Locality 

One key consideration in determining the right web development partner is locality. Whilst there are many benefits to choosing a locally based web development partner, the following considerations are key:

Easier access to ongoing support and maintenance –  Choosing a locally based web development partner offers a significant advantage when it comes to ongoing support and maintenance. With a local partner, you can enjoy easier access to technical assistance and troubleshooting whenever you need it. Whether it's a quick question, an urgent issue, or regular maintenance tasks, having a partner in the same geographic area means you can reach out to them during your business hours, minimizing response times and ensuring swift resolution of any issues. This proximity facilitates clearer communication, fosters a stronger working relationship, and ultimately leads to more efficient and effective support for your website or web application.

Time zone alignment – Time zone alignment is another crucial factor to consider when selecting a web development partner. Opting for a locally based partner means you're likely to share overlapping working hours, which can streamline collaboration and communication throughout the development process. This alignment facilitates real-time discussions, quicker decision-making, and faster progress on your project. It also reduces delays caused by waiting for responses or updates from partners in different time zones. Additionally, similar working hours make it easier to schedule meetings, coordinate project milestones, and maintain a consistent workflow, ultimately contributing to a smoother and more productive development experience.

Community engagement – local developers have a better understanding of the local market, including user preferences locally. 

Established networks within the local industry – local developers will have a wide knowledge of the Perth web development landscape - a depth of understanding that others won’t have. Locally based also means a higher level of networks available for local contacts – for example, if you are looking for a local printer or SEO agency (as a secondary supplier).  Developers who are located out of state or overseas may not have the same level of understanding and access to local networks or contacts as other developers. They may have less knowledge of local competition, such as how other web development companies in the area create similar websites and how to differentiate from them. 

Project Alignment and Discovery

The most crucial step in the web development process is the first step - discovery.  When searching for a web development partner, consider how they begin their project process. Whether you're searching for Perth web development specifically, a small project,  a custom web development solution, or another project type, the importance of discovery cannot be understated. 

After asking questions and planning experiences, your web development partner should then scope out the project in detail.  

Data-driven experiences are crucial, and UX/UI designers must plan your new look to achieve organisational goals. At Dapth, we workshop, prototype, visualise, test and then partner with developers on the plan to make the pictures and mind maps a reality.

Technical Expertise of Team

When selecting a web development partner, it’s important to consider the technical proficiency of the team. For example:

• The programming languages - Ensure that the developers working on your project are well-versed and competent in the programming languages relevant to your project requirements.
• Content management systems –Depending on your type of website project and goals, it’s important to evaluate their experience with popular CMS platforms such as WordPress, Drupal, Kentico, Joomla. It depends on your organisation’s content management needs, so pick accordingly. Consider what the different Content Management Systems are used for, i.e. 
  • WordPress – ease of use, extensive plugins, community support 
  • Kentico – All-in-one solution, scalability, integration capabilities 
  • Umbraco – Microsoft Slack integration, flexibility, user-friendliness 
  • Drupal – customisation, scalability, security 
  • Joomla – ease of use, extensions, community support  
• Security measures – verify knowledge of web security best practices, including measures to protect against common vulnerabilies – such as SQL injection and cross site scripting 
• Integration capabilities – Assess experience with integrating third-party services and APIs, ensuring seamless functionality with external systems 
• Testing and debugging – Inquire about their testing and debugging processes to ensure the delivery of a robust and error free website.

Consistent Project Team 

Another consideration factor is the team's consistency throughout the project life cycle. For example, will you be talking or working with different team members throughout the project, potentially leading to knowledge loss or miscommunication? 

There are various benefits to having a consistent project team throughout, such as: 

• Consistency – Having the same project team throughout its lifecycle results in staff having a clearer understanding and vision from the beginning. It also leads to a more unified approach to processes and decision-making. 
• Efficient communication – Team stability leads to more cohesion and fosters higher quality collaboration and communication. Consistency in the team also leads to increased trust – and team members part of the project from the beginning are more likely to make well-informed decisions. This is because they are familiar with the project context, goals, and constraints. 
• Reduced learning curve – Since project staff don’t need to spend time becoming acquainted with new colleagues and/or processes constantly, this reduces the learning curve required to proceed with the work. It also means knowledge retention about the project itself. 
• Streamlined process –Team members do not need to spend time getting acquainted with new colleagues or processes constantly, allowing for more efficient communication. It also reduces and/or eliminates onboarding time as well. 
• Investment in success – team members part of the project from the beginning are more likely to feel a sense of ownership, and investment in the success of the project. 

Communication and Collaboration

When choosing the appropriate web development partner, communication is key. Seamless communication between parties strongly underscores project success. The style of communication of your web development partner needs to align with your organisation. 

Some key questions to ask include: 

1. Does the style of communication align with your organisation’s? 
2. Are you happy with the way they will address project issues with you? 
3. What is their preferred format of meetings (virtual or face-to-face) and does this align with your organisation? 

Ongoing Support

Websites are not static. They need to be constantly maintained - after the website has gone live, there may be some things not working right, or you may change your mind and wish to modify content or features. 

You may require someone to answer questions or as part of an ongoing support package. An ongoing support package means you have someone on the other end of a phone to help with queries or ongoing issues. They can recommend updates/improvements, analytics and answer general questions about site performance or issues.  Ongoing support from your web development partner is essential, common types of support include:

• Upgrades and new builds 
• Maintenance and bug fixing 
• Security  
• Site optimisation  

The Takeaway

Whether your project is a simple solution or involves custom web development, choosing the right development partner is vital. This process can be likened to a comprehensive website development checklist where careful consideration of key factors is crucial. Our exploration has delved into essential aspects, ensuring that decisions are not only informed but tailored for ultimate project success. 

From emphasising locality and project alignment to stressing the technical proficiency of the team and the importance of a consistency, each principle plays a pivotal role. Communication and collaboration, along with budget transparency and ongoing support, emerge as critical factors for seamless project execution. Our commitment to a tech-agnostic approach, avoiding upfront costs, underscores our dedication to uncovering clients' pain points and delivering tailored solutions within the Perth web development landscape.

At Dapth, we believe in equipping our clients for success through education and transparency. Our post-launch support and maintenance services reflect our reliability and commitment to building lasting relationships. As we continuously transform the way we operate, we digitally unite with our clients, facing the future of digital together. Before embarking on any project, we encourage clients to ask key questions, ensuring a transparent and efficient process from discovery to delivery.  We don’t believe in retainer relationships for day-to-day operations. We’re here to help with additional phases of development, updates, or system monitoring – we’re here to help your business grow.