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.

Most designs are not officially approved

In my experience with clients, a good majority of design work is never officially approved or signed off on. Sure, there’s a general consensus that the chosen design will be used, but the client doesn’t explicitly say, “This is the final design we’re going to use.” Unfortunately, without this finality in the design decision, the selected concept can sometimes float around the heads of stakeholders well after the impromptu consensus was reached, thus enabling a sense that changes can still be requested.

Instead of aiming for a general consensus, get the client to affirm that they approve of the design without any additional major modifications. Minor changes are obviously going to happen, but anything that will require immense time to amend, such as colors and layout, should be addressed before the design is approved.

Some people may even want to think about having the client sign an official form of acceptance on the design – for me, though, this is too formal, and likely to frighten the client. Verbal or written approval of the design is usually enough, and the client should know that major changes down the road will be difficult and may incur costs.

Spend more time on planning, less on building

Over the past couple of years, and especially the last few months, I’ve shifted my primary focus from the actual design and development work of a project to the planning. This is where I pour most of my energy – my quality time – and really coordinate with the client to determine exactly how the new website needs to look, act and work.

In the past, a former, more impatient version of myself could be seen jumping straight into the design and development of a new site, without consideration of whether or not it would all line up in the end. In most cases, the project did not line up, and I found myself doing patchwork on the design at the client’s request and running into multitudes of development problems because of poorly conceived decisions.

What sort of planning activities should you focus on? Site navigation, wireframes, target user profiles and marketing alignment are some of the more important areas. Site navigation and wireframing deals with the structure and layout of the new website, while user profiling and marketing alignment are more geared toward ensuring the site’s design is compatible and effective with the end user.

Work in smaller iterations

As I mentioned already, design is one of the toughest jobs out there. It’s subjective, hard to quantify and can be thrown into wild disarray based on the unique perceptions of others. There is no hard science behind it – no right or wrong answer – and the moment of truth is delivered during the unveiling of a fresh new mock-up or prototype.

Will the client like it? Will they want to change anything? Will I have to start all over?

If these questions run through your mind, you’re doing something wrong. While design is of course subjective, it doesn’t have to come down to a love it or hate it situation. Rather, through smart planning and bite-sized samples, you can feed design concepts to clients without throwing the whole pie in their face.

Here’s a practical application. Once you’ve met with the client and have established color schemes, marketing angles, user personas and any of that other good stuff, you should then think about producing a wireframe. Share that wireframe with the client and get their definitive feedback. Next, find examples of other sites out there that might be in alignment with the desired design parameters, or if you’re adventurous, go with a mood board. The client will toss around a few ideas, and you’ll have a pretty solid idea of a design concept at this point. When you finally do start designing, you’ll feel comfortable and confident, and you’ll produce an initial iteration of a homepage or subpage that is likely to be accepted. Don’t spend immense amounts of time tweaking the finer points of the iteration – just get the concept laid out, and then communicate with the client.

Notice in that example how much client interaction and feedback is involved? Lack of confidence is one of the biggest causes of the love it or hate it situation, and what leads to this lack of confidence is a failure to understand the client. Once you understand the client and feed them real ideas early on, you’ll find the confidence barrier gone and greater success in getting even your very first iterations accepted.

Change is not a bad thing. But change in the middle of a project can be disastrous. Avoid it by getting design sign off, planning and working more closely with the client during the initial design phase.

Then again, that’s part of the game and what makes project and client relationship management such a diverse and interesting field. Each day throws a new rock at you. You just need to be sure you can catch it.

What kind of skills does it take to make an effective web design project manager? I asked myself this and came up with six definitive qualities. I don’t think you need to master each one, but it doesn’t hurt to be constantly sharpening and refining these skills.

Communication

Being able to communicate effectively is probably the most important quality of a strong project manager. Usually, there are multiple stakeholders that you must coordinate with, and each of those stakeholders has their own communication preferences.

Here are some tips on exercising your communication abilities.

• When beginning a new project, identify all of the stakeholders and then make notations on how each one prefers to communicate. One may prefer to be kept up-to-date daily via email while another may be more lax and perhaps call or email once every couple of days.
• Spend time observing people, their personalities and how they communicate. If you know any master communicators, try to observe their skills in action. People with different personalities communicate differently. A Type A person will be all over the wall while a Type B person might seem more reasonable.
• Practice active listening. Active listening is a form of conversation that allows you to really engage in what the other person is saying. One method is to use a statement said by the other party and form it into a question. For example, if your client is on the phone and says, “I think our users are getting confused over the navigation menu,” you could reply with something like, “So you think the structure of the navigation menu is difficult for users?” This will show that you’re engage and it will allow you to really dig deep into what the other person is saying. Of course, don’t ask questions as if you were an interrogator, but ask enough to make sure you aren’t going off performing tasks that are not aligned with the client’s expectations.
• Constantly practice all forms of communication. If you’re an email junkie, practice making phone calls, and vice versa if you’re a phone addict. Hold an occasional meeting as well, as that’s the most effective form of communication.

Organization

Projects are a mess of milestones, expectations, plans, ideas, people and messages. It’s the job of the project manager to organize this mess into a cohesive, well-oiled machine that can get the job done. Poorly organized projects are always a source of misery especially when no one has any idea what’s going on.

