How long does it take to build a website?
Ask any web developer how long it takes to design, build and launch a website and you’ll likely get the same response: it depends.
That being said, we can answer the question of how long to build a website by giving an estimate. A website can be built and launched in a timescale between 2 weeks and 3 months. Only very small or very large projects sit either side of these timescales.
What factors might impact how long it takes to design a website?
To understand how long it will take to design a website is to answer the following questions:
- By what date do you need the website to be launched?
- What level of functionality is required?
- How much content needs to be produced or migrated across from the current website?
- How big is the delivery team, and how much time can they dedicate to the website project?
- Are there any internal politics or bureaucracy to overcome?
The final point is worth taking special note of. The success of a charity web design project depends largely on the team at both the provider and charity side. All companies experience office politics, as individuals and teams attempt to pull the project in their own direction. This is fine, and expected, and should be managed carefully to ensure the project is satisfying the needs of all sides of the organisation.
What can be done to speed up the delivery of a web design project?
How long it takes to build a website is determined by a number of factors which can be mitigated by the following actions:
- Clear and constant communication between provider and client
- A quick delivery of necessary information (domain login details, website content etc)
- Following a tried and tested development process
- Management of expectations (and egos!) on all sides of the project
- A shared goal in mind from the start of the project
Ultimately, the website development time depends on the client and provider working together through an agreed process toward a shared goal. Any potential problems should be picked up and discussed at the earliest opportunity in order to avoid turning into blockers, so good communication is key.