Website Replatform Launch
Project Management Case Study
Project Summary
The project was a high-stakes website development initiative for a Christian university, with the primary goal of improving user experience and increasing organic traffic. The website was set to launch within a short timeframe and required seamless collaboration between multiple internal teams and external vendors.
Initial Challenge
I was brought in during the UAT phase after the previous project manager unexpectedly left the project. At this critical juncture, the timeline and budget were both under significant pressure, and the client was anxious about the launch's success.
Key Constraints
With just weeks left before the launch, I inherited a project under tight time pressure and a budget that had little room for overages. The final rounds of testing, client sign-offs, and vendor deliverables needed to be managed with precision to minimize impact to schedule and budget.
Team Dynamics
My role involved leading a team of six, which included internal developers, designers, and quality assurance analysts, as well as coordinating closely with the client team and external vendors responsible for deployments, integrations, and . This required clear communication and quick decision-making to keep the project on track.
Key Responsibilities
As a project manager leading a digital team through the UAT phase, launch, and post launch, these were my primary responsibilities.
Overseeing UAT execution and securing final sign-offs
Facilitating communication across internal teams, clients, and vendors
Managing timelines, deadlines, and final launch scheduling
Risk management and rapid issue resolution
Controlling budgets and preventing overages
Coordinating final deliverables with external vendors
Preparing and executing a flawless launch process
Supporting post-launch activities and ensuring client satisfaction
Problem Solving
There are multiple instances during projects, and this project was no exception, when issues arise that threaten a successful project outcome. Below are some of these issues I encountered and how I dealt with them.
Scope Creep
Reinforcing clear scope boundaries
Prioritizing adjustments and communicating impact of scope changes to client
Facilitating open discussions with stakeholders to renegotiate timelines or reallocate resources without sacrificing the project's quality
Technical Issues
Working closely with developers and engineers to identify the root cause of any technical problem
Breaking down problems into manageable parts and addressing them iteratively, so progress continues even while resolving the issue
Early testing and contingency planning throughout the project lifecycle to catch potential problems before they escalate, ensuring that fixes happen quickly without causing major delays
Results
At the conclusion of UAT, we successfully replatformed the website from the previous Optimizely platform to the Optimizely DXP platform. This site shares components with four other existing sites, making it an extremely complicated launch.
Delayed launch due to stakeholder conflicts, but launched within client acceptable parameters
Increased Organic Traffic
Improved User Experience