Here are some tips on becoming a better organizer.

• Implement systems and procedures to help automate as much as possible. This could be in the simple form of a checklist or it could require a complex series of software that help manage the workflow of the project. The key is automation and accountability.
• Constantly evaluate your own methodologies. Figure out what is and isn’t working. Is there a certain activity that takes too long or becomes too cluttered? Review options to alleviate that pain point.
• Make sure you get buy-in from all of your stakeholders, partners, co-workers, subcontractors and subordinates. If you throw a system at them that they aren’t familiar with or willing to use, you’re going to have problems keeping the project organized.
• Research project management software and tools that can help you keep milestones, goals and communication on track.

Planning

What’s a project without a plan? A project plan, even if just a mental picture, is essential in establishing a desired outcome. Without a plan all you really have is an undefined job that needs to get done in an undefined amount of time. Chances are, that project will never get done.

A project plan doesn’t necessarily need to be a lengthy document with charts and situation analyses. Instead, a project plan just needs to get you to the point where you can clearly identify milestones, responsibilities and tasks, and communicate that in an effective fashion to the stakeholders involved.

Here are some tips on flexing your project planning muscle.

• Get in the habit of completing scopes of work. A scope of work is a pre-project document that outlines what needs to be done and provides some specific recommendations. If you’re a good salesperson, you can convince your client that this is worth paying for. Otherwise, I would still recommend completing one at least for more complex projects to make sure you and the stakeholders understand the requirements of the project.
• Practice using software to setup and track milestones and to-do items. You may be good in the setting up part, but you might need to really practice the tracking part. If even just one milestone gets off track, it can derail the project. Get on people’s cases if you have to, but practice getting milestones done on time.
• Communicate directly with new clients and ask them specifically what they envision as the perfect project. This isn’t something that needs to be shrouded in mystery and your client will likely have some excellent feedback.
• Learn how to be adaptable by developing contingency plans or options. No project is ever going to be perfect, but you should at least have some options on the table for when things start to go awry.

Networking

Projects are about people. Communicating, delegating and outsourcing all involve a human element. While your in-house network is probably strong (since you’re likely a freelancer or small business), it’s the outside connections that matter most. Where do you go if you need an experienced programmer you can trust? Or, what if you need assistance with administrative duties? Exercise your networking skills to build a group of people you can fall back on when the workload exceeds your abilities.

Here are some tips on getting your network in order.

• Start soliciting resumes of freelancers with complementary skills. Are you a designer? Find some good developers. Craigslist is a great place to begin.
• Use your social media networks to fish for some prospective freelancers. Twitter and LinkedIn have worked in the past connecting people.
• Develop a document that specifically outlines what skills you need. You can use this as a cheat sheet to qualify people for your network.
• Familiarize those within your network as much as needed with your systems and methodologies. It may hurt at first, but it will hurt even more if people within your network are utilizing incompatible methods.

Negotiation

Negotiation is a tough nugget to crack. There are many theories on how to approach different situations, and in the end, your situation always seems to be the unique case. Regardless, being able to negotiate with a variety of people is a valuable skill. Whether it’s fleshing out the details of a proposal or settling on a service charge with a vendor, negotiation can save you time and money.

Here are some tips on practicing these essential skills.

• Negotiate everything. Even if it’s a small transaction, put on your bargaining hat and see how flexible people can become. This will help soften your nerves for the larger deals.
• Like good communication, practice active listening. If someone won’t budge on a project detail, get to the root of the issue. Many times, we’re so afraid of offending someone or losing a project that we don’t thoroughly understand the other party’s need.
• Find out what’s important to the other party. What is their end goal? You can use this knowledge to make sure your negotiating tactics line up with this goal.
• Determine what issues you’ll take a stand on. Sometimes the best option is to end negotiations; however, you need to know what your fallback level is so that you don’t end up losing much, if anything.

Leadership

There are endless types of leaders. Some are good and some can be really bad. Project leadership is essential in not only determining the direction of a project, but leading the way as well. Sometimes you have to crack heads to get things done and other times you need to know when to be compassionate. In any case, the leadership style you choose to take on should fit with your personality and it should benefit the outcome of the project.

Here are some tips on becoming a better leader.

• Determine what kind of leader you want to be. Are you going to micromanage or give people a wide berth? There’s no one correct way, but you should always stick to your principles while knowing when to be flexible.
• Always let clients and stakeholders know that you’re leading the project. They want to know who’s in charge and you need to step up to the plate.
• Embrace conflict. Some people wither away when potential conflict nears, but you should take it head on and exercise leadership skills to manage it. You may fail, but you’ll never fail at learning something new for future projects.

The skills don’t stop there. Hopefully, these can serve as a beginning foundation to build on. The one thing I’ve noticed that is most demanding of project managers is flexibility and adaptability. Always be willing to accept new ways and methods, and do the occasional check on yourself to make sure you’re always optimizing.

The problem goes from bad to worse when we reach the end of the project only to realize there isn’t any good content. This is the content crunch and it can delay your projects indefinitely.

How can you avoid the content crunch? Below I’ve outlined some simple and effective tips to stop this problem dead in its tracks before it brings the project down.

