An eCommerce development project is a complex operation demanding a strategic partnership and mutual understanding between clients and their chosen eCommerce agency. Prioritizing tasks is a vital element in the process, allowing people involved to focus on critical functionalities and estimate the budget and time required to fulfill the project.

Nonetheless, the task prioritization process can be influenced by many factors, making it easier or more difficult. Considering this, let’s begin today’s blog with the aspect of preparing for the eCommerce project.

Quick jump

The preparation for an eCommerce project

The first important part of an eCommerce project is how a client is prepared for cooperation with an eCommerce agency. A great way to prepare for an eCommerce project is through an in-house workshop where the client has a session with their team to define the needs of the company. – more or less thoroughly. To do so, it is worth using a prioritization technique, such as MoSCoW method.

The acronym MoSCoW represents four categories: must-have, should-have, could-have, and won’t-have/not have right now. The aim of this method is to provide information about the importance of features so the software house can make efficient decisions about where to focus its efforts and resources, ensuring that critical work is completed first and that project deliverables meet the most important objectives and client’s requirements. 

Nonetheless, each case of the project is individual and depends on the business and its needs. For example, some clients already have an eCommerce store and want to migrate it, and some clients are new to eCommerce and only have a vision of their first store. When clients already have their website, they naturally want it to be at least as good as the previous one and expand with selected new functionalities while optionally keeping the elements of the website that worked well so far. In such a situation, prioritizing tasks is vital at the very beginning of the project, ensuring that the new website will strictly reflect the company’s guidelines.

In the second case, the “greenfield” project is an entirely new eCommerce experience for a company, giving a little more flexibility and enabling the project to evolve during the development stage. However, it is advisable for a client to have a CTO or a developer with technical knowledge on the team. With an expert on board, the company can more effectively communicate the requirements to the agency. Such a person can also help map functionalities along with the eCommerce agency.

In either case, the prioritization should start as soon as possible.

Why is it essential to determine the most important challenges at the start?

Sometimes, the prioritization process starts at the sales level, when it is possible to separate individual parts of estimation based on the client’s budget and initial requirements. The client should choose the most important functionalities as soon as possible because they have the most significant impact on the project’s architecture and the choice of technology. This way, the agency knows what the crucial challenges are and what aspects should be addressed first. Moreover, it enables the people involved to estimate the required budget and the possible deadline.

It is worth mentioning that each eCommerce platform is different and has its best use. The business goals and website requirements determine which one would be best for the project. Therefore, it is always beneficial to ask experienced developers or agencies for an explanation of a solution’s strengths and weaknesses and why it is best for the project.

Conducting workshops

During the client workshops, the agency reviews the initial requirements gathered during the estimations and further cooperates with the client to create a backlog. 

The backlog is an organized list of tasks, features, fixes, requirements, and other elements essential for the project’s completion. These elements usually stem from product planning and are prioritized to maximize the project’s value for the customer. The backlog is dynamic, updating as the project progresses and as needs and priorities change, allowing the project team and the client to track progress and guide what remains to be done for a successful eCommerce project. 

However, not all items in the backlog are included in the MVP, which is a version of the product with the fewest features necessary to satisfy early user needs and gather feedback. The MVP aims for rapid market entry while minimizing resources and time. The project backlog may contain many features and tasks deemed valuable for the final product, but not all are essential for creating the MVP. The MVP version of the website is mainly determined by available resources. 

Taking this into consideration, project workshops are the time when the agency and a client can discuss the requirements in detail, share ideas, and align on a project direction. Naturally, it is also the time to explain to the client how to implement his ideas and understand why particular functionalities are vital for the project. As mentioned before, it is best to focus on the aspects that bring the most value to an online store. Additionally, the eCommerce agency with numerous projects completed can advise how some tasks can be done differently or what functionalities may be redundant. For example, the XYZ company needs functionality that would require 50+ hours to develop, while there are platforms that offer this functionality out-of-the-box and only require its customization. 

Another example can involve the need to integrate the eCommerce store with a Content Relationship Management (CRM) system, while the marketing automation plugin would be sufficient for the company’s needs. Even if the situation changes and the company grows, the CRM system can be integrated after the MVP version of the project comes out, reducing the workload necessary to focus on other essential aspects for the first version of the website.

That said, when a client has many ideas about the project, the eCommerce agency advises what to focus on first and which tasks can be completed after the MVP version comes out.

Vision-To-Plan 
eCommerce Workshops

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Dividing the scope of work

The workshop stage is crucial for estimating and dividing the project’s scope into smaller parts. In the agile methodology, these smaller parts are called sprints. Each sprint focuses on a specific, prioritized subset of the overall scope, allowing the team to make substantial progress in short, consistent time periods. This approach allows for rapid adjustments based on customer feedback or market changes, emphasizing close collaboration with the customer (or customer representatives) throughout the project. This constant feedback loop ensures that the development team is always working on features that provide the most value to the customer. 

The importance of flawless communication  

As can be seen, conducting eCommerce projects is not an easy task. Due to that, flawless communication between the team of the eCommerce agency and the client is required to ensure all expectations are aligned and objectives are met. The methodology of conducting a project is often suited to the client to minimize the risk of any misunderstanding and delays. For the same reason, it is best to designate one person on the client’s side who will be responsible for making decisions. Standing on the same ground throughout the project is critical for success.

During each project step, the client has access to the project’s backlog and information about tasks in progress and completed. Informing about concerns about the project should be done as soon as possible, as each change can impact the budget and extend the deadline. Keep in mind that transparency and mutual understanding are the key here. Due to that, do not be afraid to ask many questions at any project stage.  

Summary

Conducting an eCommerce project requires careful planning and collaboration, emphasizing the critical role of in-house workshops and prioritization methods. This foundational step ensures that both the client and the eCommerce agency align on the most vital aspects of the project, setting a clear pathway for development, whether it’s upgrading an existing store or pioneering a new digital marketplace. Effective communication, detailed workshops, and strategic task division into smaller parts like sprints are essential to manage complexities and adapt to evolving project needs.

Prioritizing the creation of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) allows for a focused and resource-efficient approach to satisfying initial user needs while laying the groundwork for future enhancements. Throughout this journey, clear and continuous communication stands out as a pillar for success, ensuring that all parties remain on the same page.