How to Make Your Webkit Process Easier
- Ditch “design by committee.” As tempting as it is to have a team of some sort, in our experience, this almost always leads to either delays and/or disasters. You can never make everyone happy! Feel free to gather your staff’s input prior to your first phone call with Laura, but we strongly recommend that only 1-2 (maybe 3) people from your library should be involved in the actual Zoom conference. Because it is difficult to please everyone, typical Web Kit projects that are managed by committees tend not to only run longer, but can be more expensive because of constant revisions. To save your library time and money, designate 1-2 people to be in charge of the process and who can step in to make a decision as needed.
- Remind your staff/board who the site is for. In our experience, library staff or board members don't always recognize that the primary (and only) audience for a public website is the public! Attempts to include resources specifically for the reference desk or to organize content just so it’s easier for the staff will generally be opposed by OPLIN. Remind your staff, when seeking input, that patrons not only come first, but are the entire audience for your new site.
- Filter the input from your staff. If you are collecting suggestions from your staff, please filter the list (or have your designated liaison/leader do so) to just those things that are things you would actually consider. For example, if a staff person suggests that the site should primarily be orange and the library’s branding scheme is primarily blue, remove this from the list. It will save a great deal of time for everyone involved.
- Changes to an approved site architecture will cost money. The site architecture is typically the first step in planning your new Webkit. Once your library has signed off on that, any changes will incur additional charges, at the custom work rate. This is why it is important to make sure you're happy with the architecture, before you sign it.
- Understand that part of OPLIN’s job is to educate. We focus strongly on current best practices in usability and accessibility, as well as site navigation and site design. If we veto something, we’ll always explain WHY and often provide you with third-party resources where you can learn more about current standards.