Anticipate the need

The most effective way to deal with copywriting issues is to address the need before you sign onto the project. In meeting with clients, I always try to discover what their current content inventory looks like. If it doesn’t look very good, I try to get a feel for how the prospect wants to deal with content.

Some prospects will commit to developing content on their own while others will request that you or someone else do it. Make sure it is known whether or not this is part of your offering.

Team up with a good copywriter

Copywriting is a tough business. In order to write powerful copy you need to have a thorough understanding what you’re writing about. And of course, you need to be a good writer.

Really talented copywriters are hard to find. I’ve dealt with both the bad and the good. My recommendation is to try out a few and then narrow it down to the best. Use this copywriter on an ongoing basis until you’re comfortable enough to offer them as part of your services for clients in need of content.

Know what you have to work with

After onboarding clients into the project, I try to get a feel for the resources I have access to. Is there a marketing department within the client organization? Are there marketing brochures or sales presentations? Ask your client what kind of resources are available and then help them brainstorm how to use these resources to generate content.

Involve the client in the planning phase

When creating the wireframes, site maps, content inventories, user profiles and so forth, make sure to welcome the client’s participation. By involving them in this critical planning phase, the client will be able to get a better grasp on the extent of the project.

Many times, in completing a final site map, my clients will realize just how much content is going to be involved. This then enters the discussion and we can start talking about solutions. The key is to get the client to recognize the need for content. You don’t want to be left at the end of the project with no good content to show.

Use milestones to help remind clients of their content obligations

If a client chooses to complete content on their own, they’ll oftentimes need a gentle reminder to do it. One way to accomplish this is to set early milestones for the client. These milestones could be related to sections of the site or pieces of specific content.

Regardless, by setting up milestones, you give the client ownership over that part of the project. If you’re using good project management software, the client can even receive email reminders that their milestone is coming up to its due date or that it’s already due. This can help nudge the client into action.

Use what you have and expand later

If you’re in a real crunch situation and the new content just isn’t there, use what you do have and expand on it later. For example, if the client has an old site, use the content from there and hide any sections that have no content.

The reason to do this is because some clients will just never give you content during the project lifecycle. It’s only after the web site has launched that they’ll realize they need new content. Since you don’t want the project to drag on forever, get as much of the site up as possible and help the client to understand what needs to happen with the content.

And as a side note, don’t launch anything that is shoddy. If you think launching the site without all of the content in place will make the client look bad, don’t launch the site.

Give clients early access to the content management system

During the course of most of my projects, I’ll hold off on giving the client access to the content management system until the end. However, it may be a good idea to give certain clients early access if you think it will help them to better formulate the necessary content.

Some people are just incapable of sitting down with Microsoft Word to type out web content. They need to edit it in web form to see what it looks like on the site. This is understandable and may be something you want to confront the client with if you’re having trouble getting content.

Be a resource

Most of the time, the client will not use you or your copywriter to get content done. This is workable, but it shouldn’t preclude you from being a resource to the client on content matters. If the client starts sending you really bad content, give them some tips on how they can revise it to be more appropriate for the internet. Writing web copy is not easy. For example, the client might be writing huge blocks of text. One tip would be to break up those blocks of text into a more digestible list format.

What about you?

We all have encountered the content crunch. How have you approached it? Leave a comment and let me know.

For example, how specific should we get with the milestones? If we get too specific, we risk breaking the project down into a chaotic mess of little chunks. However, if we aren’t specific enough, the deliverables become unknown and nothing gets done.

Finding the right balance is key. It takes practice and persistence, and it demands a lot of discipline from the designer or project manager. Milestones also vary from project to project. Larger projects require more milestones while smaller projects may only need a handful.

In my experience with many small, mid-sized and large projects, I’ve created a base list of milestones that I typically work with and adjust for my projects.

The first step is to think of a project in three large parts. The first part is what I call “pre-heavy lifting.” During this phase, the client needs to become acquainted to your project management style and systems, collateral should be collected and analyzed, research must be conducted, and some initial wireframing and site mapping should begin.

The second phase is where the heavy lifting begins. Initial mock-ups will be created and finalized, coding is completed, the content management system is setup, and an initial prototype of the site is furnished.

The final phase of the project cycle occurs after the heavy lifting has been completed. Using a final prototype of the site, you will need to conduct compatibility and error checking tests, and integrate any final client change requests. The site should then be launch-ready and afterwards will need to be reviewed once again.

Now that you have a clearer understanding of the three project phases, let’s take a closer look at the types of milestones that make it all happen.

The Pre-Heavy Lifting Phase Milestones

Don’t design anything and don’t code anything. As the first phase, you should concentrate on getting to know your client and the project at hand. Here are the typical milestones I use to keep me on track.

• Project Setup: The project has been setup in relevant systems (e.g. Basecamp, Harvest) and is ready for client interaction.
• Client Onboarded: The client has been contacted about the project procedure and given access to the project management system (in my case, Basecamp). Sometimes I’ll have the client complete a quick survey so that I can gather more details about their vision.
• Collateral Collected: All essential marketing and creative collateral has been collected from the client. Collateral can include logos, graphics, brochures, literature and other marketing copy.
• Site Map Complete: An inventory of any existing content has been created and the site map for the new site finalized. Furthermore, the client has reviewed and approved the site map.
• Wireframes Approved: Wireframes have been completed for at least the homepage and a single subpage, and the client has reviewed and approved them.

