Although it seems utterly obvious, you would be stunned by the number of web design projects that are started without any agreement on their eventual purpose. Imagine commissioning an architect to design your house but failing to tell them you mean to incorporate a café at some point in the future.
Often, the reasons for this stem from basic human emotions: Clients often don't know how or why say, a website, can actually benefit them and can be afraid to ask. It is the developer's responsibility to make sure the client is educated to the point of being able to make informed decisions. This isn't about applying a pre-conceived notion to the project, it's about working with the client to understand their needs. Sometimes, this process can take five minutes, occasionally it can take weeks. The point is, the client needs to feel absolutely comfortable about how they are going to move forward. Read the rest of this entry