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I recently read an article on Six Revisions, which is a design blog that has writes articles focused on web designers and web developers. They have some greay stuff over there with practical and useful articles for designers and web developers. The article focused on client relationships, specifically when it comes to web design. But, the principles in the article can really be applied to any client based relationship.

User Centered Designs

In marketing, both web and print, a professional designer creates material that is “user focused”; meaning that the person that will be holding the magazine or viewing the website; is the end user that the designer focuses on. This approach is meant to navigate the end user (consumer) to a certain action, whether it is to “buy now”, “sign up”, or head to the local clothing store and pick up that $80 pair of jeans. The end users experiences, needs, wants, limitations and emotions are taken into consideration by the designer and the end product is meant to speak to the consumer and evoke those emotions to have them ultimately make a decision.

A true designer is only satisfied with their work once the intended audience’s needs are met.Whitney Hess

…designing the site around their own needs and preferences, and assume their users will like it just fine, thank you.Six Revisions

Client Centered Design

Wait a minute, your telling me there are people that hire graphic designers and web designers and then tell them how to design without the end user in mind! Yes, we see this happen all the time in marketing. See, here is where the problem lies. Design is part art and part science. Most people forget about the science part and only reflect on the art portion of it. And, well, art is subjective. It is nothing more than “green really isn’t my color”, or “I am much more of a VanGough gal/guy then a Dali type”. Ok, that might be a little bit to simplistic, but hopefully you get the idea. In design, designers use certain colors to get certain responses from the end user. Spacing is done to be pleasing to the eye and create flow. Typography can give a site weight or lightness. All of these things are done with the end user in mind and the type of response the designer is looking to receive. With Client Centered Design, the client is basing the design more on there own personal feelings (think art) instead of on the end user. Maybe you have heard this from your clients (“I think we need a little more pizazz right in the top”, or “can we make the logo really, really big”, or “I don’t think we should use blue here, how about a bright pink instead…it’s my favorite color”.

What’s the solution?

The solution I think is educating clients. Letting them know why you chose to go with blue as compared to pink. It can be really hard to let clients know that the product design isn’t about them, but it is about the people buying their services or products. And in today’s society of “all about me”, a simple and delicate approach will work the best. Maybe even a subtle diversion can take place. After explaining the science behind the design, find a spot in the design that can call for a little more “art” and get the clients opinion. This way the science and actions you want the end user to take are still being addressed while the client-centered-design individual’s needs of having input are also being address. What do you think? Any ideas how to handle this?

P.S. Check out the full article over at Six Revisions.

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