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So You Want to Be a Website Designer?
Building a website is much like building a train station.
You will be building a public space that will be used by people.
Some people will not be in a hurry and will take the time
to sip some coffee in one of the cafes and if you've done
your job, they'll browse the gift shop and make some purchases
before they catch their train. Your goal is to create a sense
of comfort for them so they'll want to hang around and browse.
But they don't intend to stay. This station is just a temporary
waylay while they wait for their train. They plan to go elsewhere
soon and will need clear directional signs posted where they
can find them easily.
You are providing a service. Pride will hold you back. Yes,
you are an artist. You have to be to create the beautiful
spaces the public enjoys. But at the heart of what you do,
you serve. You are a public servant. Your job is to make people
comfortable and give them what they need. The difference between
being an artist and being a designer is whom you serve. An
artist serves the self. Art is one-way communication of the
artist's interior. Design, however, serves others. Design
is useable art created for others. Art is created from a need
to express emotion or ideas. Design is much more practical,
created to be of service. If you want to be a website designer
you cannot become so attached to a concept that you are unwilling
to let it go. If it does not serve, it is useless.
And now there's another wrench in the works that often proves
to be your greatest obstacle. Your new train station will
be funded by someone who knows nothing about building people-friendly
spaces, yet they enter the project with some firm ideas on
what they want. Sometimes their demands conflict with proven
design principles. Perhaps they want a large statue of themselves
erected in front of the doors. They understand that it will
create a bottleneck at the entrance but the way they see it,
that's a benefit. People will have to brush past the statue
and notice it before they can come in. From the client's perspective
it's THEIR train station, built with THEIR money, and they
want people to know it and appreciate them. (Perhaps you see
the analogy to a splash page?) Oh, and they have a large photo
of their little niece whom they perceive to be adorable. That
should go on the site somewhere too, they instruct.
Now you are balancing:
- Needs of the public (function)
- Aesthetics (your art)
- Client demands (funding)
From the client's perspective you are working for them and
they expect you to do as you are told. But from a design perspective
you are serving the public and for the website to be a success,
you must build the website to serve public needs. What do
you do when these perspectives conflict?
It's an unfortunate fact that when you first start out as
a website designer, you're hungry. You have to pay the rent
and meet expenses. So, even though you know the website will
fail if the client's demands are implemented, you take the
job.
Take a deep breath and gather the facts.
Ask the client where the trains will go, what products or
services will be offered in the cafes and shops, and what
the budget is so you can decide what materials you can use
for function and aesthetics.
Comb the net for usability studies and target demographics
so you can have a clear understanding of what the public will
expect. Perform a marketing survey to find out what other
train stations are lacking, what elements of the bus station
and airport they like, and provide a write-in for suggestions.
Rough out the site mission statement and goals.
 Mission
Statement
Brainstorm some ideas then make some flowcharts (function)
and site drafts (aesthetics).
From all of the above, make at least three scenarios: One
design that meets the needs of the public, one that meets
the desires of the client, and one that is a workable blend
of the two. List the advantages and disadvantages of each
scenario and back your conclusions up with usability and demographic
data.
Now you have a logical, well thought out report that you
can present to the client. If you have done your job well,
presented the information in a professional manner, and the
client listens to the presentation objectively, you and the
client will arrive at the best solution. Usually the best
solution that makes everyone happy will be your third scenario
— a workable blend of public and client expectations.
That big statue has been moved inside to a large promenade,
surrounded by comfortable benches and lit with soft, natural
light from a domed skylight. People can choose to sit and
marvel at it or pass it by if they're in a hurry.
After hearing your well-thought out and supported presentation
your client should have developed some respect for you. In
fact, the client has agreed that including that big photo
of the niece will indeed increase page load time to an unacceptable
duration. You have successfully avoided telling the client
the kid is ugly and made her a functional issue. Most of the
time, facts can overcome emotional attachments if you present
the data in a dispassionate, professional manner. Be cool.
If you present the data passionately you will create a power
struggle. The client has the power and the client will win.
But you have the expertise and the cold hard facts. Business-people
respect facts and will listen to them if presented coolly
and professionally.
At this point it probably doesn't matter that you selected
marble for the floor but the client can only afford cement.
You found an inexpensive way to make the cement aesthetically
pleasing. It looks fine and most importantly, serves its function.
Take pride in the fact the project, considered as a whole,
will work and it is beautiful. When your station is finished
it will be flexible enough to serve rushed commuters, shoppers,
and those who linger to enjoy the ambiance. You have served
the public well. You highlighted the client's statue in a
dramatic and lovely way so it will be memorable. People will
associate it with this wonderful place and they will be back.
The client is happy and branding is effective.
I wish I could tell you that every project has a happy ending.
Sometimes the client is inflexible and you end up building
a website that is embarrassing to you and destined to fail.
All you can do is shrug and cash your paycheck. At least you
made the rent this month.
Sometimes workers at the station can't do their jobs properly
and the trains are always late. That's out of your hands.
Sometimes funding isn't enough to build what the public needs.
Do what you can, encourage the client to invest more when
funds allow, then let it go.
Sometimes subcontractors let you down — that guy that
laid the cement used too much sand in the mix and you have
to hire someone else to rip it up and lay a proper floor at
your own expense. This is a cautionary tale. If you hire a
subcontractor to do, say, the programming for the site and
they fail to perform, you are legally liable for their failure.
So if you hire a subcontractor make sure you have some money
of your own socked away to cover failure to perform.
I'm going to take a moment here to address the debate about
fees. Some say that when you are new you should charge rock-bottom
prices so that you can get work. Others say that if you charge
rock-bottom prices the client will not respect your input,
and you will set a precedent that will damage your reputation.
There is truth in both sides. In my opinion, it depends on
how hungry you are. It's a cold hard fact of survival —
you do what you have to do to eat. If that means taking a
job at reduced rates then do it. The important thing is to
get some work under your belt, not only to pay the rent but
for your portfolio. Once you get a few good, solid projects
in your portfolio and word begins to spread about the quality
of your work, you can start charging what you're worth.
In my opinion, rates should be comparable to reputation.
If you have no reputation yet, go ahead and charge less if
you need to. If you have a solid reputation and plenty of
business, charge more. And, let's face it, when you are new
you probably don't have the experience or expertise that warrant
a higher fee. Be patient, work hard, cling to your dream and
pursue it ravenously. Eventually you will build up your reputation
and increase your worth.
Once you have a solid reputation with plenty of business
rolling in you will be able to pick and choose your projects
and your clients. At this point you can screen clients. Before
you accept a job find out if they are flexible or inflexible,
and whether they are open to your recommendations or not.
If a client does not respect your expertise, drop them like
a hot potato and let them hire a newbie, like you used to
be.
Being a website designer is a tremendous challenge but, when
you see your first site up and "live" it's a fulfilling
rush. You have provided a valuable service to the public and
the client. Your art is up for the world to see and your clever
functionality is fun to use. You'll probably roll your mouse
over that javaScript navigation more than a few times, with
a twinkle in your eye. And at the same time, at the back of
your mind you'll be wanting more, hoping the next job will
come soon. Fulfillment and hope. Life is good.
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