So, you have secured a line item in the church budget for “Website Improvements,” now where do you begin? As project manager, you must first determine the scope of the project. Are you simply in need of a visual update or do you need improved functionality? Identifying a web developer and/or web designer who can best meet the needs of your project is your next step. Everyone must be speaking the same language or the project will quickly get out of hand and off schedule.

It’s time for a spreadsheet. Borrowing the following corporate business model will save you many hours of frustration. Your spreadsheet should have a column for each type of requirement (business, functional, system, testing); the requesting party (person’s name); department (committee or division)’ color-coded with priority rating (high, medium, low); and an area for comments. This spreadsheet will become your project checklist until you go live with a new site.

Define Business Requirements (BR)

BRs are broad statements that define the strategic intent of the project, what the project is attempting to accomplish, and what the expected outcome of the project is from a business perspective. You should not have more than 10 BRs, and you will begin each statement with “The capability to ....” (For example, “The capability to build a new site that attracts our target audience.”)

Define Functional Requirements (FR).

FRs are detailed statements that specify the product features and abilities that users must have to support the BRs including what is expected to be done, to what level and what is required. It’s not uncommon to have more than 100 FRs for a large project. Ask fellow church staff and committee members to provide FRs based on their expectations for the site. Map each FR to a BR. FRs should begin with “The ability to ....” (For example, the ability to navigate to categories within two clicks from the home page.)

Define System Requirements (SR).

SRs are created by the web developer should address the points of automation, assigning each FR to a system, clearly stating what the application will do to fulfill the FR. SRs should be written in understandable terms, avoiding vague or technical language. SRs should map to an FR and specify details that clearly state what must be supported.

Define Testing Requirements (TR).

TRs determine useful information based on the observation of test subjects. There are many types of testing including focus groups, consisting of five to eight people reacting to ideas and designs; usability testing, obtained by recording reactions of one person at a time; comparable site testing, done by identifying other sites similar in organization, features and style. It’s important to test early and often, before site structure and functionality are costly to change. Conduct small tests during project, debrief, fix and retest.

Ineffective testing can make or break your project. When conducting comparable site testing, choose sites that include elements of design that you are considering. For instance, if you are interested in the effectiveness of a specific navigation style, ask the test users to find sub-pages that require them to actively seek methods of navigation and gauge the ease of use. Do the same to test content headings, registrations, buttons and style. Watch body language in test candidates, specifically eye movement. Where do they look first? Are their eyes lingering in certain areas? Where are they experiencing frustration? Do they use the scrollbar? Does color or animation affect level of interest?

Requirements should be concise, necessary, feasible and testable. The most common mistake in the process of improving a website is the failure to define clear and concise expectations, which causes what is known as scope creep, or exceeding the expectation of what was originally agreed upon. Scope creep quickly leads to frustrated developers and designers, and a project that is guaranteed to go beyond the deadline. Review the requirements with all parties involved before work begins. Determine early on who is responsible for what task and in what timeframe. Accountability is crucial. Using a spreadsheet with clearly defined tasks, goals and expectations will undoubtedly lead to a successful implementation of your web project.

Carol Johnson serves as director of communications for Lee’s Summit United Methodist Church, a 2,800-member church in Lee’s Summit, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City. Her position includes the development of the church’s marketing plan, serving as print and web manager, editor of the quarterly newsletter, and liaison for public/media relations. More than 20 years of experience in marketing and journalism led to the incorporation of her printing company, Emerald Printing & Design Inc., five years ago. She is also a freelance copy editor, proofreader and communications consultant.