Bridging the Gap between Designers and Clients

A presentation given by Breandán Knowlton (@bfk) at the "Ready to Inspire" conference held in Leiden, The Netherlands on 10 Dec, 2012 (http://2012.inspireconf.com/). Matthew Pennell posted some notes at http://www.thewatchmakerproject.com/post/ready-to-inspire-breandan-knowlton-bridging-the-gap-between-designers-and-clients/.

The essential take-away is that the tools and processes of web design support a state of "flow", and that projects can be designed in a way to include clients in this state, leading to greater engagement and better, more meaningful projects.

Transcript

1. @b #InspireConf 2012 Bridging the Gap between Designers & Clients
2. @b #InspireConf 2012
3. @b #InspireConf 2012 Today, I’d like to talk to you about: Client culture and Design culture What goes into Great Work What to change on your next project … in 35 minutes or so. Questions or comments via @bfk
4. @b #InspireConf 2012 I won’t talk to you about: Web typography CSS tricks Why you should buy my book, “A Practical Guide to Managing Web Projects” at FiveSimpleSteps.com
5. @b #InspireConf 2012 Design Culture & Client Culture Incompatible?
6. @b #InspireConf 2012 At work I’m a client I talk to other clients about designer culture
7. @b #InspireConf 2012 My Project Ecosystem 2011 2012 2013
8. @b #InspireConf 2012
9. @b #InspireConf 2012
10. @b #InspireConf 2012 And yet – we don’t work alone. Clients and digital craftspeople can make Great Projects
11. @b #InspireConf 2012 Together, we want … A feeling of energised focus The sense of full involvement Enjoyment of the process
12. @b #InspireConf 2012
13. @b #InspireConf 2012 Not incompatible. In the best partnerships, both partners have space to do Good Work.
14. @b #InspireConf 2012 We want to do Good Work “enjoy[ing] doing your best while at the same time contributing to something beyond yourself.” ~ Coert Vissar
15. @b #InspireConf 2012 Great Projects Don’t depend on a single culture.
16. @b #InspireConf 2012 Great Projects Depend on everyone working in rhythm. Doing good work. Being invested. In a state of FLOW.
17. @b #InspireConf 2012
18. @b #InspireConf 2012 You can control this. FLOW needs just three things, and you can create all of them.
19. @b #InspireConf 2012 Flow requires: 1. Immediate Feedback 2. A Balance of Capability & Challenge 3. Clear Goals & Progress
20. @b #InspireConf 2012 1. Immediate Feedback Short Cycles
21. @b #InspireConf 2012 This should be easy for Designers.
22. @b #InspireConf 2012
23. @b #InspireConf 2012
24. @b #InspireConf 2012 Harder for Clients. But there’s one thing …
25. @b #InspireConf 2012 User Testing
26. @b #InspireConf 2012
27. @b #InspireConf 2012 2. Balance Capability & Challenge
28. @b #InspireConf 2012
29. @b #InspireConf 2012 High Challenge, High Skills
30. @b #InspireConf 2012 Designers Seek Challenge
31. @b #InspireConf 2012
32. @b #InspireConf 2012
33. @b #InspireConf 2012 How do you challenge Clients? Challenge them to know their customers. Challenge them to write good copy. Challenge them to do meaningful research.
34. @b #InspireConf 2012
35. @b #InspireConf 2012 3. Clear Goals We all like to see where we are.
36. @b #InspireConf 2012
37. @b #InspireConf 2012 Designer goals Getting paid for your time Preparing for the next gig Porfolios Webbys Learning
38. @b #InspireConf 2012 Client goals Related to customers and their needs Related to financial impacts Related to changes in internal processes
39. @b #InspireConf 2012 Fast, Cheap, Good. Pick Two. For Designers, somewhere between money and quality. For small Clients, between money and time. For large Clients, between time and quality.
40. @b #InspireConf 2012 TIME COST QUALITY D C € C €€€
41. @b #InspireConf 2012 Goals to Agree On Reflect the values of an organisation Create measurable value Finish project, on time, on budget
42. @b #InspireConf 2012 Time for action. Here’s what I challenge you to change on your next project.
43. @b #InspireConf 2012 Project Structure Option 1: Kind of how you do it now. DESIGNER CLIENT Yes/No Yes/No Yes/No
44. @b #InspireConf 2012 Project Structure Option 2: Why not bring the client into your FLOW? DESIGNER CLIENT
45. @b #InspireConf 2012 Project Structure Option 2: Why not bring the client into your FLOW? DESIGNER CLIENT 1. Feedback 2. Challenge 3. Goals
46. @b #InspireConf 2012 Result Designer AND Client are in a state of FLOW. Both invested. Both learning. Both experiencing spontaneous JOY of creating.
47. @b #InspireConf 2012 Result You can do Good Work together. Something that neither could create alone.
48. @b #InspireConf 2012
49. @b #InspireConf 2012 Now: Go do some work that you’re proud of!
50. @b #InspireConf 2012 Thanks! I’m Breandán Knowlton. You’ll find me at @bfk or Breandan.org. And I wouldn’t mind at all if you bought my book.
51. @b #InspireConf 2012 Credits • Oliverbeatson: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Challenge_vs_skill.svg • Visser, Coert: "Good Business: Leadership, Flow, and the Making of Meaning" • Richard Rhee: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcrhee/5869063798/ • Evan Ferstenfeld: http://www.madewithawesome.com/ • Ken Colwell: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcolwell/5613406505/ • Hiroshi Nittono, et al: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi %2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0046362 • Panic: http://panic.com/coda/ • Aleksandr Novoselov: http://dribbble.com/shots/850302-Dribbble-Cards • The Reboot: http://www.flickr.com/photos/70292973@N07/7192955302/ • http://www.skillcrush.com/terms/responsive-design.html • W3C: http://www.w3.org/html/logo/ • AG Gilmore: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ag_gilmore/8170021483 • George Keith: http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgikeith/2192384177/