The worst client ever?
The hardest client
The hardest client that we have worked for kept changing their
mind about how they wanted their site to look. They kept
changing their keywords and their content. They made my team
search for hours to find the perfect images, only to decide that
the images didn't quite feel quite right. The hardest project
that we have ever taken part in was our own site redesign. The
following is a guide to redesigning for your own web design
company.
Step one: Sit down with coffee and a mirror
The first step that I would advise is to sit down with a fresh
cup of coffee and a shaving mirror. Remember all those questions
that you ask prospective clients? Well look in the mirror and
ask yourself them. Even better, if you have a project planner
fill it out at the same time.
Step two: Forget who you are designing for
It might sound like an odd thing to write, but forget that you
are designing for yourself. Look at all the information that is
on the sheet of paper only. Look to see what the website goal
is; look to see if there are any colour scheme requests. Then
once you have thought about it and made all the notes that you
need, take a break.
Step three: Research and scribbling
Take the time to research, look for designs that you like, look
for colour patterns that work well together. Don't forget your
pencil and paper for sketching out ideas.
Step four: Actually using your computer
Fire up that graphic editing programme and start creating a
digital version of your design.
Step five: Code
Now we you can do what you were born to do - code.
Step six: Review
Next you need to take your new design to the masses to see which
they prefer more. Post on a forum, go to the local hip coffee
shop, your grandmas anywhere that isn't your office and ask
which they like more (after all, designers don't come to you to
get their website built, it's Joe public who does).
Step seven: Publish
So the guy with the goatee and sunglasses drinking a triple
espresso, "DextersLab172" and your grandma all preferred your
new design? In that case your mission is complete, upload your
new site to your server and feel happy that you survived the
redesign of your company site.
What not to do:
Think "oh I am a web designer, I will just throw something
together and hope it turns out nice" because believe me, you
will be back at the drawing board more times than you care to
remember. Good forward planning always triumphs over trial and
error.
Written by Paul Gray - Director of Net Studios