For approximately the last eight years I have been doing web design work for various companies, organizations, people, and non-profits. Through the years I?ve learned many lessons and have become better by analyzing my past work and determining areas where I can improve not only my designs but also my interactions with clients. What I?d like to share with you today are a few best practices that I learned the hard way. Hopefully by you reading these, you will be cognizant of them and thus not have to learn them the hard way.
My absolute best practice, which I highly recommend to every designer, is to ask the client to provide you with a document that displays a few of their favorite web sites. Underneath each URL, ask them to provide a paragraph or two of why they like the site so much. Tell them to be as specific as possible. Also, have them include any bits about the site that they actually don?t like. This document will help you greatly in crafting your design for the client. By receiving this, you are getting a glimpse at the client?s tastes; you?re seeing exactly what they like and can tailor your design to what they like.
Likewise, just as you asked for a list of sites in their industry that they like, you?ll also want to ask for a list of sites in their industry that they don?t like. Just like with the other list, you?ll also want a full description of exactly what they don?t like about the sites. I found that some of my clients don?t like drop down menus using this method. I?ve also found that some clients don?t like to have to scroll. You find out little things like this that you wouldn?t normally get from just a conversation. Having these two documents has helped me immensely.
My final best practice focuses on the navigation. The navigation is critical for the web site. If your client has put together a navigation layout be sure you thoroughly review it and understand it. You?ll have likely done many more web sites than they have, and you can provide tips and information on how to better organize their content. Once you have done this, you can help them lock down the navigation. Locking down the navigation helps you because you can then determine how to best layout the website. This helps to determine whether you want to implement a left side navigation, right side navigation, or navigation that runs across the top.
These tips may seem kind of obvious, but they weren?t things that I was always thinking about when I first started doing web design. I was always focused on churning out the best designed rather than focusing on a designed that matches the client?s likes and dislikes. This method of focusing on their likes, dislikes, and navigation has drastically reduced the amount of revisions I need to do before designing something that the client absolutely loves. Hopefully these tips will help you become a better designer too.
My absolute best practice, which I highly recommend to every designer, is to ask the client to provide you with a document that displays a few of their favorite web sites. Underneath each URL, ask them to provide a paragraph or two of why they like the site so much. Tell them to be as specific as possible. Also, have them include any bits about the site that they actually don?t like. This document will help you greatly in crafting your design for the client. By receiving this, you are getting a glimpse at the client?s tastes; you?re seeing exactly what they like and can tailor your design to what they like.
Likewise, just as you asked for a list of sites in their industry that they like, you?ll also want to ask for a list of sites in their industry that they don?t like. Just like with the other list, you?ll also want a full description of exactly what they don?t like about the sites. I found that some of my clients don?t like drop down menus using this method. I?ve also found that some clients don?t like to have to scroll. You find out little things like this that you wouldn?t normally get from just a conversation. Having these two documents has helped me immensely.
My final best practice focuses on the navigation. The navigation is critical for the web site. If your client has put together a navigation layout be sure you thoroughly review it and understand it. You?ll have likely done many more web sites than they have, and you can provide tips and information on how to better organize their content. Once you have done this, you can help them lock down the navigation. Locking down the navigation helps you because you can then determine how to best layout the website. This helps to determine whether you want to implement a left side navigation, right side navigation, or navigation that runs across the top.
These tips may seem kind of obvious, but they weren?t things that I was always thinking about when I first started doing web design. I was always focused on churning out the best designed rather than focusing on a designed that matches the client?s likes and dislikes. This method of focusing on their likes, dislikes, and navigation has drastically reduced the amount of revisions I need to do before designing something that the client absolutely loves. Hopefully these tips will help you become a better designer too.
About the Author:
MangoCo.com builds the best websites in the state of Virginia, bar none. Their methodology for building great websites that meet all requirements is second to none.
