The Monthly Newsletter for Web Professionals

Volume 7 Issue 05 - May 2005

Featured Article

Communicating with Clients

A language problem can create frustration on both sides of the table
By Mike Sturman
http://www.contentassociates.net

How many times have you wanted to reach out, grab the neck of the person for whom you are developing a Web site and throttle him or her? And how many times do you think your client has wanted to do the same to you?

The reason for all this potential violence is the inability to clearly communicate what the client wants and what the Web professional can produce.

And, since the customer is always right, Web professionals need to hone their client-communication skills.

Eric Holter, president of Newfangled Web Factory (http://www.newfangled.com/), makes the case for improved communication in his excellent e-book “Client vs. Developer Wars.” (Download PDF)

“I’ve heard developers complain about their clients, dismissively saying that, ‘they just don’t get it.’ However, I believe that of all the parties involved in a web project, it is the primary responsibility of the developer to help their clients to ‘get it.’ A web site is a technical system and it presents a complex information design puzzle. There are subtleties to web development that clients will not understand without careful explanation. The developer is primarily responsible for communicating the elements of interactivity, dynamic content, hypertext, information architecture, navigation systems, search engine dynamics, and browser compatibility.”

This communication problem exists because Web professionals use a language all their own, a language that changes almost daily. Web professionals, just like auto mechanics, doctors and politicians, must take that extra step to translate their unique lingo into words that everyday people can understand.

The first step on the road to clarity is to read over the many glossaries the Web has to offer. A number of links to various glossaries appear at the end of this story. The trick here is to find a glossary with which you are comfortable. Some glossaries are easier to understand than others, so take your time and find one that suits you.

Whenever you start using technical language and your client gives you that glazed-over look that says “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” think back to the last time you dealt with an electrician, dentist or exterminator. You probably had the same look on your face. So when you see that look, it’s time to stop, take a deep breath and start over. Remember: KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Once you get over the language barrier, then it’s time to find out what your client wants. Odds are he or she really doesn’t know what their future Web site should look like or what it should do.

Th.m. Hulsebosch, owner of Hulsebosch.TK (http://www.hulsebosch.org) in The Netherlands, has his own way of communicating with a new client.

“Usually when going for a meeting with clients I bring along a laptop with several Web pages filled with all kind of options,” he said. “This way I can bring a story or an idea directly to life for a customer without trying to explain what a ‘pop-up’ means, for example.”

Doug Burton, a Web Applications Developer for KMK Media (http://www.kmkmedia.com/) in Illinois, agrees.

“The main thing to do when dealing with a client that does not know what he/she wants is to establish yourself as the expert,” he said. “Remember the client is seeking your knowledge and skills to build an attractive and profitable Web presence. Too often clients micro manage the design process resulting in missed deadlines, poor design, and ultimately an unhappy customer.

“Establish trust by listening to their objectives and translating that into 2 or 3 solid design concepts. Move the client through the process until a concept is agreed upon, obtaining written signoff at every milestone.”

Holter puts the communication problem in perspective.

“From a developer’s perspective, the difficulty in communicating technical information non-technically can be intensely frustrating. Most developers are highly motivated to create web sites that are distinctive and effective. Yet miscommunication can result in drastic shifts in direction, changes to features and content, and rejection of designs. Developers often refer to this tendency as ‘feature creep.’ Feature creep changes a developer’s motive to excel to a motive to survive. A developer in this mode will generally criticize their client and blame them for all misunderstandings.”

Of course the best road to take is to avoid – or at least minimize – problems.

To do this, Hulsebosch suggests Web professionals examine the client’s operation.

“Take a personal look at the company or family you will be working for,” he said. “Stop by yourself. Look around, see the colors being used.”

Hulsebosch also has clients fill out a standard form on which they can indicate such things as color choice, whether the site will be public or private, how many pictures they expect to use and whether the site will use databases.

“When this form is completed, I get an idea of what my client wants,” he said.

Another way to tell what clients are after is to find out what existing sites they like not only as far as design, but usefulness as well.

Once Hulsebosch has gathered all this information, he prepares three different samples.

“I think this is the absolute basic of what I do to keep my costumers happy and satisfied,” he said. “It has worked for me so far.”

Resources

Client questionnaire - WebGraFx Corporation offers a questionnaire in seven relevant areas of Web development that can be given to clients to smooth the development process.
http://www.webgrafxcorp.com/client-documents/prospective-client-questionnaire.html

How a Core Relationship Strategy Can Help You Increase Profits
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/core-relationship-strategy

Designing For Clients Made Easy
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/designing-for-clients-made-easy

Glossaries

W3C Web Services Glossary
http://www.w3.org/TR/ws-gloss/

Xentica
http://www.xentica.com/glossary.aspx

Texas Elder Solutions
http://www.texaseldersolutions.com/glossary_terms.htm

ECommercePartners.net
http://www.ecommercepartners.net/glossary.cfm