The Heavy Lifting Phase Milestones

This is my favorite part of the project. Once you have a firm grasp on the project and a vision of its completion, you can get to work.

• Initial Mock-ups Created: The first mock-ups for at least the homepage and a single subpage have been designed and shown to the client.
• Final Mock-ups Created: Based on client feedback, the mock-ups have been finalized and accepted.
• Site Shells Created: A site shell is what I call a static page that has been coded from the design. This is completed when all of the HTML, CSS and JavaScript has been written and checked for errors.
• Content Management System Setup: Server space has been partitioned and the CMS of choice (e.g. WordPress or ExpressionEngine) has been installed and configured.
• Initial Prototype Developed: The site shells have been integrated with the CMS and all of the content pages have been setup.
• Content Delivered: The content needed for the web site has been finalized and received from either the client or a copywriter, and is ready for insertion.
• Final Prototype Available: A working prototype of the web site complete with content has been finalized and is ready for client review.

The Post-Heavy Lifting Phase Milestones

Once you reach this phase of the project, you’re in the home stretch. All of the hard work is done and all that’s left are finalizations and launch procedures.

• Client Review Completed: The client has thoroughly reviewed the final prototype and has provided you with a list of changes to complete before launch.
• Client Changes Addressed: The changes provided by the client have either been addressed or completed to the client’s satisfaction.
• Site Compatibility Confirmed: The prototype has been confirmed to work with all major browsers and operating systems. Any problems have been fixed or resolved.
• Pre-Launch Review Completed: A review for any lingering errors and problems has been done and the site has been cleared for launch.
• Site Launched: All actions needed to launch the site have been completed and it is working properly on the domain name.
• Post-Launch Review Completed: An additional review for errors and problems has been completed and any necessary fixes applied.
• Client Training Conducted: Training necessary for the client to properly update their site via the CMS has been completed.

Milestones are just the Beginning

There are two areas I didn’t cover in this post that I consider vital to a project’s success: timelines and to-do lists. As you hammer out solid milestones, they need to be reinforced with timelines that are realistic and doable. Many projects assign insanely short and impossible timeframes that only hamper the project and throw it into chaos. To-do lists may seem somewhat elementary at first, but they’re essential for breaking down milestones into easier, more workable chunks.

Milestones are dependent on both of these areas, which is why I’ll be dedicating future posts to cover them.

In the meantime, I’d be interested to hear about some of the other milestone techniques out there. How do you organize and manage your project milestones? Do you even use milestones? Leave a comment and let me know!

Wrong. I discovered through a series of poor projects that accepting everything is not a profitable strategy. I began to understand and value the concept of opportunity cost. Let’s say I’m working on a low paying project that, while bringing in some money, eats up all my time and leaves me exhausted at the end of the day. What else could I have done with my time? Could I have worked on a more rewarding project? Or perhaps hunted for more profitable business? I will never know.

This is not a foreign concept to most veteran designers. As you grow, you must become more selective about how you spend your time. But how can you screen potential projects to eliminate the problem ones as quickly as possible?

I’ve developed a set of internal heuristics that I run each new project through as a test. Keep in mind that sometimes a project with a small budget or a client with a demeaning attitude is not necessarily a deal breaker. You have to use your judgment and analyze your own opportunity cost. What else could you be working on?

When writing this post, I realized that most clients are actually good and that you should maintain a positive outlook in your project screening process. With that thought, I decided to amend my post to include a way to think positively about each warning sign.

1. They have a “small” budget

The most obvious warning sign. Anyone who declares outright that their budget is “small” or “limited” is a person without real conviction to a solid web project. Maybe they really don’t have the money. Unfortunately, your time is valuable and must be compensated fairly.

Think positive: Are they a non-profit? Is there a reason why they can’t afford an extravagant web presence? Some organizations with a good or interesting cause might be worth reaching out to. Perhaps you can arrange a trade of services or a sponsorship. Sponsoring non-profits and donating time can be an incredible way of attracting new business (people like people who give).

2. They’re price shopping

They claim you’re one of three companies they’re looking at for a quote. They waste your time with numerous emails and questions when in reality they’re just fishing for prices. This is a classic budget shopper who will drain you for everything you have.

Think positive: Perhaps there’s something you can do to help you stand out from the rest. Suggest unique solutions to the client and help them understand your mode of thinking. The client may actually be stuck making a tough decision between several local firms. Help convince them that you’re the right choice.

3. They require spec work

This is the most outrageous warning sign that every designer has encountered. A prospect who demands a mock-up or design to be submitted with a proposal is a prospect not worth dealing with. They essentially want you to work for the job, which can be extremely risky and time consuming. Your portfolio should speak for itself.

Think positive: Does the prospect understand what they’re asking for? Try explaining that they’re essentially asking you to work for free. Compare this to the prospect’s line of work. Would they ever submit work without a guarantee of getting paid? This might help them to rethink their proposal requirements.

4. They want to establish sort of ownership deal

Thanks to the dot com bubble, people seem to have left that mess with the thought that ownership equates to value. If you’re approached by someone who has no money but the next “killer” idea, be cautious. They’ll want you to work for a percentage of ownership. If you accept, you’ll waste the next six months of your life working toward a pipe dream.

