I recently wrote a personal post about why I design. I’m not sure WHY I wrote it, but I just felt the need to write something after re-reading Po Bronson’s “What Should I Do With My Life?”. I’m also testing the forum post integration feature of Expression Engine :-)

I was just thinking today that “I design because I like stories” is pretty much the story of EVERYTHING I do. I like the simple, personal nature of this statement. And it also seems to convey that I might be a GOOD designer because it is so simple. I think the designers that I most respect would understand what I’m saying. The people who don’t get it are unlikely to be the kind of clients I would want, because they’re looking for something else. And that’s just fine.

I design because I enjoy watching my ideas manifest before my eyes.  Once a web site or application is working as required, I get bored easily.  I stay tuned to see if refinements are necessary, but my enthusiasm drops.

I find it very difficult to work with people who are not interested in learning how to do anything themselves.  My business model is create a web site design, train the client ... move on.  But all too often, folks want me to hold their hands far longer than I anticipate.  I am trying to figure out how to make this work for me and meet the needs of the clients in some way.

Since I am on pension, I do not technically have to design to live, but the extra money doesn’t hurt.  What I am finding though, is that my best clients are people who ultimately want something that *I* find interesting.  Unfortunately these are also the ones who are the least likely to be able to pay my fees.

I keep joking that I need to find a better class of subversives!  :coolsmile:

This past weekend, I created in one day a site for people coming together to support a friend struggling with breast cancer.  Now that felt really good ... and yeah, it was totally for free.

If I read between the lines, it seems that people have to be involved somehow.

Dave Seah - 07 January 2008 03:26 PM

If I read between the lines, it seems that people have to be involved somehow.

Hmmm, good insight.  Like you, I prefer to work with people who have ideas, enthusiasm and ... some level of skills or at at the least a willingness to learn. 

My biggest turn off is, “But I can’t possibly learn how to do that!”, followed closely by, “I will just send you everything and you do it for me!”

I am very proud of all the people I have helped become web savvy over the years.  All it takes is a willingness, and I can teach just about anyone.  I can usually coax most people out of that fear position, but currently I have a potential client that is literally making me want pull my hair out.  I am thinking that maybe, I need to fire her and move on….

What’s the issue with your client that makes you want to pull your hair out? I’ve had a few of those. The toughest ones to fire are the ones that really need a lot of psychological support but are not willing to drop the pretense that they would appreciate it, and feel they need to through up this facade of control. Maybe the easier way to boil that down is to say that I don’t like clients that can’t deal with me straight, or that I can’t talk to directly. Not that I’m so perfect, but I think it’s my baseline expectation.

Dave Seah - 07 January 2008 09:03 PM

What’s the issue with your client that makes you want to pull your hair out? I’ve had a few of those. The toughest ones to fire are the ones that really need a lot of psychological support but are not willing to drop the pretense that they would appreciate it, and feel they need to through up this facade of control. Maybe the easier way to boil that down is to say that I don’t like clients that can’t deal with me straight, or that I can’t talk to directly. Not that I’m so perfect, but I think it’s my baseline expectation.

That is my expectation as well.  Although my work is no where near the caliber of the work you do, I think I do alright.  I primarily use Drupal to develop web sites.  I have eight sites so far, and I enjoy the process for the most part.  I also do custom perl and now also php work on occasion.

My current web site client started off with bright ideas that were actually pretty straight forward.  But once I documented her requirements and sent her a proposal, she began this long crusade to get the “graphics” right.  She wanted non-specific animation, and original artwork from unnamed artists.  So I mentioned a mutual acquaintance who is a graphic artist that I work with on occasion and asked for specifics so I could tell if maybe I could handle her graphic and animation needs.  Instead of responding to me, she cornered the graphic artist at a conference and had a “conversation.”  The artist remembers it as a casual exchange, but the client was apparently convinced that she had commissioned a great artwork.

... heavy sigh ... So I modified the original proposal, which she had yet to accept, to include the graphic artist’s proposal.  I stipulated that at acceptance, we would hold a design meeting to determine her actual graphic needs.  Her response?  I need to see the drawings first!  What drawings?  Now both I and the graphic artist are confused.  How could we have produced drawings when she hasn’t said what she wants in them?

She is so close to being fired at this point.  The only reason I hesitate at all is because she is a local minor celebrity of sorts.  I was hoping her site would open doors to other contracts.  Her last note to me was a missive on how I needed to be committed to working with her long term because she does not have time to learn all that “technical stuff.”  ... long pause ...

This is getting long, but what I am learning ... albeit the hard way ... is that I need to decide what business I am in.  Am I a web designer that builds web sites for anyone or am I a designer that builds applications, web sites, solutions, etc with and for people I want to work with?  I enjoyed working with the graphic artist.  I enjoyed working with people who want to run their own web sites.  I enjoyed creating a specialized xml to ical application for my local yoga studio.  Heck I enjoy creating my own graphic designs. 

I do not enjoy working with people who think they are hiring help to work on the farm.