Avoiding a Frankenstein Website Design: Collaborating with Clients

Time slot: 
March 9th, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room: 
Chicago 10
Track: 
Design and UX
Experience: 
Beginner

We have all had it happen. You give your client three different comps for their website project, and the next thing you know, you're trying to clean up their Franken-Comp: a whole new kind of nasty, with pieces from each of the three designs slapped together. Nevermind the research, brainstorming, and concepting that went into each of them; not to mention the hours you spent laboring over the finer details of the comp.

Can you blame them? Clients don't understand design processes, nor should we expect them to. So how do we effectively communicate these kinds of concepts without spending hours blowing a budget? If clients are more involved in the Web design process, are they more likely to trust your final design? In this presentation, Samantha will talk about the Web design process, discuss how Drupal can affect that process, and explore methods to include client feedback early so that you save time in the final stages of your project. She will talk about design kick-off meetings, the right questions to ask, moodboards, style tiles, and other methods that help avoid making a comp that turns into a nightmare.

Video at archive.org.

Intended audience: 

This is for anyone who designs websites, works with designers, oversees design, or deals with maintaining client relationships. Design process is a rarely talked about topic in the Drupal design community, and it holds the answers to so many of our common problems.

Questions answered by this session
Question 1: 
How do I keep http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell from happening to me?
Question 2: 
What are some common methods used to hold a successful design kick-off meeting?
Question 3: 
What questions should I be asking my clients, both up front and throughout the entire design process?
Question 4: 
What methods are available to establish a common visual language between the designer and the client without having to spend precious hours designing multiple photoshop comps?
Question 5: 
What are moodboards and style tiles and how can I leverage them to create more powerful designs? When is it right to use which?
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Comments

I would love to see the video

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