The main problem here is if you are reading this, it is most likely because aware of these problems and have had them done to you... countless times now.

Over the years I have work now as a full-time web designer for a software company, most of my clients (if not all of them) have been not very website savvy. Which is to be expected, they are not web developers like us. But that's just it. They don't seem to see it that way. They seem to be convinced that they know what they are talking about when it comes to design, maintaining, and even picking out the right CMS for their organizations website!

1) You are just a "Pixel Pusher"

Web designers are much much more than just pixel pushers. We have a huge amount of knowledge about the web. Such as folds, color theory, white space, and even something as simple as picking the right CMS for your needs.

If you have a problem with a design, don't try to offer them a solution. Just tell them what you think the problem is, and it will either be fixed - or explained.

A question I have always asked myself and still do to this day is. Why are their so many good TV commercials out there? Do they not have the problems we have? Or have they found a great way of dealing with them?

For exmaple the Burger King ads. Anyone remember "Whopper Freak out" or the King ads? They were so well done.

Also the Mac vs PC ads, the "Release the Goo" ads. All brilliant!

2) Number 5 is alive, and needs more input!

A big problem I have found is that we never have enough information. I will have a client ask me to make them a site for a display booth they sell.....and that's it. They fail to give me anymore information than that.

So you will go ahead with this, not knowing much of what they need and come up with something for them. Right when you show the client you will hear. "Oh well the colors are all wrong, didn't I tell you that white, red, and yellow are our company colors?" Mean while the site was designed in blue/gray shades.

So don't be afraid to ask to give us imformation! Hell I say the more the better. The more I know, the better I can make a site that is going to fit your company/product(s).

3) Speculative Design

Many people might not totally understand why speculative design is wrong. To start with its  a waste of time and money for the design firm that comes up with a few design pitches just have them turned down, like this one. And what happens to the design when it gets turned down? It gets deleted.

I cannot stand  speculative design as it's all about selling the design, and not about delivering a design that is actually going to work for the company and it's products. Buy doing this, you are making the design all about the person who is going to give you sign off, and the site is not going to be all about this guy...it's going to be about a company/product.

And I would just like to add, that 99.9% of the time with speculative design you get the problem#2 (see above).

What is an alternative to speculative design you ask, having a good portfolio.

4) Annoying Web Standards, yes IE6 this is you!

Man where can I start with this, or better yet where will it end? As a designer it is a goal, and a must to meet today's web standards. But this isn't always an easy task when we are talking about old out-dated browsers like Internet Explorer 6.

Why are we still coding websites to work in IE6? It came out in 2001....and people are still using it..wow! IE7 has been out for a long time now, and is actually consittered a "critical update". Talk about making magic happen. I find when IE6 is a must, this is a really good idea. Give up and use tables!

5) Adding Content

It's sad but true. Adding content is apart of the job...

Adding content to someone elses website is never fun and I wish it wasn't apart of the job. Most of the time the client has way to much content! But there is really nothing you can do about it. The only advice here I would give you is have a look at how much content they have, or are going to have. Make sure you give yourself enough time to add all of it in the original contract.

Conclusions

Well I hope you enjoyed my list and could relate with it on some level. Hopefully some of these "issues" will change in the near future..but I wouldn't hold your breath.

For the people who are just getting into design, please don't let this article scare you! The good far outweighs the bad I swear!

About the Author

Adrian Balkwill is a web designer and a user interface designer for a software/web design company located in Canada, he is also the founder of Blogfullbliss. It is his goal to make Blogfullbliss the best source on the web for design/technology related articles and tutorials. 

Subscribe to our RSS Feed!       Follow Adrian on Twitter!