Poll: Who has the final say in an argument over design practices?
Thursday July 26, 2007
When you're building a Web page there is invariably going to be friction. Someone isn't going to like your colors, or there aren't enough links to Sam's department, or the text doesn't fit in the design container, and so on. What happens when that happens? Who has the final say? And I know, you're going to answer "It depends" - but okay, on what?
Who has the final say in an argument over design practices? If you think it depends on the circumstances tell us about a circumstance and how it was decided. Remember, you can only vote once, so please read all the choices before you click a link.
- Vote Now
- The Designer
- The Developer
- The Content Owner
- The Project or Program Manager
- The Design Customer
- The Site Reader (in other words, the page customer)
- Me, myself and I
- It depends
- No one, we just keep arguing
Comments
Why do we design websites? Isn’t the first priority to communicate? What’s the point of trying to communicate to only a few people when we could reach many? English may be one of the dominant languages of the world, but browsers and systems are almost as numerous as our readers; instead of designing and coding for the few that match our personal systems, how about being more inclusive?
Linda: I’m not sure what you’re trying to say in relation to the poll. The fact of the matter is that in any communication there are going to be disagreements - that is unless the team is made up completely of yes-men which results in other problems.
Were you intending to comment on a different post?
I think it depends on the ability of the company to secure a written contract and maintain their professionalism. Having a clearly defined process that the client has agreed upon, in writing, is key. Once the company has lost control of the process it’s no longer a mutually beneficial relationship - it’s a lost cause.
As a contract designer, I’ve often heard my clients say “We can’t pay for you but need you to change/add/remodel/reformat/recode…” or “I need this in one billable hour : make my site look and function just like myspace, only without infringing on their copyrights!” You might as well just do spec work.
The answer lies with the designer and his or her ability to properly convince the client of their design decisions. Otherwise, the person paying the bill always, always has the last say (unfortunately). When that happens, it’s usually because the designer has given up. I’ve noticed that the farther removed the client “decision maker” is from being the one who actually pays the bill, the easier it is for the designer to have the final say. If Sam from Sam’s shop is paying the bill, designer beware.
It depends…on the nature of the disagreement. As an independent designer/developer I work directly with my clients and need to balance their needs and preferences with what is technically and economically feasible. Clients will usually defer to me for technical decisions, however, if the disagreement is over a subjective aesthetic choice, I usually defer to them, after explaining the rationale of why I would do it differently
Proper communication and a little education go a long way to resolve conflict. Budgets can be a deal breaker. I recently lost a client who had unrealistic expectations about what they could receive for their budget. More power to them if they can find another firm to provide a sound product within their budget limitations but my policy is not do spec work.
gkv interactive: Though I agree that the client must be involved in the design and development process, in my opinion, there are circumstances that the client does not always have the final say. For example, I am unwilling to risk my professional reputation by building a substandard product or to engage in unethical practices because the client is footing the bill.
Jennifer: Thank you for your continuing thought and discussion provoking articles and polls!
:)
Agreed, there never is an “always”. Good clients will usually defer to the designer. One of our art directors was talking me through a headache just the other day and he said; “The best work comes from people who design first for themselves, then for the agency, then for the client.” That’s not to say that you should disregard the clients needs, but clients come and go, your portfolio endures. As long as you’re sticking to your guns, you’re doing a good job. Hey, isn’t that why you got into this in the first place?