Ask HN: How do I keep my p/t web development team motivated?
Hi, I need ideas how to motivate my web development team to complete my website which I started almost two years ago. I'm not a programmer or web designer, but my friend the web designer is working on the website for me. His friend a web programmer is doing the programming and together they are creating the website. I have the business model and the concept is mine.<p>The problem: Their progress is taking much longer than it should take, now almost two years from when we seriously started working on the website. The issue is that they have full-time jobs besides my website and my website falls to the way-side. We are in touch through 5pmweb.com's Project Management capabilities as well as through emails and chats.<p>For the time being, they are working for free. I tried offering them money to speed up their motivation, but they flat-out refused. They said that money isn't going to make a difference and they are already doing whatever they can to complete the website. I also tried (but not as hard) to offer them a piece of the profits for the first year or so, but I believe they said the same that it won't change anything.<p>An important aspect is that the nature of the website is that it's a seasonal business and in order for the website to be completed post-programming and web design is I have to meet with organizations to sign them up with my website. For every month they are slow, I have a greater chance of missing the next season. This is because I need to make the sign-ups and then the website can go public.<p>You'll probably say that I should abandon them and look elsewhere for another programmer and pay money. The issue with that is they already have the concept and understand the way how to program what needs to be done and I feel confident that they can do it. The concept is not easy to understand unless you are familiar with the product, which they are. They also spent almost two years on-and-off working on the website, so to abandon all that work spent doesn't make much sense. I also feel that it will cost me much less competing it with them since this website will be a milestone for both of them and something to show-off in their portfolios.<p>My programmer suggested adding another programmer to the team, this time as a paid employee. My programmer will give instructions to the new guy on pieces of the website to complete and they will finish up. He says that he has two potential candidates one is cheaper than the other but one is better than the other. Would you think adding adding another programmer to the team make much of a difference? (I know you have no specific details to base your assumption on, but I also don't have any.)<p>Do you have any ideas in helping me move this project along? How would you motivate such a slow team?<p>Also, how would you consider a pay-out at the end of the website's completion. Right now, the understanding is that we will discuss payment when the website is complete. Originally it was supposed to take a year, but now its almost two and I don't see the end ahead. Would you make a tier-payment where payment is decreased by a percentage for every extra month?<p>Truth is, they just got serious again and are busy working on the website as I see from interacting with them on 5pmweb.com. I don't know how much effort they are putting in, but I need some suggestions to keep their fire hot and alive!<p>Thanks!