Websites are never done. Evolving version 1.0 from launch to the next redesign is an unpredictable adventure in problem solving, ingenuity and collaboration wholly distinct from the journey we take when building a site from scratch. Website maintenance is its own discipline.
Some sites need minimal security updates, others need constant attention and care to continue functioning, and many sites groan with technical debt from all the things you didn’t get to when you were building them. Clients also need a guide to help them turn high-level objectives into actionable development.
None of these needs arrive in a steady, predictable stream. This month the site might need 10 hours of work; next month it might need 100.As a developer, how can you make a living with this hurry-up-and-wait workflow? As a website owner, how can you ensure that you’ll have the resources you need when you need them?
This session will cover:
The importance of minimizing technical debt on existing websites.
Seeing maintenance work as an opportunity, instead of a cost.
Structuring maintenance business in a way that makes sense for both vendors and clients.
Case studies showing how incremental improvements can have a disproportionate impact for stakeholders.