Web Designer or Client? Who’s the Boss?

Too often designers and clients find themselves at odds as to how best to implement a design or functionality element of a website. Maybe the owner wants more Flash in their site for extra visual pop, while the designer is worried about SEO results. Or maybe the designer wants to incorporate a forum into the website to help build a bigger following, but the owner feels this is an unnecessary feature that will create clutter and extra work for him or his staff. So who has the upper hand in these situations?

The Case for the Web Designer

The client is the one paying for the service, so he or she has the ultimate power right?  They are the expert in their particular business in this situation, so surely they know better what will work for their clientele?  Not so fast though.  The very fact that the client IS paying for website design and development means that the owner is admitting that they are not an expert in the field of web design, and that they are looking for sound advice on how best to implement their online strategy.  Hiring a web designer or web design company in the first place shows that the small business owner has recognized this fact, and they should remember this throughout the process.  They could have used a free website creation program and thrown up a website on their own, or taken some classes and researched on the internet how to use CSS to style different elements of the site, but this is not an effective use of their time and resources.   They have wisely outsourced this particular aspect of their business so that they can concentrate on what they know best while still maximizing profitability from the internet arm of their business.  Does this mean that the Designer should have final say over all aspects of the project then?

The Case for the Client

The web designer is the expert in the their particular field, which is why they were hired in the first place, so they know all of the tips and tricks to make any website more successful right?  Their ideas are the only ones that matter when it comes to web design because they have the experience to know what will work best in all situations when it comes to web design?  Again, not so fast.  The designer is in fact in the business of web design, and NOT an expert in the client’s business.  Any good web designer should take the time to research the business and market of every client they work for, but while this research will help them in understanding what design and functional elements can make the site more successful, it in no way makes them an expert in the field.  The small business owner IS the expert in their particular field, and that knowledge MUST be put to use in order to craft a website that is both visually appealing and effective in driving traffic and sales.  So, does this mean that the client has the power to veto any and all ideas the designer suggests?

It Takes Two to Tango

As with any relationship, there need to be compromises if the partnership is going to flourish and last long into the future.  Each side brings an important component to the table, and if this marriage is going to last they need to recognize the areas in which they each excel and play to those strengths.  There will always be points in the web design and implementation process where differences in opinion will arise.  At all of these points, if both parties remember what they are bringing to the table . . . what there strengths and weaknesses are . . . and defer to the other where appropriate then everyone should end up getting what they want, which is a successful web presence.  But what if one or the other doesn’t remember this idea?  What if there comes a point where both sides believe their idea is right and are not willing to back down?  Who gets the final say?  The answer is that both do really.  If you are a web designer, and you are absolutely committed to the idea that something a client is asking for is dead wrong for their website project, you owe it to yourself and the client to tell them that you are sorry but you can’t take their money when you do not feel you are putting out the best product you can for them.  If you are a client in the same situation, you owe it to yourself and your company to cut ties and find someone that is more in line with your vision of what your website should be.  These kinds of situations should be readily avoidable with a good pre-design interview process, but in the unlikely case that they do arise, realize that while breaking up is hard to do, there are plenty of fish in the sea.

What are your thoughts on this article?  Leave a comment below and let us know what is on your mind!