13 topics on WordPress projects at the WP Bangkok Meetup

This month's WordPress Bangkok Meetup in May 2024 is sponsored and hosted at Cleverse. Normally, the Meetup happens once a month. Before the Meetup event, there will be introductions for members to get to know each other. There will also be a Jobboard session for those who want to post a job and find a job too

This Meetup will be a discussion and exchange about the project workflow processes, from start to finish. The topics will be divided into a total of 13 subjects.

This Meetup will be a discussion, exchange, and sharing of experiences with each other. There will be many participants providing diverse and differing viewpoints. Therefore, it will be divided into various subtopics in order to summarize the opinions of each individual.

Gathering requirements and discussing budgets.

• The first main group is to inquire about the objectives and desired functionality for the website by using a set of questions or a checklist. For example, is it a corporate website, an e-commerce site, does it require a payment gateway system, etc. This also includes determining the project delivery date, which will impact the pricing.
• The requirements can be divided into 3 main groups, which are:
  • Functional requirements refer to the specifications regarding the desired features and functionality that need to be included.
  • Non-functional requirements refer to specifications not directly related to functionality, such as performance requirements.
  • Technical requirements refer to specifications related to technical aspects, such as whether specific security standards need to be implemented.
• Sometimes customers may not have knowledge in this area. We need to be the ones to gather additional requirements. Common examples of requirements are accessibility features for people with disabilities. These requirements will be translated into features to evaluate pricing.
• Some customers will inquire about initial pricing from multiple sources before deciding to hire someone. However, there are also customers who have no knowledge about pricing at all. In such cases, we can present an analogy to help them understand - creating a website is like hiring an employee where you have to pay a salary. This can give the customer a general idea of the approximate cost range involved.

Collecting requirements to translate into UI/UX.

• A simple approach is to initially create a basic sitemap diagram showing the different components and sections the customer wants on the website. This provides a clear overall visual picture. You can also ask the customer to specify the main color palette they want to use, and have them select sample images from a site like Freepik to identify their preferred color tones and styles.
• Having discussions to understand the specific problems or pain points the customer is facing, then translating those into desired user experience (UX) solutions is very valuable. Referencing other websites the customer likes can also help clearly illustrate the direction and experience they want to achieve with their own site. Getting that clear vision aligned upfront is crucial.
• Request that the customer prepares examples of existing websites in the market that they like, then explain to them the level of difficulty and maintenance required for each feature. Sometimes technical debt may occur. This helps the customer understand and decide what they truly want.
• The phrase 'Do whatever you want, even the dumbest person can use it' is from a plugin developer who works on the backend control. It should be made as easy to use as possible, or admins should be able to use it without having to read any manuals.
• We present sample websites of competitors along with notable features. If the client is interested, we can customize them to fit the client's brand. If the client wants to remove certain features, we will inquire about the reasons, whether to save costs now or to avoid higher expenses in the future.
• Customers need to know the target age group of their customers so that the UI/UX design can be tailored to fit that age group.

Contract creation.

The process of contract-making is generally divided into two main types: freelancers and organizations.

• For freelancers, a proposal document is often used as a contract. It specifies details such as features, maintenance, and other aspects since they have relatively little negotiation power.
• For organizations, a detailed contract is necessary, including a Scope of Work (SOW). This SOW may be transformed into a Terms of Reference (TOR). The contract may need to specify the source of images to avoid copyright issues, as well as new clauses such as obtaining the client's permission to use logos and images in portfolios for marketing purposes.

In addition, the contract should specify the maintenance period, the number of allowable revisions, and the client's obligation to provide feedback within the specified timeframe. This is necessary for project managers to accurately schedule tasks. Once the client signs the contract, it signifies acknowledgment of all terms. Any conditions beneficial to the client should also be included. Additionally, other related documents such as Purchase Orders (PO), Invoices, and Quotations should be considered. For those unfamiliar with these processes, tools like Flowaccount can assist in management.

Certain aspects of the contract are defined, such as the response and resolution timeframes for addressing issues. In the event of problems, the response time and resolution time are specified in minutes. For those working with international clients, Agile Contract methodology may be employed. Compensation is calculated based on the number of Man-days, which is assessed according to project size and feature list, allowing flexibility to accommodate varying requirements.

Development workflow.

• Normally, Git Actions are used to automatically upload files via FTP to the server upon commit. However, when working locally, LocalWP is used as the local server.
• WordPress has just launched a new local server called Studio, which allows you to upload demo sites directly to wordpress.com. Additionally, it provides domains for up to 5 sites. Check this out
• When using runcloud.io and connecting it with GitHub, if there are multiple developers, each should create separate branches. Additionally, configure staging for each person to test on separate servers. Ensure to utilize .gitignore to prevent file conflicts. However, database management still needs to be handled manually.
• If using Gutenberg, it's advisable to create separate components first and then integrate them later.

Setting directions and choosing tools, plugins, and themes for development.

• When selecting plugins or themes, the client's budget is a crucial consideration. For clients with a budget ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 baht, it's suitable to propose using pre-built themes from Themeforest and customize them to fit the company's brand and tone. However, if the client's budget increases to nearly six figures or beyond, custom theme development becomes a better option, especially for complex websites like e-commerce or applications. The price will adjust accordingly to fit the requirements. Additionally, the delivery timeline and the technologies used are also significant factors that affect the price.
• Testing and finding plugins or themes that meet the client's needs and are popular in the market is crucial. Additionally, testing the limitations of plugins and themes is important. Always remember to create Child Themes to prevent customization loss if the main theme is updated.
• Choosing a popular theme in the market or developing a custom theme can help reduce unnecessary loading for websites.

