You know how programming has patterns to solve common problems? Well do you guys know if there are any patterns regarding qualifying questions about feedback?
For example, if you show a design to a client or a user, often the first thing they say is “I don’t like it” or “It looks OK I guess”, which is not very useful feedback. In order to understand why they don’t like it, you have to dig deeper, but is there a place you should start?
Often I’ve run into a situation (especially when changing an existing design, rather than building a new one) where the user doesn’t like the ENTIRE design merely because it changed one tiny element (moving a link they may commonly use to another location, etc). Are there any patterns for getting to the bottom of people who essentially ignore all aspects of the design and focus only on the specifics that related to their own usage habits?
It’s a perennial problem. A general rule of thumb is the a client who can’t begin to articulate what they don’t like about a site is going to be a bad client to work for … but I realise that picking and choosing your clients is a luxury not everyone can afford!
If they just say “I don’t like it” and can’t expand on that, you need to try to tease out of them what they don’t like. Is it the colour scheme? Is it the font face or size? What about the graphics … are there not enough, are there too many, do they clash with other page elements, do they convey the wrong message or tone? Are elements nicely spaced, too cramped or to spread out? Is there a good balance between text, graphics, navigation, whitespace etc?
I guess their expectations are always very high and they want a better work no matter how good you are. They want a better performance every time you do your work and web designing can always improve. Its not about concentrating on certain elements and making them satisfied with your work, its about understanding their psychosocial aspects, what they really look into a web design. Just work on it and it will be all good.
what I like to do before I even start a project is to have a client send me websites they like and don’t like. From there I ask, What do you like about website A? What don’t you like about websiteB?
That’s where needs analysis plays a big part in the project. (In other words stuff you need to find out in discussion with the client.)
Who is your target audience?
What message are you trying to relay your customers?
What content is your focal point? What is the most important item needed on the page?
what websites/competitors, etc. do you like? What features?
If they come back to you with one word answers push them for more information. I always tell them “The more detail you provide me with, the better I understand what your strategies and goals are to achieve success.”
You MUST be comfortable with the information they provided you with BEFORE you start any project. If not…
Ask more questions.
Educate them based on your experience what works and what doesn’t work.
They don’t know what they want, that’s why they come to you. Using proper CRM techniques will allow them to trust you and be comfortable working with you. This will give them the ability to relay to you what they want.
Following these steps will save you in the long run with the development process and help you avoid spinning your wheels when something like this comes about.
I think it’s all about planning beforehand. Ensuring you’ve got a detailed design brief from the client - even if getting to that design brief means multiple meetings and discussions with the client. I echo a previous posters point about face-to-face meetings. You’ll learn so much more by sitting with them. I always try and look at it from a point of “don’t give me the solution, give me the problem”
I’m not a big fan of asking them what sites they do and don’t like. Having said that I do normally ask the question to them but normally with a point of reference as to what the site does rather than what it looks like.
It’s also important to have the end user in the back of your mind when gathering all these little details together. The client may not like the design, but subsequent or prior research with the target audience may have proven it’s the right solution. Then it becomes a case of educating the client and gentle persuasion and then finding a happy medium.
The crux of the article is to focus the client using specific questions that remove their vague-ness and reduce their tendency to use personal opinions. For example, you could ask “does the design meet the three goals stated in the communication brief?”, “Why not?”. There are many more sample questions, tips and tricks in this article and I highly recommend it. Sorry, wish I could remember more right now but don’t have the magazine in front of me.