How To Estimate Time For Your Design Projects

Every web designer knows that estimating time for the design process can be very tricky. You need to make sure that you estimate everything accurately, but at the same time, you want to avoid any errors in the process. With that in mind, here are some tips that can help you when working on bespoke web design projects.

The task-based approach

For this, you want to break the project into smaller tasks first. The idea is to make sure that you figure out how many tasks you have to deal with and what you expect. Now that you have a list with all jobs, you must figure out an estimate on how long it will take to perform each one of those tasks. When you know how many tasks and hours you need to work for that project, you will be able to estimate the hourly rate for every small task. It’s a good idea to combine prices for the project parts if possible.

You should always have a contingency amount if possible, as that will help you avoid any setbacks. Now that you have a good idea of what the web design project will cost, you present a proposal to your client and see if the client agrees to it or not.

Using the benchmark approach

The benchmark approach is suitable for a designer that does the same type of task almost all the time. You can use tools like Chrometa and Toggl to gather all the info you need for the benchmark. Ideally, you want to track the amount of time you spend on every task based on those benchmarks. You want to have more than a single benchmark for any of the same type of work. This will bring in more accuracy and value to the process, so consider this approach if you think this applies to you.

The tools-based approach

In the world of bespoke web design, you don’t always precisely know what tasks will take more time than others. But there are two tools created specifically for designers that help you estimate project timelines and other important information. Astuteo is suitable for web design and web developers, and it allows you to estimate timelines based on tasks. There is also Konigi; this one is a free estimating template that’s task-based. The tool requires you to add a low estimate and a high estimate. It will even calculate the completion date based on the information you provide.

So which is the best option to estimate design projects? That comes down to you and your workflow. You have to try and adapt to the situation as you actively figure out the right approach. It might even be a good idea to opt for a trial and error system to figure out whatever suits your needs the most. In the end, it all comes down to figuring out the best approach for bespoke web design estimates based on your work ethic and schedules!