Think positive: What can I say? There really is nothing positive about this. In fact, I would advise anyone to avoid these propositions at all costs. However, should someone you know very well approach you with this scenario, it may be worth your attention to at least see what the opportunity is.

5. They’re hard to get a hold of

If you’re trying to work out a proposal or deal for someone who doesn’t answer questions or never gets back to you, this is a sign of their behavior during the project. This is the exact behavior that causes projects to drag on forever and eat into your valuable time as you try to spur the client into action.

Think positive: Analyze your own communication method. Are you emailing someone who clearly is more receptive to a phone call? If so, pick up the phone. People can become hard to reach if you’re not using the proper channel.

6. They’re rude or inconsiderate

You pick up the phone to speak with a new prospect and they bark commands at you. Or, you receive an email littered with curt and arrogant statements. No one wants to put up with that, especially during a prolonged project period.

Think positive: Is there a reason why they’re treating you in this fashion? They could have had a bad day or perhaps they aren’t adept at using a certain communication method. For the prospect who writes seemingly offensive emails, try giving them a call. They might be the nicest person in the world who’s just absent-minded when it comes to email.

7. They want you to rip off some other site

I’ve learned that some people will become overly fixated on the design of another site and will outright ask you to copy it. Not only is this wrong, it should be completely avoided. You can’t include it in your portfolio and you might even get into copyright infringement territory.

Think positive: Explain the consequences of copying another site to the client. They might not realize that other people will notice. Most people want to avoid embarrassing situations; help the prospect to do that. Furthermore, try to identify what parts of the design the prospect liked and assure them of your skills.

8. They need the site done in a week

We’ve all heard this one before. They need a super extraordinary web site built in less than a week and they need you working on it around the clock. Avoid.

Think positive: Do they have the dollars to back up this extreme time condition? If they’re willing to pay for expedition, it might be worth it. Otherwise, explain that the timeframe is not feasible under their budget constraints.

9. They have multiple hoops to jump through

Do some proposal processes seem like a circus show with you jumping through all the hoops? This test of will can be very time intense and draining. There might be committees to weave through, multiple layers of bureaucracy or numerous channels of acceptance to reach.

Think positive: Is the pay off worth the show you have to put on? Many of the bigger web design deals go through an extended proposal process since it’s usually for a larger organization. Keep your head up and work through the muck if you think you have a good shot.

10. They keep picking apart your proposal

The proposal nitpickers will literally highlight every nook and cranny of your proposal and ask questions ad nauseam. These prospects are a concern because their nitpicky behavior is indicative of how they’ll act during the project.

Think positive: Take an honest look at your proposal. Is it too vague or undefined? Are the questions and nitpicks valid? Just because the prospect is shooting holes all over your proposal doesn’t mean they’ll turn out to be a bad client. They might just want to protect themselves.

11. They want you to buy a template

Templates are everywhere on the web. They are so easy to obtain that some prospects will pick out a design and ask you to adapt it to their organization. I think this is sort of like what tracing is to art. You might end up with something that looks good, but you didn’t really create it. Templates also have a tendency to ooze of that cookie-cutter feel.

Think positive: If the prospect is adamant about using a template, then make sure the compensation is enough to justify the project. Remember, you probably won’t be able to use this project as an example for other prospects since you’ll just be tweaking an existing design. These projects can also be nice fillers between more intense projects.

12. They have no content or marketing materials

These prospects literally have nothing about their company in writing. No web copy, very little brochure copy and nothing in the works. They might think you can adapt their tiny brochure to the web, but we all know that doesn’t work. Getting content out of them will be a hassle and the project will drag on forever.

Think positive: This is a great opportunity to hook up with a copywriter to extend those services to the prospect. In all likelihood, the prospect doesn’t understand the importance of good web copy. Help them to realize its importance and build copywriting into the proposal (or provide a separate quote from a copywriter you trust).

13. They keep getting cold feet

Have you ever had a prospect one pen motion away from closing a deal only to have them back out? They get cold feet because they’re questioning their own decisions. It’s hard to get anything done because their indecisiveness leads to more questions and concessions on your end.

Think positive: Try to get into the shoes of the prospect and understand what their fears are. Is it the price, scope, project requirements or something else? Most of the times, the prospect just needs an expert to help guide them in their decision-making process, especially if they’re not accustomed to web design work.

14. They continue changing the scope

You have a solid proposal ready to go and the prospect seems excited by it. You hand it off to them only to get it back with a completely new scope for the project. What may have started as a simple blog all of a sudden has exploded into the prospect wanting to have a custom community blogging system. The big problem with these prospects is that when they do become clients, they’ll likely be big scope creep offenders.

Think positive: Just like the prospect that gets cold feet, this one is indecisive. They have so many thoughts swimming around in their mind that they can’t make a decision about what they want their web site to do. This is where you need to employ your expertise to help nail down a single vision. Some clients are just dreamers who need to be brought back down to reality for a brief moment.

15. They marginalize your job

There will be some prospects that just don’t respect the web design profession. They’ll demean it and make statements along the lines of, “I could do this myself, but I don’t have the time.” The problem is web design is not a simple profession and involves a lot of hard work. If the prospect cannot respect this then how can you expect to be treated during the project phase?

