How to Properly State Your Website Development Requirements? My Clients
It cannot be denied that in the great wave of the information age, the promotion and application of internet information knowledge have gradually spread across various industries. This has led to website development becoming a strategic choice for some enterprises, governments, and even individuals to adapt to the competitive needs of the new era.
Therefore, from the low period of this industry to now when it is regaining momentum, the number of clients with website development requirements has gradually increased. From my personal experience with clients, some of them think that website development is simple: just point here and tell you what to do, point there and tell you to place a section, and finally, like blowing up a balloon, the website is built. While they command you to do this and that, perhaps feeling very satisfied, they don't realize whether this meets the principles of human-centered web design. They always assume that as long as things are done according to their wishes, it's all good, but in the end, we are the ones who get criticized! People looking at their websites might ask, "Who designed this?"
In fact, webpage interface design is a very rigorous matter. It requires arranging all the elements within the smallest space possible, including the composition of the page, friendly advertising slogans, etc. What must be noted is that user convenience must be considered first, along with the entire process of the website, which is also something that troubles us designers.
So, clients, please don't think this is a trivial matter; it relates to your personal and corporate image.
There is another type of client, one who doesn't know how to state their requirements well. These clients tend to focus on price issues. Usually, before we've communicated even a tenth of what we need to, they immediately ask, "How much will it cost?"
I would really like to tell them right away how much it will cost to build their website. However, if I still have a conscience, I can't tell them, so they leave, leaving in a hurry, waving goodbye without letting me finish my sentence. In fact, I want to tell them that I am even more eager than they are because I need to survive, and I need to take on this order. But when they haven't thoroughly informed me about the website positioning, sections and content, style, back-end management system, and other things I need to know, they leave because I haven't quoted them a price. They rush off, galloping towards someone who can quote them a price immediately. But I know that those who can give an immediate quote often intend to rip them off. Without understanding anything, giving a price out of the blue means that this price is either too high or too low. Both scenarios result in the same outcome: the client's satisfaction is not high.
Another interesting type of client is similar to Don Quixote, full of adventurous spirit. The website they develop is absolutely large and comprehensive, with so many features that after it's made, they probably won't have the time or energy to manage it. They definitely don't know that they have already committed a big mistake in website creation: wanting everything leads to nothing being good. A small sparrow may be tiny, but it has all the vital organs, making it a masterpiece. Having individual characteristics is the way for a website to survive.
Although the above few examples are just extreme cases among clients, I believe they apply to a large portion of people.
After saying too much outside the topic, let's return to the main subject.
Next, from the clients' perspective, how should they state their website development requirements? Let me summarize it briefly:
1. Website Positioning (The target audience of your website, which I think most clients should have a concept of)
2. Website Sections and Content (All the sections and contents of your website, such as: homepage, about us, xx navigation, xx dynamics, xx news, news center, xx column, xx display, xx recommendation, xx download, xx consultation, etc. And secondary sections, such as all the sections under "about us," including company profile, company spirit, company slogan, company vision, etc., these are secondary sections under primary sections.)
3. Website Style Positioning (It actually belongs to part of website positioning but can be extracted separately. According to the industry characteristics of the website, a unified style of the whole website can be established, with reasonable layout. It can be required by the client or designed by the designer.)
4. Back-end Management System (The key part, commonly known as the back-end. As long as the website has data implementation, it is called a dynamic website, where things can be freely added. For example: news publishing system, display system, query system, message system, statistics system, etc. Customized production can be done according to special client requirements. When stating this part of the requirement, clients need to have a necessary understanding of the entire process. They must know what function can provide what role, whether this function is helpful to them, and if not, it's better not to use it.)
5. ...
Actually, there are many more requirements, but they are not essential or the most important. The above points are the most crucial when stating website development requirements.
In fact, when discussing website development with clients, the requirement part is the most challenging because it's not easy to understand the client's true intentions. You might find yourself going around in circles. Once all the requirements are confirmed, everything becomes clear, and then you move on to the main topics: pricing, signing contracts, confirming schedules, etc.
That's all for now. I hope this helps every client who wants to create a website. Goodbye.
Many clients today actually have latent demands and come to me just to inquire about prices. They don't actually know how much money their site will cost, yet they are unwilling to explain clearly and become very impatient.
They often overlook an issue, which is that the normal website development process should be as follows:
1. Communication between the client and the developer regarding requirements
2. Repeated communication several times
3. Confirmation of final requirements
4. Formulation of a development plan
5. Quotation
6. Signing of the contract
7. Start of development
They don't want to talk about the first step but often jump straight to the fifth step. Well, that puts us in a difficult position indeed.