Web Designer and/or Teacher?
We live in a world of ever changing technology. I am not referring to just the new stuff that is being created every day, but about old stuff re-inventing itself, or just releasing a new version.
How many times have we heard that what you buy is outdated the minute you leave the store, or drive off the car lot?
I am not judging whether this is right or wrong, I am just saying that we have created a society that always wants the latest and greatest. After all how many of us are driving around SUV’s that have never been off-road or hauled a single thing?
This presents a unique set of problems for a web designer, especially if you focus (like I do) on an established CMS (WordPress) with loads of free plugins. My clients invariably want the latest and greatest whether they need it or not. I find a great amount of my time is spent dealing with this problem, I have to first educate my clients on why they do not need all the bells and whistles before I can provide them with an effective web site.
Here are a couple of steps that I use to help me with my clients.
Spend the appropriate amount of time on discovery
Project discovery is the best asset that you will ever have. If you are not using this as part of your work flow you need to start immediately. If you are not familiar with Discovery, it is the art of interviewing your client before you ever take on the project. During this process you will want to ‘discover’ a few of these things.
- Goal/Vision
- Product
- Audience
When your client becomes enthralled with the latest gadget for their site, be sure to focus them on the entire goal of the site. What are they trying to accomplish? Does this ‘gadget’ fit into these goals? Is the target audience going to use it?
Technical Know How
You are going to want to know a bit about your client. Like are they technically savvy? Or do they still use VCR’s that flash 12 o’clock at home? Remember as Web Developer we have a bit more know how when it comes to technical things. I have had many clients that need an inordinate amount of time spent with them, just to learn a few basic things like logging into a CMS or creating a post in WordPress. These clients are definitely going to struggle when it comes to some of the more advanced uses that WordPress can do. It is our job to make sure they are only using the tools they need and are not overwhelmed with settings they don’t need or want.
Summary
Your clients are going to be bombarded with technical jargon daily, it is only natural that they will believe some of the hype and want to stay on top of the technology game. While I tend to try and discourage my clients from taking on too much, I also try to remind myself that I am in the customer relationship business and in the end the client will be happier if you give them what they want. One of the ways I try to meld the two trains of thought, is to sell my clients on a maintenance package where I can take care of the technical stuff and they can concentrate on running their businesses. That way we are both satisfied with the results. What do you do for you clients?
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