Comments on: Offer what the customer/project needs, instead of generalizing http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/ Web development and Internet trends Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:35:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Johan http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-189146 Johan Sat, 19 Jan 2008 17:14:45 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-189146 Absolutely, dont mislead yourself or the client. Make the best solution work for the website, taking in account what is possible, and inform the client and listen! Absolutely, dont mislead yourself or the client. Make the best solution work for the website, taking in account what is possible, and inform the client and listen!

]]> By: Robert Nyman http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-188067 Robert Nyman Fri, 18 Jan 2008 09:03:19 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-188067 Anders, Steven, Pat, Yes, some of this situations also come from territorial pissings within the developer team, which is just a waste of everyone's time and the customer's money. There are definitely cases where the customer have no idea what they want or need, but then it's <em>our obligation</em> to wrk out and find their needs together with them, instead of just naively thinking that some technical solution will be all they need. Then, of course, some technology can, at the end of the day, be exactly something which will match a certain need, but you have no idea before you've pin-pointed the need itself. Anders, Steven, Pat,

Yes, some of this situations also come from territorial pissings within the developer team, which is just a waste of everyone’s time and the customer’s money.

There are definitely cases where the customer have no idea what they want or need, but then it’s our obligation to wrk out and find their needs together with them, instead of just naively thinking that some technical solution will be all they need.

Then, of course, some technology can, at the end of the day, be exactly something which will match a certain need, but you have no idea before you’ve pin-pointed the need itself.

]]> By: Pat http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187866 Pat Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:24:36 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187866 Interesting post Robert.. however I didn't know there was any other way to design website/program without basing it around the input from the customer you're delivering it to. However I've sure seen my fair share of really crappy portfolios and often wonder, why would they hire this company... but if I think about some of the people I talk to re the web, they often look at me with a blank stare.. and it's too bad some designers take complete advantage of that! It's a shameful practice!! As usual Robert... excellent post :) Interesting post Robert.. however I didn’t know there was any other way to design website/program without basing it around the input from the customer you’re delivering it to. However I’ve sure seen my fair share of really crappy portfolios and often wonder, why would they hire this company… but if I think about some of the people I talk to re the web, they often look at me with a blank stare.. and it’s too bad some designers take complete advantage of that! It’s a shameful practice!!

As usual Robert… excellent post :)

]]> By: » Blog Archive » First Analyse the Client’s Web Problem - StevenClark.com.au http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187819 » Blog Archive » First Analyse the Client’s Web Problem - StevenClark.com.au Thu, 17 Jan 2008 23:54:09 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187819 [...] morning I was elated to see a little sanity on the web with a post from Robert Nyman about looking at the client’s needs before moving to the client’s solution. I’m [...] [...] morning I was elated to see a little sanity on the web with a post from Robert Nyman about looking at the client’s needs before moving to the client’s solution. I’m [...]

]]> By: Steven Clark http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187784 Steven Clark Thu, 17 Jan 2008 22:54:02 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187784 Robert this is one of the strongest issues I try to put out there - its good to see other people coming to the same conclusions. Its about being a consultant first and looking at the web problem. From the web problem you can reach a web solution... Start with the business goals and objectives... what is the site meant to achieve? what measurable results will it be held up to? Return on investment has to be in there somehow or otherwise why have a site at all (IMO)? Quite often when people phone or walk in the trouble is they don't know what they want. They don't even know what is possible or anything about web technologies - that's our job. So we need to find out what the site will need to achieve first. I get so frustrated seeing business after business get sucked down the you need a CMS path... A close friend who has a far larger business than mine ever would be said finally after 5 years of knowing me - only 1 per cent of his CMS customers ever update even a single page or image. It just doesn't happen. Excellent post Robert and good business advice. Cheers. Robert this is one of the strongest issues I try to put out there - its good to see other people coming to the same conclusions. Its about being a consultant first and looking at the web problem. From the web problem you can reach a web solution…

Start with the business goals and objectives… what is the site meant to achieve? what measurable results will it be held up to? Return on investment has to be in there somehow or otherwise why have a site at all (IMO)?

Quite often when people phone or walk in the trouble is they don’t know what they want. They don’t even know what is possible or anything about web technologies - that’s our job. So we need to find out what the site will need to achieve first. I get so frustrated seeing business after business get sucked down the you need a CMS path…

A close friend who has a far larger business than mine ever would be said finally after 5 years of knowing me - only 1 per cent of his CMS customers ever update even a single page or image. It just doesn’t happen.

Excellent post Robert and good business advice. Cheers.

]]> By: Anders Ytterström http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187403 Anders Ytterström Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:58:42 +0000 http://www.robertnyman.com/2008/01/17/offer-what-the-customerproject-needs-instead-of-generalizing/#comment-187403 I totally agree. One other side of the situation is the internal conficts in the developer team. I've heard of situations where the CMS and markup is optimized for one type of service only, and that poor interface developer which must solve the impossible task of making the service be like a totally different service with CSS only, since the HTML is locked. There is no such thing as a general solution. Too bad some system developers and project managers goes with the motto "ignorance is bliss". I totally agree. One other side of the situation is the internal conficts in the developer team.

I’ve heard of situations where the CMS and markup is optimized for one type of service only, and that poor interface developer which must solve the impossible task of making the service be like a totally different service with CSS only, since the HTML is locked.

There is no such thing as a general solution. Too bad some system developers and project managers goes with the motto “ignorance is bliss”.

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