Think positive: Maybe the prospect only seems condescending because they are in fact knowledgeable of web design. If so, try getting their input on how they want the project to proceed. And make certain that you both understand clearly what your role is in the project.

Do you have some warnings signs of your own? If so, I’d like to hear about them. Please feel free to share them in the comments area!

Keep in mind this isn’t a problem. Web design must be a flexible and fluid service that changes to the varying needs of the client as well as the quick pace of the internet. What is a problem is scope creep.

Scope creep occurs when a client keeps piling on requests for additions or changes to their project that are outside the scope of the project. Some clients are mindful of this and will explicitly ask if it will cost more. Others, unfortunately, are not this considerate or knowledgeable enough to know when they’re pushing it.

How can you combat scope creep? I don’t think you’ll ever get rid of it completely, but there are some ways to prevent and reduce it.

Preventative Measures

The first five ways to fix scope creep are preventative in nature. Stop the problem before it becomes a problem is the best method.

Conduct a Scope of Work before beginning the project

A Scope of Work is a document that details the specifics of the web project. Some prospects will complete this in the form of a Request for Proposal. If they don’t, offer to create it for them (at a fee, of course) or insist that they complete one on their own. The Scope of Work will detail project requirements, initial site navigation, technology needs, expectations, available materials and so on.

Build a provision into your proposal addressing scope creep

Be upfront about scope creep and address it in your proposal. Such a provision could describe what qualifies as scope creep and what will need to happen should scope creep occur. It’s also a good idea to list out hourly rates that will be used for anything above and beyond the extent of the proposal.

Include a strong terms and conditions section along with your proposal

Most web design proposals are weak. They describe little and are vague on the legal side. A solid terms and conditions section can spell out, in legal terms, how scope creep will be dealt with. This is not a section you should write. Hire a good lawyer who can work with you on defining your terms. It’s worth every penny.

Have a plan

What are you going to do if scope creep occurs? Sometimes it’s inevitable and the best defense is a good plan of action. How are you going to approach the client? What steps will you follow to resolve the situation? List these out in an actionable manner so that when the time comes to address scope creep with a client, you’ll know exactly what to do.

Explain scope creep to the client

Using verbal communication (e.g. picking up the phone or meeting) with the client can go a long way in preventing scope creep. Whereas a proposal can often use dull and robotic syntax, just having a chat with the client about scope creep can be more helpful. Most clients understand the problem of scope creep since they themselves have to deal with it in their own line of work.

Defensive Measures

The last five ways to tackle scope creep are defensive measures. If the scope creep has already happened, there’s no need to fret. It can still be fixed.

Address the scope creep immediately

Once scope creep starts happening, you need to address it right away. The longer you let it occur, the more comfortable the client will become in making out-of-contract demands of you. Have a friendly chat with the client about what is and what isn’t within the scope of the proposal. The operative word in that last sentence is “friendly.” The moment you take a defensive posture with a client is the moment you kill the relationship. Some clients just don’t understand the concept of a scope and need a little guidance. Don’t treat them with hostility.

Make recommendations

Is there a reason why the scope creep is occurring? Maybe the client wants to add things that aren’t necessary. This is where you can use your expertise to quell scope creep. Explain to the client that the new additions they’re asking for aren’t necessary. However, don’t be dishonest about it, and only recommend against an addition if it really isn’t necessary.

Use the “Phase II” defensive strategy

One of my favorite strategies for defeating scope creep is what I call “Phase II.” If a client starts requesting some really good things that just aren’t within the scope of the project, I’ll tell them that their ideas are good but that we need to build them into a second phase of the project. This is a great strategy for two reasons. First, it gets the client excited and they start generating more ideas for the next phase of the project. Second, it gives you an immediate in for working on a new phase of the project. It doesn’t work all the time, but when it does, it’s a benefit to both you and the client.

Use project management software to keep the project on track

Scope creep can be a very disruptive distraction from the primary goal of the project. Using project management software such as Basecamp can help you shepherd the client back to the original project. Milestones clearly outline the long-term vision of the project while to-do items turn these milestones into actionable chunks. Once a client starts to veer off course, use the project milestones and to-do items as a point of reference.

Go the legal route

This is the worst, I repeat, worst way to go, but it may be necessary if you’ve exhausted all other options. The legal route is to refer back to the terms and conditions the client signed off on. When a project goes out of scope, you might have to forcibly remind the client of these terms. You can be gentle about it but sometimes you have to get nasty. Unfortunately, once you start getting nasty, the chances of saving the relationship go down quite a bit. It may even be wise to conduct a quick cost-benefit analysis first. Use this as a last resort.

How do you prevent or combat scope creep? Or, do you employ some of the tactics mentioned above? Leave a comment and let me know. It’s always interesting to learn new and different ways to approach this issue.

No client is ever the same. And each client presents different situations and exercises that can really test your will.

How far will you go for a certain client? What level of service will you provide even if it falls outside the scope of your agreement?

I’ve had web clients who’ve made all sorts of requests of me. From soliciting business advice to inviting me to their functions to barraging me with endless questions, sometimes I think I’ve seen it all.

But it doesn’t wear me thin.

