In a recent email, a prospective client frustrated to me: “I should be able to handle this website thing,” but she was never on top of it, and didn’t feel that the appearance of what she had even remotely placed her in a favorable light. She clearly wasn’t happy with her presentation to the world.
She is not unusual. I recently took note how often people apologize for not knowing a lot about web development. As means of example, these are four more real communications just in the last six weeks:
–”First, let me apologize right up front. I’m rather clueless as to this whole website process.”
–”I should first say that I really don’t know much about website building,”
–”Sorry – I’m not internet savvy, but I can be taught!”
–”I keep thinking I should be able to handle this website thing myself and for awhile it has worked ok.”
Why are people so hard on themselves? Should I be able to tune my own car engine? We all have cars, sure, and I even know how to top off my fluids, but tune it, or build it? No way. And taxes? Once upon a time I did my own taxes — back when I could fill out a 1040EZ. But once that Schedule C came into the picture I tried once, made an amateur mess of matters, turned this task over to the experts, and never looked back. Money very well spent.
If you are not a web developer/designer you shouldn’t be expected to be wickedly savvy in the ways of website development. Surfing? Sure. But just because you use the internet everyday does not mean you should get down on yourself if your web design efforts do not result in an effective website.
Recent developments in DIY software has created a double-edged bonus/downfall for site owners. Since the software has become more affordable and easier to use, many people feel that they should be able to “do” their own website. Unfortunately, the savvy way to approach websites isn’t that they get “done.” The laundry gets “done.” Websites need to be “developed” to be aligned with your business goals and your audience expectations, and “designed” to be visually appealing and easy-to-use. Otherwise, they are simply there. They might work. They might not. (Imagine if we took that approach with taxes: these might be done right and they might not… Hmmm.)
Your website provides your moment for first and follow up impressions. This is your business face we are talking about. Unless you are a designer and you do it regularly and are up on all the code and can drive photoshop rather than fight it, cut yourself some slack. No apologies necessary. Doing your own website is certainly an accomplishment. I am not knocking it. But so many people seem to think that because they can, they should — on top of their job. Why? Web design is not like housecleaning. To be sure, many of us are very good at cleaning (I am not). But it does not require any particular training or skill — just attention, elbow grease, and a few hours. But web design is, in fact, a skill. And it’s a skill beyond learning some lines of code, or figuring out the directions of iWeb and slapping something online.
This is an interesting time for the web designer. We are needing to adjust to accommodate for the changing web, both user habits and developer tools. But our role is not obsolete. Not by a landslide. We are, however, entering a hybrid age where the site owner wants to do and can do more and more.
I am interested in hearing what people are comfortable doing on their own websites and where they feel over their heads.
My comment on your entire post: Amen, sistah.
Do or Abi have a good basic book reccommendation for picking up PhP?
BTW, I got hold of your CSS file just to see what sorts of thing you guys are doing. Man, it’s wicked complicated. Took me a while just to tease out the bits and then figure out which bits change when.
I have to say that this bit was a stroke of genius: Click on Blog on the top nav and when you look above the title The Wax Blog there’s a little hatch. Very cute touch. Makes the whole design come together spectacularly.
Thanks Keira! We try to put a lot into details. And yes, our CSS is, um, involved. Wait until you see the moods… coming soon!
I get the same thing from clients and have often explained things, as you did, to them.
I don’t have a degree in designing and everything I know has been self taught, but there are still a few things in the designing world that I’m uncomfortable with. Such as Flash! I’m slowly learning it but when I first began I had the “deer in headlights” feeling.
My biggest fear is keeping up with the changes in designing. Just when you becoming accustomed to html, they move to css or php. I personally like css and php but could do without javascript.
IMO, there are benefits to using CSS, PHP, AND Javascript — I don’t think I could do what I do without the melding of the three (as well as mySQL databases).
Keira, I first learned PHP (well, became familiar with the syntax) by studying other people’s code, mostly code shared by people online. Once I became familiar enough to read and manipulate existing code, I took a class. I must have purchased three or four books on PHP but truly, it was the online class that did it for me — it really made things click.
BTW, I just five minutes ago installed a comments preview plugin — LIVE preview. Write a comment and you’ll see directly below the edit box what your comment will look like. Cool!
I had to post a comment just to see what Abi is talking about.
Abi, didn’t see the preview.
Would you two mind if I copied your PHP code files to see how you do things?
Keira-
In order to view the preview, you have to make sure you’ve scrolled all the way down the page so you can see the white space below the ‘post comment’ button. Then you’ll be able to see a live preview comment.
Unfortunately, I cannot share our php code with you, as much of it is proprietary — there is a lot I’ve come up with that is unique to Wax. Much of our php code also contains passwords and other such info (such as database access).
A great way to learn is to figure out what kind of process/action you want to achieve, such as randomizing links or images, and then googling that. You’ll be amazed at how much you can find/learn just with google! I learned a LOT of PHP from code that I found just by googling.
You can download free templates for wordpress and see how their php and css work hand in hand. It’s how I learned.
Abi, just wanted to mention that the preview didn’t work for me either.
Didn’t work for you either, Haven? Hmmmm… Well, this was the first live preview plugin I tried — it got great reviews. Back to the drawing board, I guess! Hopefully I’ll be able to install a new preview function, though, as I’m busy prepping for RWA meeting. We’re going to be busy busy busy!
*pouts* I’m not going to Nationals this year. I was suppose to but things came up.
I love plug-ins but boy they can be annoying when they don’t work.
Thanks for all the advice on PHP, Abi and Haven. I’ll start on the googling and using my test Wordpress site to learn.
FWIW,
Many of our new clients are business people frustrated by the poor results achieved from their DIY web designs.
Professional website design is about building a web presence that generates real bottom-line results. You can’t do that by filling in the blanks of some fifty dollar template…
Bruce Arnold, Web Designer
Miami Florida
Indeed, Bruce. Templating has its place, certainly, but it baffles me how a company can hope to differentiate itself with a template — which is essentially a clone. Who wants to tell their customers that they are just like everybody else?
Thanks for the comment!