Dealing with web design clients can sometimes be a learning experience! This article gives great ideas on how to cut through the differences and the problems in order to have a great client/designer experience.
The Reality of Client Interaction
Have you ever seen the television show “Trading Spaces?” It’s based on a simple idea. Two sets of homeowners switch houses for a few days. Then they work with a professional designer to make over a room in the other couple’s home. They usually do outrageous stuff, like glue hay to the walls or paint antique furniture a weird color. Later, you get to see the owners moan and whine and complain about how awful it is and how it is not at all what they wanted.
Have you ever had a web design experience like that? Not that you would build anything weird or tasteless. But sometimes, like in that television show, owners have a very different vision of what they thought their site would look like. Maybe they thought white text on a light pink background would be perfect. Or, perhaps they sent you content that is a nightmare. Frankly, I have designed sites that I try to keep secret because I just don’t like them. In web design, the old adage “the customer is always right” is not the rule. Part of being a “professional” is learning how to influence a client so that he gets a great looking site and is pleased with the design. Here are some hints for more successful client interaction.
Involve the client in the creative process
OK. So we have designed a few sites and we think we pretty much have a handle on what a client needs. That may be true, however both you and the client will benefit if you let the client put in a little sweat too. I have a lengthy checklist that clients must complete. It tells me practical things like the name of the company and contact info, but also gives the client a chance to indicate their preferences and concerns. Things like:
- Tell me the nature of your business.
- Who is your target audience?
- What keyword or phrase do you think people would use to search for your site?
- List websites of your top competitors. Indicate what you like and dislike about their site.
- Is there anything that you just have to use in your design? (logo etc..)
- Do you have a certain picture or color scheme in mind? Think of websites you have visited and tell me what colors you like and what colors you dislike.
- Do you want a shopping cart, Content Management System, message board, guestbook, or form?
Using this design aide helps me as I design the site, and also gives the client some “sweat equity.” He feels he has had the chance to “work” on the site, too. Then he is more likely to step back and let me do my thing. It’s kind of like he is putting the ball in my court and is waiting for me to make my play. That way, he is not continually pestering me about how it’s going and “maybe now I want this or that”. He already has thought it out and has his input down on paper. This is also helpful later, if one of those dreaded “But I told you I wanted” situation arises.
Give them choices
I usually make a few design drafts. Suppose I am designing a website for an attorney’s office. I might design one around the classic “blind justice” statute and another around a photo of the law partners. Either one would look professional, and I would be content with either selection. So, I might take those two ideas and play some with the placement of the link menu, pictures… etc, and then send the client a link to the development area of their website and ask the client to select one of these “drafts” or make suggestions. It is standard practice to make a development area so that the client can view the progress of their website. Although, you have to consider that clients aren’t always honest, and may try to steal your edit files. So it is important if you are doing work for the client that either you have control over the server, or you don’t publish the edit files online. By control of the server, I mean that you have full access to the domain control panel. You know that the client can’t sneak in and create an FTP account to get those edit files, because only you have access to that domain during the development process. If you can’t get full control, don’t fret! Just make a development area for the client on your portfolio website and send them a link to this area.
Many designers build in some sort of step process that requires the client to “sign off” at various stages of the design. For example, the first step might be to approve the design/layout of the site, the second to approve the graphics or animation, third the content, and then the final completed site. This allows the client to make choices at several points along the way and voice any concerns while changes are more easily made.
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