Plan  23 

Resolve the success criteria 

It s important at the beginning of a Web project to resolve the site s success criteria. The 

Site Coordinator should talk with the Decision-Maker to answer the question,  What will 

make it a successful site?  

For example, an association might have these success criteria for its Web site: 

Serve as the prime means of communication with members 

Enable members to register for events online 

Be easy to update by in-house staff 

When the success criteria are resolved, they should be written down, along with the 

audience and purpose. Then the Site Coordinator should have the decision-maker sign 

and approve this document.   

Tip: Document all approvals 

Putting a site s audience, purpose, and success criteria down on paper with the decision-

maker s signature helps avoid the wasted effort that comes from mid-project changes. If a 

fundamental change is suggested during the site s construction, the Site Coordinator can 

point to what was approved to get work back on track.  

 Document approvals throughout the site-building process. Have the decision-maker 

literally  sign-off  on approved material to provide tangible proof. 

The pros depend on documentation 

 We document everything we do with a client. Before we do any work, we write a 

detailed work order and have the client sign it. Then we get their signature on 

designs and mock-ups at several different points during a project. Getting signatures 

keeps everybody happy and on the same page.  

Catherine Shaw, Web Project Manager, Mediastudio 

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