Instead, I feel stronger each time I’m able to help a client out. That’s one of my main motivations for going beyond the standard call of duty for a client. It builds me and exposes me to things that will only add to my experience.

It’s also about the client. In fact, it’s mostly about the client. The benefit I extract from helping clients beyond the norm is only a sliver of the calculations I make in determining how far I should go for a client.

What are those calculations?

These are the primary considerations I put forth in my mind when faced with a client situation and how far I should go for them:

• What is the tangible value of the client? Are they bringing in thousands of dollars or just a few bucks?
• What is the intangible value of the client? Could there be future business dealings or perhaps introductions to other potential clients? This is tricky to analyze. There is no set dollar figure you can place on this value. Sometimes your lowest paying clients can be your best referral source. They’re keepers.
• What is the client’s past behavior like? Is everything an emergency? Do they have a habit of double dipping with your services? Some people are just inconsiderate or cheap, and they will try to milk you for everything you’ve got. They’re leaches and I keep a close eye on them.
• What is the opportunity cost of involving myself further with the client? If I help them, will I lose more than by not helping them? There could be a bigger, better project to work on. Again, this is tricky to analyze because the opportunity cost might not be obvious.
• What is the result of not going the extra mile for this client? This is a what-if scenario. If I don’t help this client will they not refer me? Be careful about letting yourself be held hostage by your client. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a client relationship to maintain your sanity and business.
• Is the client a talker? Will they spread the word of my good deed? Getting other people to talk about you is better than talking about yourself.
• And finally, and most important, what is the client’s impact on the local community and economy? Are they a non-profit that provides superb services to the community? Are they a driving force in the local economy? By helping those who help others, you indirectly help yourself. Sometimes that’s a tough concept to wrap your head around.

The point of this exercise is not to provide poorer quality service to clients who don’t cut it. I do good work for all of my clients and honor my contracts. Rather, the point is to provide super-quality service – service that goes beyond what is normally expected and service that cannot possibly be duplicated for all clients – to those clients who deserve it and show potential in helping not only my business but also the local community and economy.

And remember, this is a business, and you have to consider yourself and your business’ needs as well. You can’t help others if you aren’t in business.

That’s why you need to prepare.

Preparing before even taking on a project can shave off loads of time. Remember, most web design clients don’t know the ins and outs of the web design process as well as we do. They need guidance and they need to be pushed along.

I’ve compiled my own set of guidelines that I’d like to share for sending web projects down the right path.

Establish milestones

A milestone is a concrete deadline in which some kind of deliverable should be expected. Without them you have no idea what is supposed to happen when. Milestones aren’t needed for every single task, but rather for each significant hurdle. For example, mock-up acceptance and prototype completion are both feasible milestones.

Milestones aren’t just for the web designer either. They should be assigned to the client because it’s essential that they also participate in the project. Content delivery, domain authorization and project acceptance are just a few that come to mind.

To reinforce milestones, you need to identify to-do items leading up to that milestone. Think of a milestone in terms of weight loss. A good milestone might be to lose 50 pounds. Now think of a to-do item as one of the baby steps needed to reach that milestone. This could include little actions such as exercising daily, preparing healthy breakfasts, visiting the doctor and so on. Once you put it all together, you have a solid plan for progressing throughout the project at a predefined pace.

It’s also a good idea to “pad” your milestones a little as well. By padding, I don’t mean grossly overstating how long the project will take. You need to add in a buffer zone to help cushion some of those inevitable delays. The buffer zone will help to absorb some of those delays to hopefully keep the milestones on track.

Basecamp is probably the most popular tools for creating, tracking and sharing milestones and to-do items.

Use a project to-do list

Each project you take on will undoubtedly have things in common. To streamline these projects you can put together a cheat sheet of to-do items to help move things along. These to-do items act as little hints reminding you of certain actions you need to take during a particular stage of the project.

For a typical project, you can expect several different to-do lists including:

• Needs Assessment
• Proposal / Initiation
• Web Site Design
• Web Site Development
• Pre-Launch Checklist
• Post-Launch Checklist
• Follow-up

Here are some cookie-cutter to-do templates you can adapt to your own needs.

Identify champions

Most web design projects involve more than one person on the client’s end. Identify which person you should coordinate with. This person isn’t necessarily going to be the one who signs the proposal, but the one who gets things done and has the best understanding of what needs to happen.

Getting this person to become a champion of your project will give you the in you need to get the client’s gears grinding.

Get as much authorization upfront as possible

During the project you’re going to run into instances where client authorization is needed. This can eat up large chunks of time, especially if the client doesn’t understand the issue. Instead of letting these issues consume the project mid-course, try to get them all taken care of from the beginning.

For example, I try to get domain transfer authorization at the very beginning of a project to ensure it doesn’t become an unneeded and time-consuming headache later on.

Of course, you’ll still need the client’s input and acceptance at various stages of the project, such as for the mock-up, but you can get the little things out of the way quickly.

Tally your resources

What kind of resources are you going to have at your disposal during the project? This is an important question to answer because if your client doesn’t yet have basic resources such as an adequately sized logo or a predefined color scheme, you’ll have extra work to do (unless, of course, it’s part of the project to create these things).

