From About.com:
I love Jennifer Kyrnin. She knows how to keep her readers interested by motivating feedback.
It seems like a pretty straight-forward question at first glance: How long?
Interestingly, it's easy to see that the more experienced web designers said it took them longer to make a web page.
Inexperienced page designers will simply layout a page, insert a few graphics and set the text layout to suit. Concerns such as SEO - many inexperienced page designers avoid the head tag altogether - keywords, and competition can be forgotten.
(The worst is subcontracting to someone who has sold a web page/site design to a client from all Flash, but that's another post..)
Experienced page designers are aware that every page is in competition with other pages all over the Net with the same topics and similar content. A good designer will keep this fact in mind and research competing pages from keywords and search listings.
To ignore the basics of SEO when designing a web page is hardly fraud but it comes close. At best, it's unprofessional. Without SEF considerations, a web page is just a prototype or mock-up. If that's what the client is paying for, good. But an ethical designer will tell them they don't have a functional web page no matter what widgets or devices are included.
27% of the poll respondents indicated they could make a web page in 'an hour or so' or less.
46% indicated it took 'half a day' or 'a day or two' to design a web page from scratch. If the page is in XHTML using good software, that sounds about right.
Now, if there are other considerations, such as scope creep (Client or designer keeps adding new things and ideas.), or the page is intended to work with a CMS or embedded devices that are integral to the presentation, a page can take longer.
It's a good rule of thumb that you can add the number of scope creep plus the number of devices as a percentage to the increased cost of a web page. Any total over 10 means the cost doubles - which often means adding a new page or two.
Pricing alone quickly becomes a sticking point, especially when there is a wide disparity between the skill level of the designer and the client. Price and useability (as the client understands it) can quickly push the time required into the 'a week' and 'more than a week' categories from the poll.
A better professional position for the designer is to avoid adding to the scope creep, even if it's hard to manage the creative juices burning inside. Somewhere between the unhappy knot of understating "Give the client what they want.", and those creative juices is a happy compromise for all.
It's a paradox of human nature that the web pages that take the longest are probably those where the designer is given free reign, - no matter what the price!
Designing for oneself is probably the worst example. The designer cannot keep the scope creep under control.
Designing for someone who has already paid - even if it's a small price - with freedom of design is a close second. The showmanship of the designer comes into play. S/he cannot avoid the tendency to want to show what they can do. Time constraints be damned.
It becomes a no-sum game between the goal(s) of the page and the skills of the designer.
Next comes the situation where it is the first work done for a large, prospective long-term client. The designer has to remember that the work follows the bureaucratic model: Whatever you do becomes expected, and you have to build from there (- which may be impossible...)
These situations take the longest.
Then there is the undiscovered technology page, where the designer wants to use a new technology and the client has no idea what is happening. Oh well.
SEO/SEM in Australia is a special issue for so many reasons. Join me was we explore. It will be a fascinating and informative journey.
Sphere: Related Content
Monday, October 1, 2007
Polls: Should you extend credit to clients?
From About.com:
The question isn't as simple as it sounds. There is no web designer/services programmer who has not been burnt by a client. Sometimes it seems like the clients we are most willing to do more for are the ones most likely not to pay. That's some sort of psychological twist built into the creative-technical syndrome (-Did I just invent a new topic for the DSM VI?).
But getting a contract from clients who are woefully unaware of the goals of their own site can be impossible.
In Australia, the level of client awareness is woefully behind the rest of the free world for many reasons. Australians have only had broadband access for a couple of years for anyone outside the central business districts (CBD). Even the best of promised access speeds coming in the next few years are only barely considered 'broadband' by the rest of the world.
Through no fault of their own, the vast majority of Australian businesses have no concept of the power of the Internet.
94.6% of registered businesses in Australia are small businesses. Following the ancient maxim/rule of internet marketing, 70% (or more in a developing market) of sales from a website will be within 20 miles of the physical address of the business. That's approximately 35 kilometers.
The rule applies to about 85-90% of the 3.8 million Australian business owners.
In plain English, these folks just don't see the reason for a website.
At best, the business owner sees that their clients expect some sort of website. Their vision for the website is more along the lines of a business card or brochure. Monetizing the site, or even making it SERP-friendly, is far beyond the mindset.
