Webpage mockups - leave the latin?

[animgirl]

Hello,

I would like to get some opinions on this.
Do you think it is bad practice to use "lorem ipsum" filler text on a mockup in your portfolio? Sometimes a mockup doesn't go through to become a webpage, so you never really have adequate text to fill in the latin areas, but it is still a good design that you would like to showcase.

Even so, if you do have a mockup that moves on to become a webpage, do you go back and add applicable text in your mockup before you showcase it? It would make sense, but at the same time it may date the piece if the information is time-specific.

What do you think?

Thanks!
Elise

[Bas!]

Lorem Ipsum is filler text, if it's not a real website but just a mockup or image there will be no need for text unless you're bored.

[animgirl]

But does it look okay to leave it in a mockup if you put it in your portfolio, large enough to where the text could be readable?

[Johan Dahlström]

I would never use Lorem Ipsum in my portfolio. Mainly because it can give the impression of the site as being fake. And a fake website – one you do just do show off your photoshop skills for instance – does in my opinion not even come close to real ones when it comes to credibility.

[Egor]

I would never use Lorem Ipsum in my portfolio. Mainly because it can give the impression of the site as being fake. And a fake website – one you do just do show off your photoshop skills for instance – does in my opinion not even come close to real ones when it comes to credibility.

I second what Johan's saying. Unless you specifically state that the project showcased never went live or was a dummy, you're better off not including it at all in the long run. It can be tempting to include anything and everything you design when you first get started in this business, but bear in mind, some clients want to see real live-working solutions you provided to previous customers, not a bunch of pictures. A lot of clients don't know what looks good from bad anyway; they just want proof that you can do the job.

Unless you're selling on the visuals alone, be very careful of what you put in your portfolio. That goes for live projects as well.

[bo5ton]

So in terms of clients, would you suggest placing "real" text relating to the client's needs or just leaving it blank? What if they say they would like to see an example of text, but don't provide you with anything?

[Egor]

So in terms of clients, would you suggest placing "real" text relating to the client's needs or just leaving it blank? What if they say they would like to see an example of text, but don't provide you with anything?

For presented concepts, you mean? Ideally, yes, you should present the concept with at least some amount of real content in place, in my opinion. However, considering how lazy/busy/uncooperative many clients are, that's not always a realistic option. Lipsum is better than a blank layout.

[vgarcia]

I'd say that a concept that didn't make it to final isn't worth putting in a portfolio at all.

[Dark Tranquility]

I'd say that a concept that didn't make it to final isn't worth putting in a portfolio at all.

yeah and take this as a rule !! if something is not 100%finished you may sell it but you can't sell thanks to it !
hope you got me

[animgirl]

yeah and take this as a rule !! if something is not 100%finished you may sell it but you can't sell thanks to it !
hope you got me

Let me give you the whole gist that spurred my question

I work as a graphic designer and frontend developer at a web development firm. The focus of my portfolio is design, and that is the skill I sell.

Before I make a website, I put together a mockup to show the client an example of what their website could look like, a translation of how I took their needs and put them into a webpage format. This includes a homepage and subpage. Sometimes I spend a lot of time on a possible design that the client likes at first, and decides to micromanage into a concept that I don't feel accomplishes the objective as well; even though they are happy with it. Other clients request revisions to the intial mockup, then fall off the face of the earth. Some clients choose to go through with the mockup and maintain their own website, and hose my design eventually anyway.

So I have concepts that I feel would have been a very good solution for a client that they never came back with us on (content not available), other designs that are live but were micromanaged (content available), and other websites that the client updates themselves, that are derranged in areas (content bits available).

The safest way for me to showcase a design of mine in my personal portfolio, with the version that I feel accomplishes the client's objective best; is to show a screenshot. Also, if the website goes offline or something happens to it, I still have the design to showcase because it was a good design that fit the client's needs.

That was what brought me to the "latin filler" question, regarding clients that I have invested design time into, that never returned to our company but gave enough information for me to produce a design that I felt could have been a good solution to their needs.

