5 Ways to Communicate to Your Web Designer
Communicate Your Vision to Your Design Team
How do web designers transform client feedback into design? Even with an expert design team, communicating what you want can be done in ways that produce more efficient and effective results for you. Get the best results by planning a positive delivery, choosing your words carefully, communicating ideas about your likes and dislikes, not being afraid to over-communicate, and setting and expressing your standards.
1. Plan a Positive Delivery
Website designers can be excited about your project whether or not you’re happy about where you’re headed, and honesty is always appreciated, but the only way designers can ensure the best results for you is with a positive delivery. A positive delivery is when you deliver your vision with positivity. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be honest. If you’re seeking change, you’re most likely unhappy about where you’re at, and it’s always a good idea to express that.
When you plan a positive delivery, you’ll know what you want, and you’ll be excited about it. You’ll be happiest knowing that what you want is about to be created, and in turn, your design team will be more likely to produce what you’re positively looking for.
2. Choose Your Words Carefully
Choosing your words carefully will lead you towards knowing exactly what you want, and in turn, what you want will be created. If you don’t choose your words carefully enough, then you’ll be more likely to backtrack on your own ideas, and to slow down the design process. Know that choosing your words carefully doesn’t have to feel daunting. It doesn’t mean that you have to put much effort into making sure that things are expertly-worded. It just means to make sure that your ideas are actually where you want them to be.
3. Share Your Design Preferences and Dislikes
Share your likes and share your dislikes! Design and development often require clients to share what websites they like or dislike for a design project. Some get really stuck on what they’re supposed to be judging. Share any websites that you like and any that you dislike. If you don’t share your likes and dislikes, designers won’t know what they are.
How to communicate your website likes/dislikes to your web designer
Create a list of 3-4 websites that you like and dislike. They do not need to be related to your business. Note exactly what you like/dislike about them. The website isn’t necessarily about you, but about your audience. However, sharing what you like and dislike is key so the design team considers that when tailoring the design for your audience. This creates a perfect blend to communicate to your web designer.
- How you would imagine specific features working on your website?
- What don’t you want your website to do?
- How will the design features or functionality support your website goals?
4. Over-Communicate Your Vision
There is actually no such thing as over-communicating your vision. Communicate what you’re looking for as much as possible. If you’re not sure what you’re looking at or how you’re supposed to get feedback, it’s always best to speak up. That reduces the number of revisions needed to meet your goals.
The best time for in-depth communication of what you’re looking for is in the beginning stages, before signing a contract. That way the right planning for your project will be enacted. For example, if you are expecting to see a “mobile design” specifically for mobile devices, it’s always best to express this at the very beginning of a project to ensure that your design team is starting off in the right direction.
How to communicate design revisions to your web designer
Try to get the most detailed feedback to your team in the first round of revisions, that way the second round and any final edits will be a breeze. Design revisions are not intended for fixing typos and editing content. This is more efficient when done after the design is finalized, before launch. Are you more comfortable sending feedback via email or live? Express this before the project begins.
5. Set & Express Your Standards
It is always a great idea to set your standards and to express them to your design team. That includes your ideas, how and when you’d like them delivered. Your design team will know the right path to take for you, and, if anything, you’ll know early on if the designers you’re working with are actually a good fit for you and your project.
Looking for a beautiful, professional custom website solution?
Smack Happy’s design team creates full-solution websites. We work with our clients to create their vision with any means necessary. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll listen, then create just what you envisioned. With Smack Happy, you’ll get clear guidance at all steps taken to reach your design goals and excellent solutions that take your project to the next level.
Download our website design help guide that includes easy checklists, tips, and extremely helpful resources to guide you throughout the entire process.
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Thank you for the very informative article. You have discussed the points very briefly.
But I would like to add below 2 points here-
1. Trust your designer- If your designer is asking questions and insisting you for information. So, trust your designer.
2. Share your ideas- Clearly communicate your ideas with your web designer so that he can deliver as per your requirement.
Great points, Merion! Trust is definitely a very hard, yet important thing to do. Establishing this from the beginning with clients is key. Thanks for the comment. 🙂
nice article perfect