One of the common reasons why a web developer does not meet the expectations of a business owner in creating a website design is the lack of communication. Discussing your thoughts on how you want your website to look like with your web designer along the web development process can be very difficult. Normally, a web designer would ask for a meeting and talk about the project. The problem that web designer and business owner often encounter in this phase which could cause failure of the whole project is the inability of both parties to meet in between and have one specific and the same goal for the project. You and the designer do not use the same language when talking about the details of a website instead they bore you in jargon and technical terms in web designing. Then you just keep on nodding and say, “yes”, “okay, I understand”, even if the truth is you did not understand a single thing in what they have told you.
So let me help you speak out your mind and get your ideas across to the web designer that you are working with.
Maybe you have got the smartest and right person to create your website. However, telling the web designer the layout design that you are thinking for your website can be a bit frustrating process. You will realize that putting the picture in your head to words is a very complicated task. And in most cases this is where dissatisfaction of business owner begins; because of their failure to explain completely what they want for the project they often end up getting a website that does not satisfy their desires and goals for the business. No matter how good and talented your web designer is if you will not say to him properly and in detail, his talent will be worthless in creating a website that fits your company needs.
You might have the idea of what content you want on the website but have no clue how to present it to the user. Or you might have idea of what content you want on the website, and you have the layout in your mind, but you don’t know how to put it as a web design. In both cases, you have to communicate your thoughts to the web designer. Give your web designer the freedom to create a design that will complement the website content that you have supplied him. You will then realize that elucidating to your web designer the nature of your website, the products or services that you are selling is much easier than telling him the temperature of the color scheme or the design you want for the header.
If you know a website that fits how you want your site to look like and feel like give it to your designer so he will have an idea of what you want. But don’t expect that they will copy the whole website for you. Give him as many examples of your ideal website, by doing so you are able to make him understand what the elements that you want to be include in your website without using a technical term. As the owner of the website, it is also imperative that you perform some research at this phase of development process.
Moreover, though you are the client and the one who is expected to talk all the time you must also learn when to stop and start listening to your designer. Whenever they talk and use technical terms, ask for their meaning and let them explain it to you. Never let a part of your conversation end without clarifying things out. Make sure that both of you understand each other. Also, a professional web developer because you want your website to look professional and you know that you couldn’t do it yourself. So believe your designer’s opinion when they tell you that your idea will not work for your website’s purpose. Do not try to tell them what to do; they might not know it all but they know web designing better than you do.