How to get your Web Designer to understand you!

Talking with your web designer can be one of the hardest parts about web design, because you and they are coming at the project from two different angles.  You may have a vision in mind and you know who your customer is, you may not know any technical jargon or have any programming knowledge.  Your web designer will be an expert in programming, hosting, all sorts of technical aspects, but doesn't know your business, your customers, and your ethos.  But if you work together, and make sure the web designer is listening to you properly you can create a fantastic, professional site that meets your clients' needs and increases your sales, whilst fitting into your company branding and vision.

Before you meet your webdesigner, look at lots of other websites in your line of business, from your competitors, or even internationally.  Work out what you like about them, what you don't like, what language they use and how you could do it better.  Sketch out an idea of how you would like your site to look and what you need it to cover.  Note down the URLs of the sites you like and don't like to show to your webdesigner.

When you meet with your web designer (it's good to choose a local one like Hemel Hempstead Web Designers) explain as clearly as you can, without using your business jargon, what you would like and what you need your site to accomplish.  Then listen to what the designer has to say, and answer his questions clearly and simply.  Make sure he has understood you.  The more groundwork you put in at the discussion stage the quicker the creative process will be afterwards and the fewer changes will need to be make on the first draft.

Do trust the webdesigner if they tell you something you envisage won't work or isn't the best way to achieve something.  They are also experts in database management and how to call up the information you want shown.  Also make sure that once the site is created you can take charge of it, so you will need a content management system.  Otherwise you will have to revert to your web designer to make all the changes and that could get expensive.

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