Website development is a complex process. It takes a specialized team to create high-quality sites with few development delays. If you’re looking to build a professional website development team, there are many things to consider to ensure maximum productivity,
First, it’s worth reading the Idea Maker guide to hiring a developer to know what qualities are required. Otherwise, keep reading to learn how to build a productive web development team.
Key Development Team Roles
Building a productive development team starts with filling the right job roles. Depending on project size, you may not need all of the following team members. Too many developers can lead to miscommunications or frustrating micromanagement, which will stifle workflow.
Project Manager
Depending on the development scale, not all teams will need project managers. For example, it’s not uncommon for specialist developers to take the role of project lead in smaller developments. However, hiring a project manager is essential if your project requires much thorough organization and a large team.
It’s the role of the project manager to develop a robust project plan and timeframe, ensuring development remains on schedule. In other words, project managers are responsible for executing the development process and delivery of the project. They are at the top of the web development team structure.
Frontend Developer
Front-end developers are responsible for building the face of your website. They develop the user interface, and interactive elements users directly engage with when on your site. Typically, the front-end is built using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and comprehensive frameworks such as Vue.
Many front-end developers have additional development skills to ease the process along. For example, first-rate front-end developers will understand graphic design and wireframing. This allows them to streamline the prototyping phase of the development process, reducing the need for additional web designers.
Backend Developer
Your back-end developer is responsible for building and maintaining the technology that powers your website. Their job is to develop the components, databases, and server-side logic that enable your frontend to be deliverable to users. Typically, the backend is built using PHP, SQL, and Python.
Back-end developers work closely with DevOps engineers to maintain server applications and ensure your website runs smoothly. As such, they must understand the complexities of server APIs and technical specifications. It’s not uncommon for backend developers to take on the responsibility of DevOps in smaller teams.
Full-Stack Developer
Full-stack developers work on both the front and back-end of a project. This means they understand client-side development languages, i.e., JavaScript and CSS, as well as server-side technologies such as PHP and Python.
If your business is rapidly growing, adding a full-stack developer to your team is an excellent way to speed up the development process on smaller projects. While your front and back-end developers produce key website elements and functionality, a full-stack developer can work on smaller components that require client and server-side knowledge.
DevOps Engineer
A DevOps engineer is responsible for implementing tools, processes, and methodologies that assist overall project development and close the gap between production and deployment. DevOps may employ methods such as Scrum, whereby developers closely collaborate through regular meetings called ‘Scrums,’ and implement tools best suited to development phases like GitHub and AWS.
DevOps are not strictly necessary for smaller projects as their responsibilities can be carried out by front and back-end developers. However, they are vital in building a productive web development team when working on larger projects.
How To Spot A Quality Web Developer
Once you’ve decided what positions your web development team needs, you should hire your specialists. You can find the best places to hire developers by reading the Idea Maker guide [LINK to Best Review Sites When Hiring an App Developer]. While searching for candidates, there are several factors to consider; they are as follows.
Skills & Qualifications
Each development role requires a different set of skills. As mentioned in the above list, front and back-end developers must be well versed in various programming languages from HTML to SQL. This means you must ensure your developers are adequately qualified, either through education or equivalent experience.
Besides being qualified, developers should show expert skills in their respective fields. This means having a proven track record of high-quality web development projects. It’s okay to hire someone new to the industry – everyone has to start somewhere – but in this instance, it’s worth hiring them on a trial basis.
Portfolio & Experience
An excellent way to identify first-rate developers is by examining their portfolios. This will give you an overview of their quality of work and whether their experience suits your requirements. You should also request links to their previous web development projects so you can actively test quality.
Paying attention to experience doesn’t just mean the quality of web development work; it also means considering length of employment. Websites require regular maintenance, so you need a person willing to commit to the entire project long-term. For example, you wouldn’t want to hire a developer who quits right after project completion.
Additional Expertise
There may be times when you identify gaps in your team’s development process but don’t wish to hire additional team members. Hiring web developers with varied skillsets is an excellent way to fill these gaps, ensuring your team is productive.
For example, your back-end developer should have adequate knowledge of server application maintenance. This means if your DevOps engineer is unavailable, or you’ve decided against hiring one, your back-end developer can pick up the slack where needed.
Things To Consider
Did you know that 86% of developers work remotely? Unless you’ve decided to hire in-house developers, which is increasingly rare thanks to COVID-19, there are still several factors to consider before building your web development team.
Time Zones
Thanks to remote working, it’s possible to build a team of developers across the globe. In doing so, you must be careful of how you position yourself as a development team, as there are many perils of offshore development. However, creating a diverse group of international experts is an excellent choice for productivity.
If you hire international team members, you can theoretically have developers working round the clock depending on time zones. However, your team’s working days must overlap at some point to allow for regular communication and feedback. One solution is to hire remote developers in the same country or time zones.
Communication Channels
Setting up clear communication channels between remote team members is vital for cohesive development. At Idea Maker, we use multiple channels, such as RocketChat, the Google workspace suite that enables real-time collaboration, and Google Hangouts.
Without effective communication, you risk project mismanagement. For example, the web development process will become disorganized if your project managers cannot convey instructions to team members. Similarly, if the front and back-end developers are unable to liaise, your website’s technologies may be poorly integrated.
Effective Task Management
Managing project progress is challenging without being there to discuss tasks in person. At Idea Maker, we use ClickUp to solve this issue. ClickUp is a task management software that allows managers to assign team members work and track their progress through custom organization options.
ClickUp, or similar software, is vital to hold your developers to account and keep your web development project on track. Without it, you risk your communication channels breaking down and delaying important development components.
How To Keep Your Development Team Motivated
Now you understand how to build a web development team primed for productivity, but that’s only half the challenge. Once you’ve hired an expert team, you must work to keep them motivated—here are several ways to do so.
Set Clear Goals
Setting goals over a defined timeframe for your team to work towards helps guide and focus their efforts. This allows their workflow to build momentum and a sense of accomplishment beyond a paycheck. If your team is receptive to goals, regularly setting small, achievable aims in an excellent way to maintain motivation.
Listen To Their Ideas
No one likes to go unheard, especially hardworking team members with valuable experience. Studies show that keeping your team happy increases productivity levels by 13%. Listening to your developer’s ideas will make them feel valued, respected, and happy.
Flexible Work Hours
Flexible working hours allow team members to work when they see fit, within reason, allowing for a better work/life balance. Study’s have shown that this reduces absenteeism and increases productivity. If you hire a remote development team, consider giving them the freedom to work on a schedule that suits them best.
Summary
After reading this article, you should now be able to build a productive web development team. This article covered many essential factors.
- Key development team roles
- How to spot a quality web developer
- Additional issues to consider
- How to keep your development team motivated
Outsource Developers with Idea Maker
If you want to build a high-quality website but find the recruitment process daunting, consider outsourcing your project to Idea Maker. We have a professional team of web development experts ready to build your website.
Schedule a free consultation with Idea Maker today to learn more about our web development options.
