always open to learning and outsourcing if I have a budget.
3. How long does it take to create a webpage? What things need to be considered with this?
Ans: Duration to create 1 web page depends on many things:
If you mean 1 webpage as a page of the website then:
In WordPress:
- In wordpress by using a premium wordpress theme, you upload the demo/import demo content. It means to set up a wordpress theme with demo content it takes 30 min to 1 hour also depends on the internet speed and size of demo content.
- Then it takes a min. 1 hour to replace the demo content from 1 page.
- Else you can create a blank web page in wordpress or by just copying and pasting written content or code in less than 1 minute.
By using Bootstrap: duration depends on:
- What you need to copy and paste and where. It takes a min. 1 min to figure out.
- It takes a min. 1 hour for the basic website to create and add content with proper alignment of code.
- For example: If you’re creating an about us page, then can there be 3 sections such as 1 section for about the agency or company, a 2nd section for the team, 3rd a section for testimonial or portfolio. To do all these it takes a min. 3 hours for me. But it’s also possible to do it within 1 hour.
- Another example: if you need to create drop-down menu, you need to copy and paste similar content <button class=”navbar-toggler” type=”button” data-toggle=”collapse” data-target=”#navbarTogglerDemo01″ aria-controls=”navbarTogglerDemo01″ aria-expanded=”false” aria-label=”Toggle navigation”><span class=”navbar-toggler-icon”></span></button>
- Self Code: In this case, the duration to create a webpage depends on many things: Self Code means you’re going to input each instruction to the browser or internet or server by typing programming language syntax manually without even copying and pasting. But I don’t think there is any web developer who is not copying and pasting. Copy and Paste is not a bad thing in Web Development when things are available to use such as bootstrap, CSS code. But what is important to know is what to copy and where to paste. Even the early developers also copied their own written code to faster the web development process.
- Typing speed is an essential basic computer skill.
- The selection of tools/programming languages/computer system/internet connection.
Most meaningful answer to consider while mapping the duration to create a webpage:
Duration also varies on skills and the frequency of eyes or bandwidth of the brain and the urgency. Every web developer is unique and has his own philosophy.
4. How does having a website benefit your business?
Ans: The website helped me to connect with many students around the world without spending any money on marketing. Such as blog readers on my website 100000+ and it was my goal that I have achieved after 4+ years.
Blogging on the website helped me to train and build technical and leadership skills in students around the world without spending any money on infrastructure and without changing physical location.
Another Website helped me to get freelancing projects and web development, clients. And another website helped me to automate my digital marketing services.
Following articles will be helpful in this case:
Importance of having a Responsive Web Design for your Website
How Website Achieves Your Business Goals Faster
5. Which type of web page developer tool do you prefer? Why?
Ans: Currently, I am using sublime text 3 for coding and it’s very light and easy. Atom is also but a little heavy. Bootstrap if I need pre-designed templates such as navigation, header, buttons, forms and CSS, HTML. WordPress if a client wants to use a content marketing strategy and wants to manage/update the content on the website on their own, without paying to a web design agency. Affinity Designer for logo design/template design. Before that, I was using Adobe Photoshop. Developer.mozilla.org for web development documentation (HTML/CSS/JAVA syntax and functional uses) and learning. I am comfortable with all these tools. There is no shortage of tools and methods on the web such as GitHub, Stack Overflow and many others. I will add more to this list in the future as I still need to experience many things.
6. Have you ever made mistakes while creating a website? How did you react to those mistakes?
Ans: Yes, I have made 100+ mistakes on the first website and it was that first website taken me 6+ months to complete. I was creating a website for my own business.
I am still doing many mistakes when building websites for clients. But I am learning and improving my skills. And I have no regret to be mistaken and I am proud that I am learning to improve my skills other than for perfection. It’s costly to make mistakes while you’re in business, but it’s the best option when there is no option.
Related: Different Ways to build any type of Website
7. How were these mistakes rectified?
Ans: I have learned from the internet, blogs, videos, and online courses. If you create something on your own, and later you find that there is another way to do it. Then I move to that solution and add in my web development process if it’s better than my current solution. How were these mistakes rectified?
But mistakes are part of the business. And without mistakes, you can’t move. But remember, the world around you is always targeting you to find your mistakes or prove you wrong. You have to stand for what you believe and what’s not.
8. What programming languages, tools, and frameworks are you most familiar with?
Ans: I am familiar with sublime text 3, HTML, CSS, WordPress, bootstrap, and trying to get familiar with JavaScript, Python, Django.
So that’s it friends, what I know so far about web development/design. I am still learning. And if you’re a more experienced developer or just a beginner and want to share your experiences and answers to the same questions, then feel free to comment below. Your answers can be helpful for many other people.
If you have questions then please message me or ask in the comments.