Client centric web design

We can design and code a great website, but a truly effective site requires knowledge only the client has. They have years of experience working within the organisation giving them a unique perspective we cannot hope to match with our researches.

White Ducky | Client Centric Web Design

CLIENT CENTRIC WEB DESIGN LEADS TO BETTER WEBSITES.

We have to focus not only on the end-user but also on the person who commissioned the website. Ecommerce stores have to balance user and businessneeds all the time.

WHY?

Most clients are constantly interacting with theircustomers. As a result they understand:

? What their customers are trying to do?

? What problems they experience?

? What kind of people they are and what motivates them?


CLIENT KNOWS HIS CUSTOMER BETTER

The Clients who enjoyed working with you will come back asking for more. Especially because you have educated them about ways their site could be improved. As a client becomes more educated they inevitably see more of the potential the web offers.


HE WILL COME BACK FOR MORE

The most obvious benefit is that a happy client whohas enjoyed working with you is much more likely torecommend you to others. Also if they feel a sense ofownership over the website (because they werepersonally involved in it) they will tell the world how great it is.


RECOMMENDATIONS

HOW?

Regular communication with clients is a fundamental part of the job and it is as important as coding and design.● For most clients a website is a major investment.

They are under considerable pressure to make sure it is delivered on time and in budget.

● The less they know the more they want control.● Anxiety can lead to micromanagement.● Regular communication demonstrate you are in

control and that progress is being made - that will reduce anxiety.

● You're protected from double job, you know instantly that the client wants to change something in the design.


COMMUNICATE

● Emails or others short messages are natural for us - web designers, not for the clients and they do not aid clear and personal communication.

● You should rather speak over the phone and simply meet from time to time (milestones)

● Each phone call or a meeting should be followed with an email with the key points - you have the record in case of potential misunderstanding

● Speak the client's language. Too often we fall back on acronyms and jargon.


HOW TO COMMUNICATE?

Communicate problems before they arise. Better to please a client by overcoming a potential problem you have warned them about than surprising them with a sudden crisis.

We need to have the courage of our convictions andtalk honestly with our clients (or prospective clients) about what is possible. This might mean losing work, but sometimes things don’t match up and we should walk away.


BE HONEST!

Client has to be sure that your opinion is credible.If you are not an expert you have to find other ways to justify your position:● statistics, research - they add to

your credibility by association● be known as a friend of experts

(posts on facebook, conferences)

● speak with confidence and be proud of your realisations - it will build a client’s confidence in our abilities


BECOME AN EXPERT

When you are wrong - admit it.

Tell clients if their ideas are better than yours or that you need a second opinion on an issue you are not confident about.

You can build your credibility by:● proven process (from initial sketches to final website)● project history (you solved a familiar problem)● presentation (the way you present solutions is

crutial)


BECOME AN EXPERT - but do not show off

Urge clients to express their ideas and make it clear that no idea is stupid. When a client has a good idea you should embrace it wholeheartedly and make sure they receive the credit.

When a client suggests an idea that is not so good,avoid criticising and attempt to move the conversation on.

(Same as kids, praise the client when he doeswell and play down his failures)


REWARD AND PUNISHMENT RULE

Projects often stall because the client is not available to sign-off a design or provide content. This can prove frustrating for the designer and client alike. Explaining to the client that they need to be available for certain milestones avoids finger-pointing if the project slips.


EXPLAIN YOUR NEEDS

Not the needs of the project but their personal needs. For example, will this project help them secure a promotion, does it solve a problem they have in their job or perhaps they are new to the company and need to make their mark.


UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS

Understanding how knowledgeable a client is about the web design process is crucial. Have they run a web design project before? If so, did that experience give them a good understanding or a bad experience.You also need to understand their knowledge aboutweb design technology and terminology. A client may sit quietly while you talk about responsive design ordatabase schemas.


