How do you deal with unexpected complexity?
Having a website is an integral part of running a business today. As the world moving more towards digitization, a website for a business works as a platform for customers to find relevant information, engage with the brand, explore different services or products and make purchases. However, creating and maintaining a website may seem like a daunting task- especially the errors.
A smoothly running website depends on a number of factors, such as internet speed, servers, databases etc. Any one of these, if faulty, may create unwanted website complexity.
There are ways to manage the complexity with effectiveness. For a non-technical person, it’s important to approach the situation with clarity and calmness. Here are 10 tips to help you navigate unexpected website complexity:
Identify the Issue
Identifying the problem is the first step when encountering an unexpected website complexity. There are a range of errors that might be creating the unexpected complexity. For example: a broken link, a malfunctioning plugin or a bug etc. If you don’t have much clarity on what went wrong, considering consulting a technical expert. Once the problem is identified, you may start working towards the solution.
Communication is very important while working on an unexpected complexity. Let your team know about the problem. They might give an insight on the issue that you might have overlooked. Working together with the team can help find a solution quicker and more effectively.
Communicate with your Team
Seek Help
Once the problem is identified, the immediate step should be to resolve it in no time. If the problem is beyond your expertise, feel free to hire an expert, in this case a web developer, a web designer or any other professional depending on the problem. Getting experts onboard with save a lot of time in the process.
With an expert on onboard, understand what led to the complexity. There can be a few aspects to this unwanted problem. Prioritise what needs to be solved first. Don’t try to fix everything at once. Dissect what needs to be fixed right now and what can wait. This will help you resolve the issue more efficiently and may save you some money.
Set Priority
Test and Refine
Once the primary is issue is addressed, it’s important to test and refine your website to ensure everything is running as intended. Rigorous testing will identify any bugs or errors that may be creating any trouble in the system. Get rid of any remaining elements that can create error in the system in future.
While addressing the unexpected complexity in the website, it is important to make sure that the user experience is not hindered in any way. Keep in mind, the website is ultimately designed for the users or the customers or audience. Making the experience smooth and engaging should always be the priority.
Consider User Experience
Be Patient
Dealing with an unexpected website complexity can be frustrating. It’s very important to remain calm in these kinds of situations, especially as a business owner, a team lead or a manager. Remember, every problem has a solution. With the right approach and experts, you can overcome any complex situations. It’s important to remain calm and focused while handling a complicated situation.
Having a backup is crucial while working a digital space. You may lose some of the most important parts of your business with just a click. That’s why it’s very important to have a back up of everything. In this case, with an unexpected error or complexity, you may lose a lot of data while recovering too. That’s why keep a back up for everything. It’s much easier to respond and minimize downtime when you have a back-up.
Have a Back Up Plan
Keep Learning
Website development and maintenance is an ever-changing space. There are new technologies and improvements coming up every day. Even if you’re a non-technical person, it is important to be in touch with the changes and upgrades. Speak to your technical team about new advancements in the field. Be aware of the tools and technologies they are using to build certain features in your system. This will help you a big-time while facing any technical challenges.
Document Everything
Once you’ve gone through the entire process of handling an unexpected website complexity- document everything. Keep track of all the changes, fixes and updates. Record all the steps you take, including the code changes, plugin updates etc. Also make sure to mote the error messages you’ve received and how you solved them. These documents come extremely handy while handling similar issues next time. This helps in troubleshooting, reduces down-time and helps in saving funds as well.
These are the top 10 tips you must keep in mind the next time you’re facing an unwanted website complexity. Maintaining a website is already a huge responsibility- facing unexpected website issues and complexity can get overwhelming. Having the right mindset, knowledge and the right people to help- are the key things to consider in these situations. Learning and documentation is also very important to get out of these issues quicker and more efficiently.
Be calm and focused while dealing with website complexity. Choose to be transparent with your team as well as you customer. Let them be aware of the problem and offer solutions, if any.