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The majority of the clients I design for pitch to an audience that uses PCs. They're businesses, most likely use PCs, and are quite often in the MS camp (unfortunately). It's a pretty good bet that they'll be using MSIE instead of anything else because it's all they know. Their tech guys on the otherhand may be a bit smarter and use Opera, possibly even on a Linux box. Smaller businesses for sure - less than 25 employees typically.
When I develop a web site I develop a profile of the target audience and the most likely equipment and software they'd be using. The profile includes likely income ranges (helps determine if their likely to own a new computer or have older stuff), likely connection type (modem, DSL, T1 etc...), are we talking B2B or B2C, likely computer platform, likely browser type (no scientific info here - just my intuition based on what I've read in the news/surveys on-line).
Armed with this info I approach the client to see if they have any requirements for accessability. Many say something like "we want everyone to see it" but when I tell them it will cost them more to accomodate everyone - they change their tune quickly. We discuss, page resolutions and colors, etc...
I typically take all that I've learned and then start in. If an issue comes up regarding compatability I will discuss it with the client and give them options.
The point of all this is that I make it my job to be aware of who my client is and who they pitch to. I feel I need to have a mental picture of both my client and their audience at thier appointed positions when they connect.
I do this because it helps me with my design and code decisions. Sometimes, despite my best efforts, however, I'll find myself in a situation where I have to decide between the client's wishes and compatability / validation.
It bugs me to no end when the client really wants something a certain way and I can't find a way to create it and still have the page validate - or it would take a major redesign to accomodate the client. Sometimes I feel that all of this effort is a waste and that I should just design strictly according to the Guidelines and not give the customer the option. It sure would cut down on the hoops I jump through.
Your thoughts?
just design strictly according to the Guidelines
the key is to start from the reality underlying the site rather than from a visual idea...my design process became a whole lot easier and more effective when I stopped doing that...working in the right order creates a situation in which you can simply spend whatever time is available on presentation and stop at any point knowing that the site will be quite workable
(yep, that's my take on it)
since basic html is generally accessible with very few exception
What about XHTML and the like?
When you say that all of this effort is a waste of time and you mean designing with tables, well then I'd agree. Whether it makes sense for monetary reasons or not I find it difficult to write a site with tables when I know that there are blindingly more intelligent ways to design.
Of course, reasonably people argue why the Web is not ready, I understand. But maybe with a bit of Nicks attitude and some know-how we could all push light years on;)
You act as a go between sitting in the middle of client and web. It would be nice to do everything by the book and ignore clients silly wishlist.
The best you can hope for is a compramise where both you and the client can get what they want.
At the end of the day the customer is always right ;)
I don't buy into 'the customer is always right'. It's rarely the case.
I'll do as they ask, so long as I'm satisfied that they have understood the arguments against it and want to do it anyway. And that they realize that it goes against my expert advice.
Sheeh! If you know it all already Mr. Client, what are you paying me for?
Nick
If you know it all already Mr. Client, what are you paying me for?
Well that's sort of the way I look at it but then I'm a one person shop in a small state and most of my work comes by word of mouth. A reputation for not listening to the client could kill my business pretty quickly.
In most cases I've had great clients who ask questions but rely on my professional opinion - it's what they pay me for and they realize it. There have been those who just want it done and don't care about what they see as fancy schmancy stuff (CSS, scripting languages et al) until they ask for something that I simply can't produce without using one or more of these. Then the lightbulb goes on for them.
It's an education process in many cases and I guess I'm tired of dealing with the stubborn ones to which I agree with Nick_W.
On an email list I subscribe to there was an excellent post last week from a long-time marketing copy writer. He talked about a moment of truth he had in the 1970's.
He noticed that the clients who were unwilling to take his input were "high maintenance" in all respects, and essentially a losing proposition for him. When he accommodated their wishes, their campaign usually failed or was weak - damaging HIS reputation in the long run.
So he set things up differently for his business. Yes, the customer was still right - but only in the fact that they contracted with him. Therefore they needed to take his advice or find someone else.
He took this hard line with all his existing clients and every new client. He lost 35% or so to start with - and ALL BUT ONE CLIENT RETURNED WITHIN THE YEAR!
His income went up, his reputation soared, and he had much greater personal satisfaction when he wasn't compromising his own understanding in areas like precise targeting, lenght of copy, etc.
It's an attitude I'm just learning to take on, so I read his post with great interest. It takes diplomacy, self-confidence and a clear understanding to tell a prospective or existing client that you won't do what they want and here's why. But I am seeing that it's the most sensible thing to do.
No one needs a "yes" man.
The majority of my clients do listen and follow the advice I give. There's a mutual respect and appreciation between us so it's a win-win situation.
I'm feeling better already...
I would NEVER show those creations to any new prospect, and I almost feel like I need a gag order to keep that previous client from pointing me out...I don't want that kind of viral marketing! I guess I can chalk it up to growing pains.
Nevermore.
Yep... I know that feeling. Luckily, one of the most cringeworthy jobs I've done in the last year (from a design standpoint) was for a client who began *really* hedging and hesitating when it came down to time to arrange hosting and domains for the sites we'd built. (Picture the client sitting next to you while you work, and telling you what to do with every pixel on the page as you try to make their impossible ideas work...) I billed her for the "design" time (I hestate to even call it design work), and after writing me a check, I never heard from the client again. Nothing about "can I have the website files, please" or anything.
AFAIK, the "design" work was never used for anything. I never really looked for it online. ;)
I do feel a bit bad about it, but the client was really becoming a PITA... one of those folks who understands NOTHING about the internet, except how to turn on the web browser, and yet feels they knows everything about every aspect of business marketing... including internet marketing of course (because it's just like everything else).
I've talked to one other designer here in town who's done work for the same company. She felt the same way about them as I did. That's one case where I would be happy to hear they'd bought a copy of a cheap design program and decided to do it all themselves, if only to save local web designers the headache of dealing with them.
