Experts vs. Order-Takers

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
Discrepancies between web designers and their clients regarding the look and feel of a website are not unusual. Rarely does a website get made that the client and designer can completely agree on without a few compromises being made along the way. Unfortunately, there are times when the client and designer seem to disagree on almost everything. The designer will create a stylish design that he or she thinks is in-line with the requirements for the project, only to have the design turned down by the client. Sometimes these disapprovals from the client will happen multiple times. This can create a cyclical pattern of redesigns that eat up time and patience from both the designer and the client. Avoiding this cycle is ideal, but requires a strong level of communication and mutual understanding. There are essentially two forms of compromise that can occur between the designer and the client, and both stem from defining the designer’s role.

A designer can either take the role of an Expert or an Order-Taker. These roles are at opposite ends of the spectrum and deliver different results, which result the client prefers should be established early in the client-designer relationship.

The Role of an Order-Taker

An Order-Taker does as the name suggests, and takes orders. This role places a large portion of the creative control of a website’s design in the hands of the client, who will give the orders that the designer fulfills. The advantage for the client is that they will eventually get what they ask for and likely feel as though the finished product is due in large part to their influence. This requires a large investment of time on the part of the client however, since they are required to check in on the progress of the project and weigh in and give more orders. Ultimately, the designer’s creativity will be stifled and the client’s demands will inhibit the experience the designer has in the field from coming through in the final website. A website that lacks a professional appearance is surely not what a business owner wants as the face of the company’s web presence, and isn’t something the designer will be proud of either.

The Role of an Expert

Conversely, an Expert is a professional with a depth of experience in the field that is exhibited in the quality of the final product. An expert will take information from the client, consider recommendations and requests, and while following the guidelines for the project, will put together a website or page that is aesthetically appealing, functional, and in compliance with the most current web standards. If the project guidelines aren’t specific enough, then the designer is more likely to create something that doesn’t coincide with the client’s vision, and revisions will then be necessary to satisfy the client. By clearly defining both the role of the designer and the project guidelines early on, costly delays and discrepancies can be minimized. When the designer takes the role of an expert, then the client needs to trust that the designer will act as one, and work without need for frequent check-ins, reviews, and approvals, and ultimately deliver a web product that lives up to the quality standards of an expert in the field.

Which Would You Prefer?

Clearly the role that a professional web designer should take is that of an expert. This requires a clear understanding of that role before the work is started, and requires that the client trust the expert’s abilities. If the client prefers that the web designer merely be an order-taker, then they should realize that the project will be a lengthy and likely frustrating process that results in a substandard product.