Risks associated with the creation of a life sciences Web site
The completion of dozens of life science Web sites during the last few years has enabled LSW to identify the principal errors which can occur in this kind of mandate. Herewith is our prize list of the five principal “traps” to avoid:
1. Drafting of texts
The majority of specialists agree in saying that on the Web, “content is king”. This assertion holds true particularly for the life sciences industry where visitors consult a Web site with the sole intention of finding information.
However, it frequently arises that content is neglected during the development process which in turn causes some important issues to arise:
- Long and complex texts which dilute the principal message and decreases the visitors’ interest.
- Delay in text production which ultimately delays the project launch date.
- Numerous last minute modifications, which entails additional costs and extra time without necessarily improving general quality of the content.
To avoid these problems, we always advise our clients to create a first draft of the text (or at least a writing plan) very early on in the project. There are three key benefits to proceeding this way:
- Structure of the information on the Web pages will be much more effective if the developer can work with ‘real’ text right from the start rather than placeholder text.
- Drafting of the text by our clients constitutes a key task during the Web site development mandate. By doing so quickly and efficiently, our clients decrease the risks of delay in launching the Web site.
- Having a first version of the texts at the beginning of the mandate enables us to quickly identify key words that will be used to promote the Web site on search engines. This will enable us to maximize visibility of the site right from the beginning.
Once the first version of the texts is completed, we suggest having one or two working sessions with a Web writing specialist. This will ensure that the content is properly adapted for the Web and that the key messages are well understood.
2. Management team involvement
The majority of life sciences Web sites put forth content about several sectors within their companies such as investor relations, research and development, marketing, human resources, etc.
Unfortunately, most companies delegate to one person from one sector, the entire responsibility of coordinating the whole Web site project. In the end, it means that some important content is neglected so visitors are getting an incomplete message.
To avoid this kind of situation, we always make two key recommendations to our clients:
- Ensure that a leader from each sector takes part in the five most important meetings during the development process of the Web site (defining objectives, content drafting, information organization, design and search engine promotion strategy).
- Ensure that the leaders of each sector are able to follow the evolution of work throughout the mandate. For this purpose, we advise our clients to use the Basecamp project management application. It is simple, concise and easy to use.
3. Creation of a corporate image on the Web
The design of mock-ups is the responsibility of the Web agency. However, the client and particularly the management team play an important role at this stage by indicating preferences and instructions that the graphic designer will have to work from.
By working this way, it ensures that the company image on the Web reflects their vision as well. Therefore, expensive modifications won’t have to be carried out once the structure is approved. For example, the management team signs off on the Web design prior to the structure being programmed.
It is also important to mention that the graphic creation process is generally iterative. Therefore, it is important to consider perhaps a few rounds of modifications before becoming final.
4. Comprehension of the technological implications of the Web
Our objective is never to make an IT expert out of our clients. However, out of all the promotional supports available today such as paper and electronic media, the Web is undoubtedly that where the technological aspects have the biggest impact on the communications strategy.
In this context, it is important at certain stages of the mandate to carefully explain the technological implications based on the various decisions that will be made. Contrary to this, the main risk is seeing a distortion between the operation of the site and the intended goal.
5. Respect of deadline for approvals
The Web site development deadline being relatively tight, it is essential that approvals are reached within the intended timeframe. Since the development of the Web site is done in stages, a delay in the approval of a deliverable may incur a delay of the entire project.
In addition, when modifications are called for, it is important to make the request a few days before the approval date. That leaves sufficient time for the developer to carry out the requested changes and will grant our clients suitable time to approve the modifications.