Forum Moderators: phranque
Doing a redesign for a clients website and come to a stumbling block in regards to what the header should look like.
The old design looks dated, and a bit cheesy. It was done by me and at the time i was pleased with it (what an idiot i was lol)...ive been meaning to get round a redesign for a while and done it, the client says he feels the site needs to be redesigned, but yet at the same time wanted some small text changes, including bright yellow instructions on how to navigate the site (all 4 pages of it)...Now, the redesign should solve the original problem, bigger and more obvious menu, but yet the client still wants the navigation instructions. And the new header fits in to the more brighter cleaner site colours.
*warning, sarcasm ahead..see if you can spot it ;) *
The old header is dark, uses a font which doesnt fit the design (or any design i think), used alot of bevel/emboss, outer glow and even the good old lens flare filter, all those wonderful tacky photoshop effects that everyone just loves ;)
Ok..sarcasm over now.
Now, I dont want to be seen ignoring the client, but then again, I dont want to tell him he's wrong, and I also dont really want to use the old banner as its crap.
Any tips on how to talk to these kinda clients and what to do with the design? (I realise its tricky without seeing it though). Would you do a compromise and incorporate both designs into the new one? (thats the way im thinking at the moment) or just ignore the client and say, you know more than them about web design, and what they like doesnt mean everyone else will like it.
Any comments appreciated :)
Express (delicately) that if you need to provide instructions on how to navigate the site, something is fundamentally wrong with the navigation. You shouldn't have to waste real estate on "click here" or "here's how to use our site." These are things put on sites when the owner has no clue as to what they want to say.
The trickiest part is to get something across: these are all things YOU want, but I am telling you this is not going to be what your VISITORS want. You may think you know, but you don't. This is extremely thin ice, and requires probably more finessé than a marriage proposal. With some people, you just can't do it at all.
At every point, base your argument on something concrete. I had a "designer" look at one of my sites last week, asked what they thought, they said, "well, I'd restructure the navigation and the graphics have a lot to be desired." I asked one simple question: "In what way?" They didn't have a concrete answer. Their response was what I call "fishing", vague references to "better colors" and "higher quality." Trust: zero.
If you do all this and they hold stolid to their ideas (I know my customers, I know what I want, you work for me, I have the power, do what I say) there is only one solution.
Do what they ask, remove it from your portfolio, and wish them well. Some people simply cannot be swayed. I have hundreds of these . . . I feel bad for every one of them, but they won't let me help them.
:)
Try to get the client to think like a visitor, but a visitor not to his site, but to another site. It does not have to be the site in the same niche, in fact, it is better if the example is from a completely different niche so his mind is not influenced by the niche. Then ask him - think on what you do when you surf for <whatever>. If you come to a site, would you bother to read the instructions on how to use it?
Of course, do not put this so bluntly as I wrote above - it needs delicate handling !
<added>
Another way is to make a mockup of both designs, one with what he wants and the other you think is better and show him. I found out that some clients have problem visualising what is described to them and can only get the point when it is put in front of them in "black and white".
</added>
[webmasterworld.com...]
jecasc - I have seen that webpage before (the one inside the topic) and I loved it. So true to life...
Will see how it goes.