My design is a part of the whole web development process, but if I complete that step and do it well, I think it's worth adding to my portfolio.

[donmarvin]

1. I would definitely put the design in my portfolio. People want to see what kind of work you can produce, whether it was ever used commercially or not.

2. You might even say it hasn't been used yet and the design is available for purchase.

2. I would change the text to English because many people won't know that lorem ipsum is filler text.

[schachin]

Here is my 2 cents for whatever it is worth?

No Latin for portfolio work unless you have a good reason like it did not go live or if the content was sensitive and you could not show it (sometimes for govt work or intranets)

BUT for showing designs I NEVER PUT in any text unless it is a nav title to show then what it will look like and standard things like log-in etc..

(now I always have nav items nailed down before I go to design because they can change everything)

The reason.. Because most clients are not visual people and more often than not someone will get hung up on why did I use this or that text. They would not use that text. Why .... Why ... Why.. if you get the idea... I try to give them nothing to get hung up on.. I have been designing for 10 years for any kind of client you can think of and I have found any time I added text they did not give me themselves I wound up spending 10-30 mins trying to explain it is just mark-up. Latin does not give me that issue..

ok that was my 2 cents

[schachin]

oh and I screenshot the actual site, so the client can see it went live, so then the text issue is resolved at that point


one other tip ---
a posting here made me think to share this...
when freelancing -- this is how i get paid (for design and build work)
1/3 at time of contract
1/3 at time of design delivery
1/3 when the site goes live with up to 10 minor changes (or more if a large site)

each stage requires a sign-off before I move to the next phase

Why do I ask for 2/3 before I have coded anything?
Because client's are notoriously fickle and not usually very responsive..
Not their fault just the business..

So 1/3 down is good faith money that they will get started right away and I will not be doing work I am not going to get paid for..

1/3 at design delivery (3 designs) because they can take my work and then take it somewhere cheaper to build or they can take forever to move to the next step and from here to the live can be a long time, so you will need this money .

1/3 when live (though 30 days to pay) because they can ask for a million changes and keep from paying you .. or take a long time to get to making the changes they want, so I let them know they can request so many changes for up to so many months after it is live, but once live my payment is expected..

very few people have ever objected and I have rarely had any issues with clients diappearing or taking long periods of time to get finished.. once invested monetarily the projects tend to run smoothly..

just my 2 cents..

[schachin]

I'd say that a concept that didn't make it to final isn't worth putting in a portfolio at all.

I would say that is definitely NOT true..
A client may not want a design for a million reasons, but it may be great work
You cannot have all mock-ups in your port, but I include the other designs in with the one that did make it, so the new client can see the variety of my work.. I have rec jobs based on those designs other clients did not like, but the new client loved!

[KiwiJohn]

Why not have two (or more) sections to your portfolio?
1. Designs that have gone on to live websites.
2. Designs that were created but did not get used.

Perhaps you could also showcase alternative designs for one company, e.g. you prepare three designs for a client (as schachin described previously). Client selects one which goes live. You could showcase the completed website along with screenshots of the alternative designs, so potential clients can see the breadth of your ability.

Including some explanatory text may be all that is necessary to let people know about clients that have changed your design after completion, e.g. "This client decided to have changes made to their site by another developer. Here is a screenshot of the original design by [your company]." That way, even if someone destroys your design post completion, you can still present your talents to future clients.

John

[omnicity]

This really comes down to the individual:
Several live sites to show off is the best option.
A demo site is also good, but lacks the 'real world' credibility of real text. If you have to go with this option, then Lorem Ipsum shows that you are not trying to fool anyone.
A screen dump is not as good, because it lets you pick the best browser setup.
A photoshop design is even worse, as it doesn't prove you can design in HTML, but does still give a good idea of your design skills.


For mock-ups, Lorem Ipsum can help the client focus on the appearance - often if you try and put in sample text they will pick up on the mistakes that you will inevitably make in it, such as pointing out that something has the wrong price!