Website Design, Search Engine Optimization

13.58

How To Hire A Developer http://www.tonicarr.com/blog/how-to-hire-a-developer-wordcamp-sf/ (like me!!) #wcsf presentation by Andrew Riddles

14.45

Steve Zehngut #wcsf @zengy How to Hire and Manage Developers

14.46

@zengy leads the Orange County WordPress Meetup #wcsf

14.47

What went wrong dealing with web devs #wcsf.

• Money
• quality of code
• took to long
• communication
• cultural differences in other countries

14.52

Interview the Developer what questions to ask:

• what is your hourly rate,
• how will I be billed, maintenance,
• what is a typical project budget for your firm,
• where does my project rank,
• will it be delivered on time,
• what happens when something goes wrong,
• what is turn around time,
• bug reporting bug fixes,
• project management do you use,
• day to day contact,
• what version control system do you use.

I am more interested in how they answer the questions not what the answers are. How confident. Look for body language.

Ok to interview many developers. You are entering into a long term relationship

If they aren’t cutting it – find another developer.

14.53

“bad planning on your part doesn’t make it bad planning on mine” #wcsf

14.55

client can never over plan and you should not rush this project. #wcsf

Planning is about setting expectations. Developers expectations were different than the developer

SOW – Statement of Work – every project big of small should have this written. Doesn’t have to be big and should be signed.

14.56

Always have a SOW Statement of Work #wcsf take as much time as you need to prepare. Living document that changes. Scope creep.

14.58

Who owns the code in a project? Establish this up front. Protects both client and developer #wcsf

Client usually owns the code as long as the developer gets paid. Can the developer use the code again. Developer is learning things for future work. Client own iteration of the code.

15.01

Freelancer or small shop, client can put project management into place #wcsf

Project Management tools

• Assembla – assembla.com
• BaseCamp
• GoPlan

Centralizes communication on a project. Worse form of communication is email. Nothing gets lost with Project Management tools

15.02

Clients: Know that developers work strange hours. Developers are on weird schedules and respect their time. #wcsf

15.03

Communication, email is the worst. Use the phone, video chat. IM is a little better than email. #wcsf

15.05

Version Control, client should have access to this. Gives client a peace of mind that they are in control #wcsf

15.08

git – is good version control tools github.com beanstalkapp.com assembla.com Client can control #wcsf

15.11

Clients learn to use Bug Reports  supportdetails.com downforeveryoneorjustme.com. #wcsf Developer needs to train client. Good to prioritize bugs. Good project management system will have a ticket system

15.22

Q&A @zengy WordCamp #wcsf

• How do you know how to hire when you don’t know the skills: body language, level of confidence most important portfolio.
• How do you check the portfolio if not a coder: Is it working, is it functioning, is it working the right way. You should have a gut feel. Not getting quality results fire them and move on.
• What should we be paying a skilled developer hourly: there are websites with hourly wage. He did not give an exact amount.
• Can you explain best practice designer then coder: Project manager will say how to go about the project. First wireframe everything ui standpoint >> designer >> coder. But depends on project.
• Problems with assembla getting developers to keep it up to date and commit to amount of time to do a project:Difficult, moved things into buckets small, med., large. Developers put it into buckets.
• What is step one to find a developer: Go to meet ups. Attend meet ups. On line. Meet them at wordcamp