The hardest job each web designer has to do is to understand and analyze the requirements and expectations of their clients before taking on a project. Most projects don’t get completed because of the unrealistic expectations of clients or because the designer was not aware of the actual needs of the client and his own capabilities.
To avoid such situations, a web designer should ask the client questions relating to his budget, deadlines, and overall site requirements etc. in the initial meetings, so that both parties remain on the same track throughout the project. In this article, I would be listing the Questions which I prefer to ask before taking any web design project.
1. What you want your website to do?
You need to know the purpose which your client wants to attain with their website. Whether they just want to build a simple social network, whether they want a blog where they can share their views with an audience or alternatively if they are looking for an online store where they can sell their products.
2. Who is your Target Audience?
The design of the website depends on its audience, therefore you should know about it. Whether the website is for old people, who don’t like bright colors or if the website is for kids who would prefer funky designs with bright colors and flash.
3. What features you would like your website to have?
This question would tell you about the knowledge of your client and how much research they have done for the project before coming to you. Most clients don’t have any idea with regard to the things they need in their website or have unrealistic demands so its important to clear the features you are going to add in the website and have them in writing.
4. Can you please show us your competitor websites?
Each client wants his website to be better than its competitors. Looking at their competitors websites would help you to determine the actual complexity of the project.
5. What are your Favorite Websites and why?
Ask your client about his favorite websites and reasons they like them. These websites would help you to understand the client likes and dislikes. Some clients give high priority to color scheme and low priority to the level of difficulty while using it, while other focus only on its usability and don’t care much about color scheme and fonts.
6. Do you understand the process of website designing?
Web Designing is a creative process and not a formula; your client should know this. You should make sure that your clients have trust in you and you have complete freedom to use your imagination while designing.
7. What is the Deadline and Budget?
Obviously this is the most important question. You need to know the clients budget and deadline before taking any decisions about any project.
8. What are your contact details?
Mainly, we communicate with clients via email and IM. But still it’s better to get complete client contact details and get them verified. These details tend to be very helpful in any unpleasant circumstances.
9. Can I leave my signature at your website?
This might not be an important question for many, but I always prefer to put a link on my client’s website to my own website and make it clear to my clients in initial meetings.
So, these are the questions which I ask most of the times to my clients. In case I missed any good questions, then please add it in your comments.
Guest author Razz Barr is a Web Designer in Go-gulf.com, a Kuwait Web Design Company that provides affordable web design and development solutions. You can also write a guest article and share your expertise with our readers.