Web design is a very subjective field where changing tastes and expectations can strip the gears of a project and cause you – the designer or project manager – a whole heap of annoyance. If you’ve ever been faced with a client, who after approving a design, decides to change direction, you know what I’m talking about.

For web designers and developers, and especially project managers, this is a tough nut to crack. We work hard to create a design that not only gains the acceptance of the client, but also works for the target audiences and true users of the site. Oftentimes, in the midst of the project’s final stages, clients may desire to change a color or adjust the header or request alterations to the layout of content. This is a time consuming barrier to finishing the project, and frankly, many clients don’t know what they’re talking about.

Nevertheless, design redirection occurs, and we live with it, pushing on to find the light at the end of the tunnel. What we can do, however, is manage projects in a way that prevents and reduces the potential for design changes further down the road.

In this episode, I discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the iPad in web design and project management including enhancements to productivity and the downsides of a first generation device. Comments? Email me at podcast@clecompte.com.

I recently recorded a podcast that delved into the topic of difficult clients. Among the criteria I included to qualify a client as being difficult, I highlighted those who are overly critical of your work. However, I prefaced that criterion with the stipulation that the client must consistently hate ALL of your work.

Now, what do you do if a client doesn’t seem critical or difficult, and they truly do want to work with you, but they just don’t like your work?

It’s a tough question. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some clients on multiple projects where they approve nearly all my outputs except for that one outlier project in which nothing seems to look right in their eyes. So good clients–those who are fun to work with–can get stuck in a hate-everything mode, and unfortunately, the project will suffer as will your relationship with the client when communication becomes strained.

In this episode, I cover handling difficult clients and potential remedies to reduce the tension. Also, news, ramblings, and perhaps even an iPad (well, the iPad has already arrived, so I guess it’s now a fact).

As project managers, web designers, and freelancers, we deal with a multitude of issues, especially when it comes to content management systems. For me, most of the issues arise in WordPress as it’s my choice CMS for clients. The most serious of these issues is dealing with hacked client sites where either spam has been placed, or more detrimental, malware.

So as project managers, web designers, and freelancers, we must by default become quasi experts in security. No problem. It adds more fun to the challenge.

Combating security breaches should fall into two camps (which are obvious if you’re a long-time reader of this blog): proactive and reactive. Proactive is preventing the problem before it occurs while reactive is after the fact and how to perform damage control.

Well, I stuck with it and produced a second episode of Project Web last week. This one is a bit longer and probably more smooth around the edges, though I hope to improve the more of these I get under my belt. Anyway, the podcast is embedded below along with the show notes. Please subscribe on iTunes to get the latest episodes.

After endless listening of other podcasts, I’ve decided to take the plunge and try it out myself. The scope of the Project Web podcast is web design, project management, and freelancing — all things I think are interesting and worthy of a half hour monologue by yours truly. This first episode is rough around the edges, but as with most new undertakings, you have to practice to improve. I have a submission in with iTunes, so it should be available there shortly, but for the impatient (or bored), I’ve embedded it below. Enjoy.

Web designers, web developers, and project managers often find themselves in a situation where they must convey a complex or complicated subject to a client. This is where you need to hone in on your communication skills. Since most clients are relatively novice when it comes to the world of web creation, it requires a special attention to detail to ensure they fully understand the concepts you’re trying to communicate.

Getting the wrong message across can be detrimental to progress. Usually, when a client – or anyone for that matter – doesn’t comprehend a subject, they’ll make assumptions and draw incorrect mental maps. That incorrect interpretation can generate false expectations, or worse, dissatisfaction with the project’s progression.

Most of the articles I read about project and client management deal with the positive aspects of the relationship. They offer tips and remedies for making everything work perfectly, and they try to give guidance on making sure your projects are fulfilling. There’s nothing wrong with these articles, and in fact, I’ve authored more than a few of them. However, what about those projects that just flat-out suck? You know. The ones that eat up all your time and subject you to a client who is never satisfied with your work and never compromising on his or her attitude.

Those projects stink, and it’s okay to give up on them.

Milestones, to-dos, communication, deliverables. These are sometimes shouted out as the end-all solution to poor project management. However important these tools and methods are, they’re just tactics. What’s really needed to manage an effective web project is a plan and strategy.