My experience in web design and development have taught me that the most important step in developing and/or designing a  successful web site  does not involve codes or computers. In fact, it does not even involve computer technology. However, it does require good listening and communication skills.

The most important step in designing a successful website is the process where the designer or developer sits down with the prospective client (web owner) to understand his or her exact needs and wants. This is what some my call the “Discovery Stage.”

During my college days, my Computer Science professor often says an old adage in computer programming GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT.  In a short explanation, this means that if you started with a bad input then expect bad output as well.

This also rings true to web development. If a developer fails to understand what the client want or need for his or her site then the web site will actually lose its value. Sure, the developer may reconstruct it or redesign it to bring the site to what is originally intended by the site owner, but during this process the developer would have wasted much time and resources.

So what should a web developer do to determine the exact wants and needs of his or her prospective client?

1. Schedule a meeting with the client, face-to-face if possible. The objective of this meeting to extract information on what the client wants for his/her web site. This is no longer the stage where you need to impress or sell your self to the client. This meeting is all about communication. And by communication this is about more listening and less talk.
2. Meet the client somewhere else. In some scenarios, meeting the client in a coffee shop is better than meeting in their office. This can give you the advantage of having the client talk more loosely.
3. Bring a pad paper and leave the laptop at home. Since you are not selling or impressing, I suppose any powerpoint presentation is no longer needed. Therefore, a pad paper is more convenient in taking down notes than typing in your laptop while you listen to your client.
4. Have a list of questions ready. When meeting the client you should ask a lot of questions about his or her business (even if you already the answer to this). Some questions you may wan to ask your clients can be:
   • What is the nature and industry of the business?
   • What are their top products and/or services?
   • What is the goal of the website?
   • Do they have a target audience for their products? Website?
   • Who are their competitors? Do they have a website?
   This is just an initial list of questions, depending on the scenario, you should be able to come up with more questions that should give you more information that you can work with in designing your client’s site.
5. Do not use tech jargon. Also, at this point do not do not talk about specific design concerns such as fluid or fixed layout or xhtml markup concerns. Unless your client is also into Web Design then I don’t think your message can get through.

Once you have gathered enough information about the client’s business (or so you think, you need to validate this by restating what you just have heard from him and ask if you correctly understands what he or she have just told you.), then you can now start the actual site design conceptualization with a better confidence that what you’re going to build reflects the client’s EXACT WANTS and NEEDS and not yours.

Comments (3)

1 Wednesday, 16 July 2008 18:11

the success

Thanks to add your site in mine for EXCHANGE LINK TRADE
I hope you don't mind to add my site as link in your blog roll

Thanks

THE SUCCESS
http://the-success.blogspot.com

2 Wednesday, 16 July 2008 19:38

Beau71

I have been a webmaster since 1999, and this has caused so many headaches. Nothing is worse than delivering a website that isn't wanted. I love the picture, I had to download it and set it as my desktop background!!

3 Wednesday, 16 July 2008 23:47

John Eric Ferrer

@Beau71, the article was inspired by my share of those types of headaches. I do hope this article can help other developers as well. BTW, the images were not exactly mine, I got it from a friend who told me that he took it from the internet and can't forget the URL. Now, I'm thinking of taking it down since I cannot exactly give credit on who the original author is.

@success, I am still finalizing my blogroll but will surely add you once I publish it up!

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