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WebDesign
& Review * Features_ * Robin
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Talking About Web Design_ * 2_* Robin, page 3
Robin: That's it. And it also helps
fine tune and educate the designer's eye in recognizing trends. Seeing how the others
do it also arms them with understanding about the market and the client's competitors.
Of course, you don't always want to recreate a style just because that's the way
everyone else does it.
Look at Google.com -- search sites are generally dreadful masses of ads and links
and too much information. Google skipped all that and displays just what we (users)
need and want--the search tool. And it is beautifully successful.
Whether you create a site to look like others in its genre depends on what your audience
expects and can deal with. You don't want your entertainment site to look like a
corporate banking site, obviously, and you don't want your corporate banking site
to look like an entertainment site. So you need to walk a thin line between audience
expectations and a unique look for your client.
But don't expect your audience to make too big of a leap. I'm always bringing up
the example of the dog food packaging years ago that won lots of design awards --
but it didn't sell the dog food. People expect a dog food package to look a certain
way, and when it looked like something you'd buy at Tiffany's, no one bought it.
Fred: [Laughing] Dog food from Tiffany's! Bet
the client loved it though!
Robin: Sure, until the supermarket sales fell
flat. Then, of course it's the designer's fault, right?
Fred: Yes! Which brings up another good point...
many designers write that they are working for a client whose web site isn't the
designer's idea of "cool" -- they're hung between designing for their client
while pleasing themselves -- yet also realize an obligation to represent the client's
message to the reader in the best possible light.
Robin: I've heard that many times too, Fred,
and I guarantee designers will save themselves lots of time and lots of aggravation
by finding out as much as possible about the client's tastes. Even if the client
says, "Oh, I don't know what I like and don't like--I trust your judgment."
Ha! Don't believe them.
It's not until you show your client a newly designed layout with a pale mint-green
background that she realizes she HATES mint green.
It's best to bookmark several sites in your client's genre ahead of time, then go
through those sites with your client. Have him point out features he likes and features
he hates, as well as colors, types of images, navigation styles, search features,
typefaces, type sizes, etc. This will be time well spent, believe me.
Also, send your client to http://www.VirtualLastChapter.com/forclients/. It is a
page of information specifically for clients that will help them learn how to work
with you, not against you.
| All Robin's link reverences are included at the end of the article |
Fred: But what about the typical insurance claims
client who keeps insisting the site should look like MTV?
Robin: [Laughing] The argument "This looks
better" just won't convince a client.
This dilemma can usually be solved by clearly explaining to the client *why* something
won't work or why another solution would be better -- this means the designer needs
to be able to put into words the reasons why.
One of the most important skills a designer can learn is how to express design concepts
in words. It's seldom that clients are so in love with an idea that they won't drop
it or alter it after *clear communication* from an experienced professional (which
you are, of course). For the rare client who just won't listen to reason even when
you provide a better solution, express your concern and give him what he wants. He's
paying for it.
***BUT*** also keep an open mind. It just might be possible that your client has
a good idea! (Really, it happens sometimes!) See if your client can put into words
why *their* concept would work for the site -- or show you an example. Perhaps they
know their market better than you do, or their idea is intrinsic to the communication
of the site, regardless of your opinion of what it "looks" like.
Fred: How true. But then we get readers
who ask: "How do I know what's good or bad, even if I don't particularly like
it?"
Robin: If the visual presentation of the site
follows the basic standards for not embarrasing itself or the designer (see Urls
Internet Cafe.com), then the other most important standard is usability (usability
is probably even more important than visual design, actually).
Steven Krug's book, Don't Make Me Think is the most understandable explanation
of exactly what makes a site usable or not, and I highly recommend every web designer
read it.
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