I’ve already spoken of the problems of evaluating website proposals and so often I have been called in by clients whose lovely websites are just not delivering business results. Often the problem lies in the lack of identifying clear objectives in briefing, or the web developers being unclear of how the site will deliver. It is the underlying structure and architecture of the site that is of critical importance.
What many clients fail to understand is that with modern web standards based sites changing the visual look should generally be very simple. So, your prime criteria in selecting a site should be the structure and whether it delivers technically. If you can get a site that really works for you you can change the visual look easily. Too often the client forgets the business objectives of a site and is seduced by the visual look of it. It’s like going out to buy an economical three door car and buying a gas-guzzling 4×4… because you like the colour. Follow these simple rules:
- Give a clear brief on what you want the site to do from a business point of view (for example, is it to generate responses, build brands, provide technical data, drive customers to outlets?). Build this into your brief and make it the prime criteria for selection.
- Consider how the site will be maintained and updated, in view of you internal resource – put this in your brief.
- Look at other websites that deliver what you want yours to deliver – forget the looks and concentrate on technical delivery and usability – reference these in your brief and compare your developers’ solutions to these best practices.
- When you get a proposed solution that delivers, then look at the visual design. If you don’t like it as the developers to work on it until you are happy. Remember it is far easier to change the visual look than change the underlying coding and structure at some point in the future.
