Project Request
Clearly define and document scope, objectives, timelines and deliverables.
Key information includes, but is not limited to:
-
- Total number of emails and versions
- When the project is due to the client? (not launch date, client in-hand date)
- Is this a dynamic or static campaign?
- Is there personalization or dynamic content required? i.e. MovableInk
- Email objectives and desired actions
- Required headers, footers, logos
- New designs outside of any pre-existing developed headers or footers will require additional coding hours
- Required click-through links with URLs
- Does this campaign need to integrate with Harmony?
Review the project brief with the digital director and/or include them in discovery sessions with the client as needed.
As early as possible, the client should also provide information for the agency brief, including the following:
- Comm codes for each email
- Workfront reference number
- Mailing list ID
- Harmony campaign ID
- Folder name
- Click-through URLs
Comm codes should be provided directly by the client. Mailing list ID, Harmony campaign ID and folder name will be on the Workfront job. Comm codes will need to be added to each email creative.
Timeline
The dev coordinator will provide a timeline for coding from the development team based on the scope, deliverables, and functionality provided in the project request.
The minimum turnaround time for a project coded in-house is 3 business days.
The minimum turnaround time for a project coded by a vendor is 5 business days. Most email projects will average around 7 business days.
Estimate
Include costs & time for strategy, design, internal and client review, packaging and preparing files for development under the “design” estimate.
The dev coordinator will provide a cost for development to the agency based on the project request. The development cost estimate includes time to code and test (with agency markup if going through a vendor), as well as time for the dev coordinator to manage the project and a design-dev handoff meeting.
The development estimate does not include time for packaging and preparing the files for development. That must be considered as part of the “design” costs.
The dev coordinator will provide an hourly cost estimate to the account executive with development hours, QA & Testing hours and project management hours.
Purchase Order
When working with a vendor, once the development estimate is approved by the agency and client, the dev coordinator will create a purchase order in Webvantage for the vendor costs and alert the accounting department.
Confirm PO job number with account executive and alert when sent to accounting
Note, that any changes in scope or deliverables after this point will require a change order and updated PO, which may impact the cost and timeline.
Design
Agency designs emails and receives client approval. The digital director (or an appointed UX designer) and the in-house developer should be involved at this step to consult on the strategy, accessibility and functionality of the design.
In addition to the main design of the email body, each email should include the following:
- Pre-header
- Subject lines
- Header design with links
- Footer design with links
- Disclaimers with links underlined
- Comm codes
Internal Approvals
Not only should the design be approved internally by the creative director, the digital director and in-house developer should also review each design before it is sent to the client.
Aspects they are reviewing include:
- ADA compliance, including font size, color, live text, etc.
- Mobile vs desktop design
- Harmony compatibility
- Functionality, including timers or dynamic content
Client Approval
Once the email has been approved internally, by creative, digital and account, the designs can be provided to the client as a low res PDF for review.
When prepping files for client review, make sure all copy, especially disclaimers, are legible on the PDF without making the file size too large to send via email. See this article for details on how to export the PDF.
Development Prep
Once the design is client-approved, the agency will prep and package the files.
If they have not already been added to the files, the appropriate comm codes will need to be added to each piece of email creative.
The following items should be provided to the developer:
- Packaged native files
- Sliced images
- Low res reference PDF
When packaging final files, make sure:
- Card files are high res
- Disclaimer copy is legible on the reference PDF
Instructions on how to package native files: http://duwiki.wpengine.com/article/how-to-package-native-files/
Instructions on how to slice images for email: http://duwiki.wpengine.com/article/how-to-slice-images-for-email/
File names of the prepared files should match the naming conventions for Harmony provided by the client.
WFReferenceNumber_CommCode_RCJobNumber_EmailName_Card_Language_Date
See example file names here: http://duwiki.wpengine.com/article/syf-email-build-kit/
If not already provided, the client should also provide to the agency at this time the agency brief information:
- Workfront reference number
- Mailing list ID
- Harmony campaign ID
- Folder name
The client should also provide the URLs (including UTM parameters if applicable) for any click-throughs in the email prior to development.
Development can not begin without these items.
Design-Dev Handoff
The dev coordinator hands off the completed build kit to the development team for execution.
At this time, if a handoff meeting is necessary, the digital director and dev coordinator will meet with the developer to discuss and review the email and its requirements.
Development
The development team will create the agency brief document based on the provided campaign information to outline the different code structures needed. They will build the email code files based on the agency brief.
The developer will code the email locally on their preferred code editor.
Once the email is coded, they will move the code over to build the email in Harmony for testing.
- All images and files need to live in one root folder for Harmony.
- There is no style sheet for each HTML file, styling needs to be added to the content map HTML file instead for the build kit.
- For testing, images need to be pulled from the RCCO folder in Harmony. For the final build kit, the folder name should match the agency brief.
Testing and Review
The developer will send test emails through the Harmony system to the project manager, account executive and the digital lead. They should proof and review the email for correct links, disclosures and marks, design alignment to the PDF, etc. When possible, view the test email on different email clients or devices.
Uploading to Workfront
The agency should provide files to the client on Workfront.
The agency should provide to the client on Workfront the following items:
- ADA Checklist
- Agency Brief Document
- HTML File
- Sliced Images
- Low res reference PDF with comm codes
Webvantage Assignment Templates
Final client approval
Final approval is due from the client xx/xx.
In addition to design approval, client should provide:
- Workfront reference number
- Mailing list ID
- Harmony campaign ID
- Folder name
- Comm Codes for each email
- Click through URLs
We need these items for development to begin.
Prep files for dev
Please update the emails with the following comm codes:
(list out or attach spreadsheet)
Please provide the following files for dev:
- Packaged native files
- Sliced images
- Low res reference PDF
File names of the prepared files should match the naming conventions for Harmony provided by the client.
WFReferenceNumber_CommCode_RCJobNumber_EmailName_Card_Language_Date
Ex: WF3813229_SCCPUPGEM00XXXETX01A_RC4924_UpgTeaserEm_MC-NonPlus_ENG_07-08
Workfront Reference Number:
Comm Code(s):
See example file names and instructions on how to package files here
Development
Please develop the following emails for Harmony. (X total emails)
- Email name, card, language, comm code
Please provide coded and tested email files for each by XX/XX.
File path for final art files: XX > XX > XX
Final Deliverables
- ADA Checklist
- Agency Brief Document
- HTML File
- Sliced Images
- Low res reference PDF
URLs
xxx
Agency brief information
Folder:
Mailing List ID:
Harmony Campaign Name:
Workfront Reference Number:
Comm Code(s):
See example file names here