When starting a new project, gather as much as you can including:

• Product and service brochures
• Organization and brand logos in multiple file formats
• Initial content
• Web addresses of any existing web sites
• List of competitors and their web sites
• Photos and images
• Domain information
• Login credentials for the domain and any FTP accounts
• Any internal business documents that will help give you a better understanding of the organization and what it does (you may have to sign a non-disclosure agreement for this one)

Figure out communication

How are you going to communicate with the client? What’s the best, most effective way?

Different clients prefer different methods of communication. Some will respond effectively to email while others will be more responsive to a telephone call. If you don’t figure this out fast you could waste valuable time trading emails with someone who prefers a call.

Read more about effective client communication here.

Set expectations

Clearly outline for yourself and the client what is expected of each party during the project. As mentioned before, most clients are new to the web design process. They don’t know what their responsibilities are and will rely on you to set the guidelines.

Explain upfront what you expect from them and let them know that their swiftness will result in a better, more functional web site completed on time. Further solidify this by always reminding the client of the benefits of a strong web presence (e.g. more sales leads, sell more products, generate inquiries and so forth).

Put everything in writing

Take your milestones, expectations and other project details, and put them into writing. I usually include this information in the proposal along with the terms and conditions of the project. Some people tend to tie project payments with the completion of a milestone. You might want to reconsider doing this by tying payments to a specific time after the project commences. This ensures you expect to collect payment even if a milestone is not complete due to client delay (and nothing gets a client moving faster than an outstanding invoice).

Once you have everything in writing along with your standard proposal language, have the client sign off on it. It’s also important that you sign it as well to show your commitment to the expectations you have laid out.

While contact forms may be a clumsy way of communicating, they can get the job done. The problem: are they getting the job done effectively?

There are three common problems with contact forms. The first problem occurs when a form is too daunting for a user to complete. Usually, the form is either too long, confusing or asking for information deemed too personal. The second problem occurs when the user does fill out the form but the information provided is not useful. This is typically the result of an ill-prepared form that asks all the wrong questions. The third and final problem is technical in nature. If there’s a problem with the server and the form doesn’t submit correctly, not only could you lose the form data, but you’ll also have one annoyed user to deal with.

How can we improve the effectiveness of our forms? Here are a few guidelines that I try to follow whenever I create a form.

1. Eliminate all useless form fields. Only gather the data you really need. Do you absolutely need to get the user’s physical address? No? Take it out. The fewer fields, the less daunting the form is.
2. Mark required fields as required. It’s annoying when you fill a form out only to have it bounce back because a field you did not know was required was.
3. Don’t have too many required fields. Forcing people to do something is usually a bad idea. The more fields you “force” them to fill out, the more resistant they will become to filling out the form.
4. Use conventions. If you need a name, ask for their standard first and last name, but don’t ask for their surname or salutation. Most people will have to stop and try to figure out what you’re talking about otherwise.
5. Creativity is good, but don’t be TOO creative. Your form should look like a form. The form label should be positioned to the left or top of the field and everything should flow in a way that guides users straight to the submit button.
6. Don’t ask for weird information like a user’s SSN or Driver’s License Number. And if you need to collect that information, make sure your form is secure. People hate divulging secretive information, so let them be as anonymous as possible without compromising the usefulness of your form results.
7. Tell users explicitly what your privacy policies are before they submit the form. This can usually be accomplished with a little blurb of text stating that you will not divulge their information to third parties and so forth (and make sure you don’t!).
8. The submit button should be as obvious as possible. Most people expect it at the bottom of the form. Pad it up a little and make the text bold, and you should be good to go.
9. Do not use reset buttons. They’re useless, and if placed too closely to the submit button, might actually cause people to accidentally click it and lose their data. No good!
10. Be succinct in your field descriptions but don’t be cryptic. If your field requires a little explanation, provide it in a clear and concise manner.
11. Try to use JavaScript error handling so that incorrectly filled fields can be identified without going through a page refresh. This saves a lot of time.
12. If you must use some sort of human verification tool, make sure it’s readable. I know Google uses one and it’s atrociously unreadable and annoying.
13. Once a user has submitted the form, send them an auto-confirmation email. This confirms that you got their message on a more personal level. Don’t have the technical skills to do this? Try out a service such as Wufoo.
14. Make sure your forms always work. Test them weekly if you must. Otherwise, you’ll have people trying to use your form, losing data and getting frustrated. That’s bound to be a deadly combination.
15. Last, send users to a useful success page. Say more than just “thank you.” Give them somewhere else to go or something else to do. You’ve already hooked them.

Anybody else out there have some tips of their own for making forms more effective and useful? Share them!

In many regards, web design has not changed significantly since its founding days in the ’90s. Most sites are created as static presences with text that users can consume and perhaps a contact form that can be used to transmit a simple message. This method of communication has become so branded on the internet that it seems almost routine to set it up for any organization.

That’s not a bad thing. Organizations should communicate with people online. The internet offers the ability to communicate with the most people at the cheapest rates.

However, I think web design is due for some death and transformation. No longer can organizations just idly post content. They must engage. They must reach out to their market and actively communicate with people. They must build a brand online that can be accessed, discussed and followed with ease.

Right now, much of the web is passive. There is little interaction and few ways to connect with most organizations.

Web design as a concept won’t die anytime soon, but the methods that have engulfed it will — they must — and a new breed of communication will emerge. I look forward to it.