Steps on saving time, money and developing a web project effectively working with a web developer In short: whittle down your features, develop a simple site, launch, add features based on live feedback

Steps

1. Clarify your idea to written features using sentences and stores (Example: "When you go to the home page, it should show you the 5 top coffee sellers")
2. Aggressively trim your list down to the 'minimal marketable website'--that is what is the simplest service worth using.
Example:  You want to build a coffee-trading website that matches buyers and sellers.  Trim your initial feature-set down to the smallest feature set that's still a good product.  Keep the "You can search for coffee merchants" feature.  Delay the "You can create a favorites list of favorite merchants" feature until a later date.
3. Have you developer build that 'minimal marketable website' for a fixed fee.  Resist the temptation to add features, but rather keep a list of features to add later.
4. Launch that site!  This site is not everything it could be; but it's enough to launch and tell people about because it works and it does something special
5. Note the live feedback from users.  Email some early users for their feedback.  Engage the real users personally to make them 'partners' in the future development of the site.
6. Go back to your web developer and start working a triage system of Most Crucial Additions.
7. Repeat as the site grows!

Summary

The major thrust of this article is this--discpline yourself from developing cool features too early because they delay launch date, increase costs, and increase complexity.  Launch early, and launch cheaply.  Then let real user feedback guide what you develop next.