continuing with baby steps.
it's slow going right now because i have been spending quite a lot of time on the photo updates. i cannot wait to finish those, but i'm also happy to move slowly into this. it's an ambitious project and i don't want to rush it. i'd prefer to do it write.
anyway, today i started scribbling a lot in my small notebook - mostly putting down concretely what the design of the website will be. i realize that ultimately that has little to do with what the actual business will be, but it's a necessary thing.
and i scribbled a lot today. i'm beginning to code my language, as well. for example, some of the most frequent topics that will come up with respect to design are the three different types of pages that will make up the vast majority of the site. by coding, i have labeled them the fairly innocuous and vague Type A Page, Type B Page and Type C Page. the nice thing about this is that they will also correspond with the search function on the page. i also redefined some words so, for example, the word "AREA" now has a specific meaning in the context of the design of the page.
alas, i'm saying too much already. other questions that have popped up today are the staffing and how it will be organized and how i will incorporate user/customer interaction. almost all successful websites now have some form of direct user interaction if not contribution. so how will i do that? that's something to think about. it could be something as banal as comments or a forum, or it could be content contribution a la wikipedia.
i found a website that does something similar but which will not be direct competition and i have sent out an e-mail to them with basic website questions. i wonder if they'll answer, since i told them i want to start up a website that does not directly compete with them. hmm... we'll see.
my film industry contacts have yet to get back to me regarding the database of locations. the answer to this question could fundamentally alter my planning. i hope they answer sooner rather than later.
Posted by iain at September 15, 2005 04:38 PMIf you are going to hire a web designer, why are you worrying about details they should be taking care of? Like user interaction.
Start big, rough out the overall idea. Then work on the details. Stick to one piece at a time or you will be over whelmed. Make a list of things that have to be addressed to get the business up and going (ie do you need office space, what equipment, how is revenue generated, phone lines, sounds like you might need server space, who your market is (this will be really important when trying to obtain financing) and why they will want your product, etc.). Then a list of things that need to be addressed to make it succesful and keep it running (such as staff, bookkeeping (which is part of what I do!)what happens when you go on vacation, etc.).
The example business plans I've seen aren't so great (they are microsoft generated templates).
Don't get bogged down by the tiny details just yet and feel free to tell me to shut up at anytime. ;)
oh, i am thinking big. and user interaction needs to be a part of the website and a big part of it. i'm not thinking about the particulars of the design - as in where in the coding will this go or how do i code this or how will this database interact with the other. as you say, it's not my job.
i'm more concerned about the grand scheme of things user interaction, if that makes sense.
okay, it's way too late here. i figured something like this might happen, that's why tomorrow will be a day off, i think.
Posted by: iain at September 16, 2005 02:33 AM