1stwebdesigner’s Life #5 – Sales Increase and Crap Site
Rochester OliveiraHello everyone :) Here we are again with a few more funny things to share.
First of all, I want to say that we’ll be improving this section and our funny content a lot, and the good part is that we won’t be limited to comic strips anymore (tip: how often are you pinning stuff?). Needless to say that after a whole week of working hard you deserve those funny moments.
Today our strips will talk about crazy clients ideas and a misunderstanding over wireframes.
I’m pretty sure you have been requested to do a crazy .gif or a malicious script. So how to deal with it?
And you remember that client who thought that those wireframes were the whole website, even after you explained that a wireframe is a concept validation tool?
Well, let’s laugh at this then!
Sales Increase
Crap Site
So, what would you do?
Annoying scripts… Are they forbidden?
Ok, in that case of the strip, it’s totally forbidden. But actually I can see good uses for scripts that at first look like a desperate attempt to get back to the web of the 90′s.
First you have to tell the client where you are allowed to use intrusive scripts, and truth be told, by default you aren’t.
And the big question is: when are they allowed?
It’s easy, dear Padawan. Only use them when intrusive scripts give user valuable information, or help them to use your stuff.
Let’s try a few examples:
- Replace scrollbar with your own good-looking arrow styles (thanks GMail!) – It’s ok when you have galleries, for instance. It’s not ok just to give your website a stylish look (because once wasn’t enough, THANKS Gmail!)
- Messages when user try to close window – It’s not ok just to give user a last chance to come back. Nobody but you likes this (but only on your own site, huh?). But it’s useful when you have unsaved data, like what WordPress does when you’re editing a post and accidentally hit close.
- Window resizing – It’s only allowed when your app needs its own defined space, and you should open a new window. Otherwise it’s pretty annoying when my 50 tab window gets resized.
- Window shaking – No excuses. Please, don’t do that.
Can you think of other annoying scripts that could be useful in some cases? Share with us :)
Wireframes are ugly
Sorry to say, but they are. And it’s not your fault, their purpose is just to quickly provide a proof of concept and save you time and resources by changing things before everything is done.
But clients don’t really get that, huh?
Well, my tip is, don’t ever try to make them look pretty. Actually, it’s better if you can do it with just paper, then the client won’t get confused thinking that it’s “the website”.
With your sketch in hand that actually looks like a sketch , it’ll be way easier to get clients attention to what is important at this point, look at where things should be, what is missing, if the work flow is good.
Do you have your own way to deal with this? How about sharing your secrets with us?
Big changes ahead!
As I said before, we’ll be reformulating our funny department, so stay tuned because we’ll make improvements soon :)
Oh, and if you have any comic ideas to share, or any other cool stuff you have in mind, just use the pretty field below!
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Max Bailey
Posted 46 days ago 16Great Article :)
Clients get on my nerves, even after you explain to them that it’s a wireframe, or some type of very general mockup, they think it’s the final product o.O I believe clients don’t know what’s best for their website, that’s why they are coming to professionals to do it for them, yet they make the most ridiculous suggestions xD
If you haven’t, I suggest reading this :)
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell
-Max
Noir
Posted 68 days ago 15I think the thing I hate the most is when a client comes saying “I want a very creative and original website, and I want to manage it, to add posts every day, to have a gallery where I can upload pictures, to add a big Facebook box in the index, to have a slider of my products that I can modify, etc…” And when you make an idea of the website in photoshop based on a WordPress pattern, the client arrives saying “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS! I TOLD YOU I WANTED SOMETHING CREATIVE! AND I DON’T WANT THAT MUCH INFORMATION!!” come on, I still don’t know what to do when they want to have entire manage of everything and they also want it to look very simple, atractive and original >_<
Vincent
Posted 77 days ago 7How about a comic strip about that friend who always talks about “our business” because you asked (and paid) him to help out while he’s looking for a new job. You know, the one who eventually starts telling everyone that he started your company and that it’s really his.
Now that would be a comic I’d love to show to this guy
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 8Hi Vicent,
Thanks for sharing your idea with us!
Actually 200% of the startups employees think that they have build the whole company, isn’t it? :)
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sim
Posted 79 days ago 6That was funny…
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 9Thanks sim!
That’s why where here :)
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Roberth
Posted 80 days ago 5sometimes it becomes very difficult when the client asks for something you know will not work and once started the project, if not achieved the desired performance, then blame the programmer or designer of the faults.
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 10Hi Roberth,
That’s why you should have non-refoundable deposits when you start a new project :) If client comes with crazy ideas, ask for extra or just dump it.
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Kiki
Posted 80 days ago 4I’ve had my share of clients that just don’t get wireframes. At one project, we initially sat down to talk through the desired contents and functionalities of the site, and I sketched out a sitemap, kust the pure tree of information. The client takes a look and says: «That looks nice, maybe if you can add a bit more colour to it … but yes, that’s great. Can you make a scan of this and send it to me? I’ll import it into MS Word and convert it to HTML then. Can you recommend any hosting services in the area?»
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 11Hi Kiki,
haha, I wish I knew this before to include it in the article!
Crazy client!
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John
Posted 81 days ago 3Hi,
Funny and useful thoughts at the same time, thank you. For other cool stuff I may suggest to take a look at creattor.com. There you can find many web designers/developers that share their work.
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 12Hi John,
Thanks! I’ll take a lot at it!
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rod rodriguez
Posted 81 days ago 2I once had the pleasure of working for an events marketing company and the “Sales Increase” strip is what made me decide it was not my cup of tea…
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 13Hi rod,
I’ve been there too, I know what you’re talking about ;)
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Tushar
Posted 81 days ago 1This is nice!
Especially I agree to the point mentioned – make wireframes on paper instead of finishing them too much! makes total sense & i personally always felt the same way!
Most of the times – the clients do not understand anything & its better not to widespread too many cards in front of such people.
Cheers :)
Rochester Oliveira
Posted 77 days ago 14Hi Tushar,
Thanks!
That’s really what works best for me, and if I see that after all client won’t get it anyway I just drop wireframes and go back to normal questions (like “should we put a slideshow at homepage?”)
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