Extending credit to such clients is risky - with or without a contract.
The poll on About.com is not a good representative sample because of the small number of respondents; and possibly the make up of the respondents, but the message comes through loud and clear: Credit is very risky.
A useful compromise to put everyone's mind at ease is a staged payment system.
Once the goals of the site are outlined and sketched out as webpages, a baseline cost can be determined. This price has to leave some room for a little scope creep, but not too much.
Suggested features should be fixed price alternatives - defined as clearly as possible - and not more than 3-5 listed.
A base rate of some sort has to be agreed upon, either as per-hour, per-page, or some combination.
When the price is agreed upon, at 1/3 to 1/2 is paid up front. An alpha point is determined by the satisfaction of the contracted goals of the site. If there are a large number of pages/features in the site, another payment point should be based on the estimated number of days to complete pages or features.
Like most of us, web designers/programmers like to see pay packets fortnightly or monthly. That's a good rule of thumb for how to break up payment schedules.
Finally, the last payment should be substantial - 1/4 to 1/3 of the completion.
If a client can't agree to partial payments as the goals of the site are satisfied, it's time to find another client. The web designer has already put in hours of research and consultation at this point that s/he will never be paid for; and the 'client' has gained from the free education.
It's nearly impossible to get full payment up front from a contracted project, but we can all hope for somedays..
SEO/SEM in Australia is a special issue for so many reasons. Join me was we explore. It will be a fascinating and informative journey. Sphere: Related Content
The question isn't as simple as it sounds. There is no web designer/services programmer who has not been burnt by a client. Sometimes it seems like the clients we are most willing to do more for are the ones most likely not to pay. That's some sort of psychological twist built into the creative-technical syndrome (-Did I just invent a new topic for the DSM VI?).
But getting a contract from clients who are woefully unaware of the goals of their own site can be impossible.
In Australia, the level of client awareness is woefully behind the rest of the free world for many reasons. Australians have only had broadband access for a couple of years for anyone outside the central business districts (CBD). Even the best of promised access speeds coming in the next few years are only barely considered 'broadband' by the rest of the world.
Through no fault of their own, the vast majority of Australian businesses have no concept of the power of the Internet.
94.6% of registered businesses in Australia are small businesses. Following the ancient maxim/rule of internet marketing, 70% (or more in a developing market) of sales from a website will be within 20 miles of the physical address of the business. That's approximately 35 kilometers.
The rule applies to about 85-90% of the 3.8 million Australian business owners.
In plain English, these folks just don't see the reason for a website.
At best, the business owner sees that their clients expect some sort of website. Their vision for the website is more along the lines of a business card or brochure. Monetizing the site, or even making it SERP-friendly, is far beyond the mindset.
Extending credit to such clients is risky - with or without a contract.
The poll on About.com is not a good representative sample because of the small number of respondents; and possibly the make up of the respondents, but the message comes through loud and clear: Credit is very risky.
A useful compromise to put everyone's mind at ease is a staged payment system.
Once the goals of the site are outlined and sketched out as webpages, a baseline cost can be determined. This price has to leave some room for a little scope creep, but not too much.
Suggested features should be fixed price alternatives - defined as clearly as possible - and not more than 3-5 listed.
A base rate of some sort has to be agreed upon, either as per-hour, per-page, or some combination.
When the price is agreed upon, at 1/3 to 1/2 is paid up front. An alpha point is determined by the satisfaction of the contracted goals of the site. If there are a large number of pages/features in the site, another payment point should be based on the estimated number of days to complete pages or features.
Like most of us, web designers/programmers like to see pay packets fortnightly or monthly. That's a good rule of thumb for how to break up payment schedules.
Finally, the last payment should be substantial - 1/4 to 1/3 of the completion.
If a client can't agree to partial payments as the goals of the site are satisfied, it's time to find another client. The web designer has already put in hours of research and consultation at this point that s/he will never be paid for; and the 'client' has gained from the free education.
It's nearly impossible to get full payment up front from a contracted project, but we can all hope for somedays..
SEO/SEM in Australia is a special issue for so many reasons. Join me was we explore. It will be a fascinating and informative journey. Sphere: Related Content
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