Understanding Website Management: When a Developer Says No to Edits
Hello, everyone!
I’m reaching out to the community for some guidance regarding a situation that my parents are experiencing with their medical center’s website. They engaged a web developer to create a site that they hope to maintain themselves. However, they’re encountering some challenges when it comes to making updates.
The website was completed some time ago, and my parents need to regularly update it—whether it be uploading weekly newsletters or adding new staff profiles. Unfortunately, the web developer has informed them that they won’t be able to make any changes on their own. This situation has become quite frustrating, especially since we don’t require access to the backend code; we only need permission to make basic updates.
Is it standard for web developers to restrict clients from making simple website changes like this? How do other businesses manage their website updates effectively without constantly going back to their developer? My parents need to make updates frequently, and waiting for responses can take several days, complicating the process further.
One important note: the developer has been compensated fully for their work. We don’t expect them to retrofit a Content Management System (CMS) if it wasn’t originally included in the agreement. We’re open to discussing additional costs for implementing such changes. However, the core of my question is whether the developer’s refusal to allow us to update the website ourselves is reasonable.
I also want to state that this isn’t merely a matter of opting for a budget option—this discussion occurred before the project’s completion. We’re genuinely trying to establish a way to manage content that does not rely on the developer’s input for every minor change.
It’s crucial to understand that many clients, especially those who are not tech-savvy or those who may be over the age of 50, may struggle with the technical jargon and concepts like CMSs or static vs. dynamic websites. Hence, we hope that developers can better communicate what tools and level of access might be appropriate for their clients going forward.
Final Thoughts: For anyone who has experienced similar situations, your insights would be greatly appreciated! How have you navigated website management challenges? Thank you for any helpful advice you can offer!
2 responses to “Web Developer Restricts Site Changes: Is This Common?”
Hi there!
Thank you for sharing your situation, and it’s great to see you are proactively seeking guidance. Your concerns are understandable, especially given the importance of keeping your parents’ medical centre website up-to-date and functional.
To address your question, it’s not uncommon for web developers to create websites that are not easily editable by clients, especially if they are built as static sites or if the developer has not set up a content management system (CMS). However, it is certainly within the realm of standard practice for web development to enable clients to make updates without needing to delve into the code or constantly rely on the developer for minor changes.
Here are several steps and insights on how to navigate this situation:
Understanding the Website Structure: It sounds like the website may have been built with a static framework, where editing content requires code-level access. A CMS like WordPress, Joomla, or even simpler options like SquareSpace allows users to update content through a user-friendly dashboard, which may have been a more appropriate choice for your parents. If the initial plans did not include a CMS, it’s worthwhile to specify that requirement moving forward.
Request a CMS Implementation: Given that you’re open to paying for additional time, you can suggest to the developer that they install a CMS so that your parents can easily manage updates like newsletters and staff profiles. This is a common request, and good web developers should be able to integrate this relatively easily. Just ensure that this new task is billed accordingly.
Communicate Clearly: Since your parents are not web-savvy, encouraging open communication without technical jargon is crucial. You might want to specify that you need the ability to perform a few basic tasks (e.g., adding text or images, uploading documents) in clear terms, possibly even laying them out in a checklist format. This could help the developer understand exactly what you’re after without assuming a technical understanding.
Explore Online Platforms: There are other website builders available today that are designed for non-technical users. If the current developer continues to refuse access or the costs become prohibitive, it might be worthwhile to consider relocating the website to a platform that empowers your family to make updates independently. Platforms like Wix or WordPress.com are user-friendly and have plenty of resources to help users navigate them.
External Training or Support: Sometimes developers can also offer training sessions for clients, or you can find local workshops that focus on basic website management. This could give your parents the confidence and knowledge they need to handle the updates themselves.
Assuring Future Communication: Given the feedback about the developer’s slow response time, it might be beneficial to ask for some service-level agreement (SLA) to ensure timely support when needed. Alternatively, consider having a candid conversation about maintaining a healthy communication channel going forward.
Assess Your Options: Finally, if the developer continues to deny the request for easy updates without clear justification, reassessing the working relationship may be necessary. Transparency and support are vital aspects of any professional relationship, and if that’s lacking, finding another developer who understands their needs might be worth considering.
It’s perfectly reasonable to expect a level of accessibility and usability from your website, especially when the purpose is to keep a community service running smoothly. Good luck, and I hope your parents’ website will soon be an easily manageable tool for their medical centre!
Thank you for sharing this experience; it highlights a common challenge many organizations face when working with web developers. It’s essential to clarify that while some developers may restrict client access to prevent unwanted changes or errors, it shouldn’t come at the cost of hindering basic content management tasks, like updating newsletters or adding staff profiles.
One approach that might benefit your parents is to request a conversation with the developer to explore the possibility of integrating a Content Management System (CMS)—something that can empower them to make those straightforward updates independently. If that option was not part of the initial agreement, it’s worth discussing for an additional fee, as you suggested. A user-friendly CMS like WordPress, for example, is designed for non-technical users and could greatly ease their content management woes.
It’s also helpful to advocate for better communication between developers and clients—especially regarding the available features and access levels. A good developer should take the time to explain the tools provided and train clients on how to use them, ensuring a smooth long-term relationship.
Lastly, if they find themselves feeling stuck, they could consider hiring a different developer or a freelance consultant who specializes in setup and training for CMS use, which could significantly reduce ongoing dependency on a single developer for minor updates.
It’s crucial for both the developer and the client to have aligned expectations from the outset to avoid situations like yours. Best of luck to your parents in finding a solution that works for them!