Using AI to assist with the work.

• Using AI to address errors by creating prompts before usage has proven effective in resolving some issues.
• Using AI to present work to clients, utilizing Copilot Image Creator to generate images, helps clients visualize preliminary work.
• Previously, ChatGPT was used, but now GitHub's Co-pilot is utilized, which can predict the next code to be typed or write descriptions of functions, with the AI generating code within those functions. Additionally, Co-pilot Workspace can read Pull Requests and generate code as well.
• Content Aware Image Resize is an algorithm that can resize images in real-time according to the size of the screen.
• If the client doesn't have any ideas, they can describe or narrate what they want, and AI can assist in finding out the client's actual needs.
• Black Box is a Visual Studio Code plugin that automatically generates code skeletons. Afterwards, you can proceed to design the details inside.
• For UI/UX, you can input all requirements into AI for processing and have it convert them into a Site Map. Sometimes, the results may surprise or come from unexpected angles.

Adding extra value to stand out.

• For freelance content writers, strategizing and assisting in social media promotion can add value to themselves.
• Understanding the client's objectives and level of knowledge beforehand allows for the delivery of various reports regarding website activities to the client. This helps them understand the strengths and weaknesses of the website, maintaining a good long-term relationship with the client.
• Recommendations for basic SEO practices for websites, what should be done
• Inquire about the website traffic volume and conduct tests to see if the server can handle it, to inform clients that the current hosting may not be sufficient

Project start date and delivery of client assets.

• Set a date and time for the first installment payment and request cooperation from the client. If the client provides prompt feedback, it will result in completing the work on time. However, if unable to adhere to the schedule, it is necessary to explain the reasons to the client.
• Another approach is to not wait for the first installment payment. Once the client signs the contract, work can commence immediately. In cases where the client may not understand the workflow, it's necessary to explain that missing even just one day of meetings can impact the entire project. This is because the company has reserved both designers and web developers. However, if the logo or other graphics are not ready, work can start with layout and color schemes. The most common issue encountered is with content, especially for small businesses. The solution is to use Google Sheets to provide clients with a rough idea of the layout.

Post-delivery services and quality guarantees.

• The WordPress platform itself undergoes frequent changes. If there is a major breaking change that leads to errors, it can result in additional expenses.
• The warranty period depends on the project value. If the value is not very high, the warranty may be up to 3 months, but for higher values, it could extend up to 6 months to 1 year. The service includes data backup, and the frequency of backups depends on how often the customer updates their data. If data changes daily, backups must be done daily, separating file and database backups. Once backed up, they will be uploaded to Google Drive for safekeeping in case of hacking or viruses. Clarity is used to track customer behavior, which can be integrated with Google Analytics to display results on a dashboard.
• We provide performance data on SEO efforts to our clients.

Communication within the team (PO, UI/UX, Dev, Customer).

• The workflow depends on the project management approach. For the Waterfall model, it typically starts with meetings with the designers before weekly meetings with developers. However, for Agile, the team needs to closely collaborate, often on a daily basis, to adapt to the situation.
• It's advisable to separate personal and work accounts, especially on mobile devices. For example, Android users can keep a separate Line account for work-related communication apart from their personal account.
• One crucial aspect not to overlook is recording minutes of every meeting (logs) to serve as evidence and enhance efficiency in operations.

Documenting the project.

• For every project conclusion, documentation is essential each time. Some clients might already be familiar, allowing us to streamline the WordPress usage process and focus more on the customized aspects.
• For those who dislike documentation, online training can be an alternative. By recording videos and sending them to the client, we can avoid extensive documentation. Before training, it's necessary to create PowerPoint presentations for each topic to be covered.
• You can use Flow account for financial documentation and ClickUp for project management, covering all aspects of your projects.
• You can use Action items to assign tasks by writing the names of the individuals responsible for those tasks using tools like Google Doc or Google Slide. Then, you can translate them into Jira or ClickUp for task management.

Frequency of project progress reporting.

The progress report will be regularly provided every week via Line, informing the client even if they are not available. This will adhere to the agreed-upon timeline as the primary reference. Whenever a step is completed, such as design work or starting system development, an immediate report and meeting appointment with the client will be scheduled.

During the initial phase of the project, it's crucial to assess whether the waiting time for feedback from the client is appropriate. Slow client responses can delay project progress. Therefore, it's essential to record meeting notes every time there's a meeting to ensure transparency and accountability.

For notifications, both to clients and internal team members, we'll use email. As for managing technical queries, we'll utilize a Line Official Account to gather all personnel from various positions into one group. This setup allows everyone to assist in answering questions whenever needed.

Project delivery, training, creating manuals, client system testing, and collecting the final payment.

• Testing with oneself first (White Box), then forwarding it to managers and actual users for testing (Black Box), followed by the QA (Quality Assurance) process. Sometimes external individuals may be involved in testing to reduce bias.
• Before delivering the system to the client, it's essential to assess whether the client has an IT team. If the client is unable to test the system themselves, training sessions will be organized beforehand. Then, user manuals will be created, and the client will test the system according to the steps outlined in the manual. Efforts will be made to allocate time for the client to test the system at least 1-2 weeks before delivery.

If anyone is interested in joining a Meetup in the future, you can follow updates and information at Meetup.com or if you'd like to join the community, you can do so at the group Facebook Group ครับ

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