ESTIME THEIR KNOWLEDGE

But this is not just about saying no.Educate him about the consequences of his ideas.* The client feels that you are including him in theprocess and taking his contribution seriously.* The best way to educate a client is to ask questionsthat prompts him to think through the consequences of his ideas:

- I want to make my logo bigger. - Ok, but why? What elements should be removed to accommodate the bigger logo or what can be pushedfurther down the page?


CLIENT IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!

In some cases implementing a client’s idea is notpossible because of budget or timescales. Although these are more sensitive areas, we should apply the same principle of discussing consequences.

Limiting iterations sets the wrong tone for the relationship - if you will lead the process correctly there will be no need to make them.


CLIENT IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT!

PROCESS

1. Discuss personality of a brand.Is your brand “friendly” or “formal”? Is it “irreverent” or “professional”? If your organisation was a famous person, who would it be?By establishing keywords that represent the organisation, you get a better sense of the tone that should be struck by the site aesthetics.2. Moodboards with colour palette, typography (don't spend more than hour on each!)3. Picture the functionalities on the reference websites4. Wireframe5. Layout


PROCESS OF CREATING A WEBSITE


MOODBOARDS

The tendency of designers especially is to make things look appealing from the beginning of the process.

But this should be avoided completely at the wireframing stage, because that would distract from the purpose of the wireframe, which is to decide where things should go, not what font size to use or what color the navigation should be.


WIREFRAMES

? Why do you have a website?? What do we want the website to do? (“increase sales leads” is different from “increase the number of quality sales leads”)? What do we want users to do on our site?? How are we going to measure its success?


ASK QUESTIONS!

Speak to as many stakeholders as possible (content manager, sales manager) always individually, the opinion should remain anonymous.

Flash test - Users are shown the design for a few seconds and then asked to recall what they have seen. If the logo is mentioned, you can be sure it is prominent.

Have people representing the target audience test the website. You do not have to spend a lot of money on it, ask your mother/sister/friend.

Verify app (http://verifyapp.com/) free trial


TESTING

You should never send designs by email. How you present design and request feedback makes a huge difference to the comments you receive.

Think about how Steve Jobs announced new products. Before he revealed them he talked through their benefits and the process that went into their creation.

During the presentation do not avoid to mention some issues hoping the client won't bring them up - prevent them! (The size of logo is... Because...)


PRESENTATION

Asking a client ‘what they think’ of a design focusesthem on their personal opinion. Ask more specific questions:

? Do you believe the aesthetics will appeal to the target audience?? Does the website help the business achieve its objectives?? Will the target audience be able to easily complete their tasks?? Are the calls to action clearly visible and do they encourage action?


PRESENTATION

Break the process into stages that the client can understand and contribute to.

A client may reject a design because it displays thewrong content, visual hierarchy, layout and informationarchitecture can be cast aside because the client has aproblem with the colour. Present these components individually!

When you do present the design the client will reactdifferently because they have seen the separate elementsfirst. The final design will not come as a surprise and sotheir reaction will be more measured.


DESIGN METHODOLOGY

Don't let the client micromanage the design process.You design websites and you are an expert. Focus your clients on ‘problems’ and not ‘solutions.’


DEFINE ROLES

Give the client the freedom to contribute ideas anddon’t criticise their participation. Add ideas to a wishlist and introduce the idea of phased development.

Talking about phases makes it clear that a websiteis an ongoing commitment requiring regulardevelopment and investment.

Suggesting that an idea is implemented in phasetwo is a gentler way of saying that the idea is goodbut is not covered by the current contract.


PHASED DEVELOPMENT

● Swallow your pride - accept when client has good ideas

● Disagree with the client when you are sure of your position, explain the consequences

● Ask why (not solutions but problems, I want it pink, but why, because teenage girls will like it, why won't we use...)


DEALING WITH DISAGREEMENTS

● be positive● go the extra mile for your client● get excited about their ideas● frank and honest conversation


CRISIS

Business

Client centric web design