You know the feeling of frustration you sometimes have when you part with your precious money to pay for a service, but you are left waiting and wondering what is happening behind the scenes to validate the expense?
Possibly even having a sense of dread and annoyance that what was discussed in the pre-payment, is not being followed through in the post-payment?
Hmmmm…It’s unnecessarily stressful, right!
I have spoken with many women in business who have had various experiences of angst, after paying a large deposit for building a new website; only to have the tumbleweed and their own imagination to wonder what on earth the designer is doing with their online home.
They often don’t hear anything for extended periods of time, or see anything until the project has moved on to a point where their feedback is only welcomed within a limited number of changes and re-dos.
You then feel ‘icky’ providing negative feedback, so often don’t bother and put it all down to an experience you just want to move on from.
Know what I mean?
A solution
Well, I have been there too, so that is why I make it my mission to provide an open and collaborative process in my website design service, so that you know what I am doing on your new website from week to week. In effect, I give you a window into my work, so that you may input at any point you choose.
How do you do that?
For all you visual people, I have summarised my process in a visual Infographic, so you can pin it to your new website design board.
You see, I like to work ‘AGILE style’, by providing you with a link and password to be able to view your new website at every stage. You can even edit the content and write notes on the pages for me to look at! You see it as a blank online sheet of paper and watch it grow into a beautiful online home.
- Your Content is King, so seeing it in place and stripped bare of the usual visuals, can be refreshing and help you to re-evaluate what you are trying to communicate.
- It is lovely to see it change when harmonious typography is introduced….to see how you feel and whether it is resonant.
- This allows me to design the site based on your quality content, show you how wonderful your words can look, which then allows the right structure to evolve to showcase your work.
- The visual feel is then added towards the end with just the right amount of ornamentals to bring your site alive and help it ‘pop out’ of the page.
- You have the added benefit of becoming familiar with looking at your site and editing and making changes to it so that handover is not such a scary thing anymore.
If you choose to simply be an observer, then that’s okay too. Whatever feels right.
This coupled with my weekly emails informing you of when I plan to work on the site, help you feel safe and secure in the knowledge that you are part of a valuable and collaborative process and you see how your precious money is being utilised.
Over to you
So, when you think about hiring a website designer, consider asking them to do it ‘AGILE style’ and allow you to see what is developing over time.
I would also love to hear any examples of what you would like to see in a service to help you feel safe and secure, or any feedback on the Co-design process I am developing.
Oh and also
If you would like me to weave my magic and design a unique website for you then take a look at my service here.
Pass this on to your social media preference as I am sure there are many people who would appreciate service that has their feelings at the heart of things.
Thank you WebMatros for your inspiration here 😉
Lisa – I love graphic and your collaborative process. I could never figure out why web designers didn’t do that. So fun to see how you do your work … I wish I could show my clients the ideas I’m developing as I go. But for now, I do one part and consult with them before moving on.
Donna Davies Brackett recently posted…The question almost no one asks about their home – and why you should
Yes it makes so much sense to do it…for many reasons that benefit the client and the Designer… I guess it is because I now embrace the vulnerability of it all and that it clearly shows the steps involved and also the power of the partnership…it’s where the magic happens 🙂
Hi Lisa
Great post! Good (and appalling) to know that others have had the experience I have had with lack of communication!
Being really busy I grudgingly handed over my logo design (I used to design professionally), prepaid… And waited, and waited… Then when revisions were needed I ended up having to sketch them myself to be understood (she refused to do skype calls). In the end I felt it would have been faster and less stressful to do it myself!
I love that your way of working it is a collaborative process, makes total sense and shows your confidence and professionalism as well as empathy and understanding. Well done for listening and meeting your tribes needs. I would have loved this 🙂
Thank you Kamini…What a rotten experience! I too am so perplexed why people can get very rigid and sensitive about their work etc. We are only human and we also all have wonderful gifts to offer. I find it is when my clients input , they really help transform the ideas and it is a big part of why I love what I do. I have also been stung a number of times and am left dumbfounded… Thanks for your support here ;))
Hi Lisa,
I absolute love the info graphic. So clear and reassuring. Like Kamini, coming from a graphic design, I alway feel a bit nervous about handing over that side of things. I always look for transparency and for the designer to really be on the ball. While I don’t expect my emails to be answered on the same day, a lack of communication would freak me out. I find your way of explaining the way you work really clear and trustworthy. It also allows your clients to express their own creativity which i love. Amazing work Lisa!!
Thank you Giusi…I would freak out too and I guess that also helps to fuel the way I do things. I think of how I would want to be served if I was my own client. It can feel a bit risky, but 99% of time it leads to oodles of satisfaction for client and artist/designer. After all, we may have the tools and skills, but we are not telepathic to make the assumption we know what is completely right for a client…. We are both the experts in this ;))
Love this post! Am a big fan of the AGILE process, and it’s really great to see how other designers and developers are working its principles into their own processes. 🙂
Thank you for commenting. It makes so much sense to do it AGILE. I am constantly surprised by people’s experiences. Nice to meet a like-minded person and I love the service you are providing 😉
I’m definitely going to try having them go AGILE style I think that it will be very beneficial. I’ve never done it before though so we’ll see how it works out.
Yes do try it, as it does seem overall a more rewarding way to do things…;)