In case you missed all the fun this weekend, Genesis Camp happened and it was truly amazing! My session on outsourcing development was late Sunday night, so I’m sure many of you might have been sleeping or preparing for the week ahead instead of tuning in. Don’t worry, I forgive you. 😉
Genesis Camp was a “for the community, by the community” online conference with sessions ranging from workflow to branding to general freelancing tips. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but (as always) the Genesis community rose to the challenge. I was blown away by the quality of the conference and how much I learned! If you weren’t able to attend, you can watch recordings of all the sessions on the Genesis Camp YouTube channel.
I was fortunate to be able to present a session about outsourcing development since it’s a big part of my business model - I work primarily with designers who want me to code their mockups into functional Genesis themes. I get a lot of emails from people who are considering working with a developer but don’t know where to begin, so Genesis Camp seemed like a great time to give a detailed overview of why you might outsource and some examples of how your workflow would change.
Here’s what the video covers:
- A little bit of background on me and why I decided to specialize
- Some information on why you might consider outsourcing development
- Tips for choosing a developer to work with
- Considerations for project planning when another person is involved
- Pricing for projects with both a designer and developer
- How to create mockups a developer can use
- A review of three example mockups and what could be improved
- Surviving the project launch
If you’d like to view the video, you can do so below. It’s pretty lengthy at just under an hour, but there are lots of tips you can use to make an informed decision about whether outsourcing development might be the best choice for your business.
Outsourcing Development: Is it Right for You?
Prefer to download the slides? I’ve got you covered!
I hope you found the session useful despite my super southern accent! If you have any questions about outsourcing, please let me know in the comments!
Erin E Flynn
Absolutely loved this! I agree with all of it, and think you did an amazing job!
Thank you! Maybe sometime you can teach me how to be as comfortable as you are while presenting - I was a nervous wreck, even with it being prerecorded!
Erin E Flynn
What?! Are you kidding me? You did great, and your accent is fantastic! I was nervous too, but I have a good poker face. 😉
Cathi
Thanks for this Andrea - this is very helpful as I find myself moving into larger projects. Thanks as always!!!
Thanks for stopping by, Cathi! Glad to hear it was helpful for you. 🙂
Patricia
Loved your presentation Andrea. Will show my designers the recording next time I’m about to collaborate with one. I mostly design and develop myself, but I might want you to use your services in the future. But I guess you are booked far ahead?!
Hi Patricia! We’re usually booked out a month or two in advance, but things do tend to slow down a little in the early fall (before they speed up again in November). If you have a project you think might be a good fit, just send me an email ahead of time and I’ll let you know when we’re scheduling. 🙂
Fantastic job! Any tips to move your business into development only?
Oh wow, that’s definitely a loaded question. I’d probably have to write a post… It hasn’t been the easiest transition, and I do still take on direct client projects every now and then depending on my schedule. Right now I have a designer who is moving, so she isn’t doing any projects for awhile - that hurt my feelings a little! Let me ponder on this a little and see if there is enough info to write a whole separate post.
Luna Lunapiena
This was so awesome - thanks for making this!! As a developer (and designer), I learned a lot. It was great to see the way you went through themes and your strategies for pricing, client communications and project management!
Downloaded the slides as well - those info graphics are really awesome!!
Thanks! I’m so glad it was helpful for you. 🙂