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Web Developer's Guide: How to Talk to Non Tech-Savvy Clients
sixrevisions.com — A simple article on how to communicate effectively with non tech-savvy clients/employers. Written for web developers, but applicable to many other fields.
jggube- 1152 diggs
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- thaindian, on 03/05/2008, -3/+18aha... this clearly outlines why i wasnt successful in my web-developing attempts for normal people. must not assume all clients nerdy!
- jggube, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3It's short, simple, but informative. Some commonsense tips and some counter-intuitive, but logical tips.
- cyberwiz01, on 03/05/2008, -8/+3Anyone else really bothered by the lack of padding on the left edge of the text?
- Daniel591992, on 03/05/2008, -0/+4I don't see anything out of the ordinary..
- Shiner6, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1No.
- mtwolf, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1open your browser window wider....
- 1jaxstate1, on 03/05/2008, -2/+13Yelling and lots of cursing!
- makerandcreator, on 03/05/2008, -3/+3CommonSense - is a big word.
- jhuebel, on 03/05/2008, -4/+1Yay for wikipedia! http://www.wikipedia.org/CommonSense
(yes I realize that URL is technically incorrect, but makerandcreator used a wiki word)
(oh, and it redirects)
- jhuebel, on 03/05/2008, -4/+1Yay for wikipedia! http://www.wikipedia.org/CommonSense
- zplot, on 03/05/2008, -0/+11Applicable outside of web design. From software development jobs to repairing computers in projects, I had to know the boss or customer. A boss doesn't need to know everything about your work, just the output. And when repairing computers, the owner doesn't need to know everything that you did to patch up any problems - only what he/she can do to keep the computer clean with as little effort as possible.
- Crath, on 03/05/2008, -9/+3Acting like your talking to a small child on the computer is actually quite effective. Everything seems to go well.
- locutus1701, on 03/05/2008, -7/+1Just tell me how to talk to the girl in the photo.
- feliks2, on 03/05/2008, -2/+2Ouch that's pretty bad. She seems kind of ugly.
- joshcxa, on 03/05/2008, -2/+6Stuff 'em...hit 'em with jargon! It's amusing.
- cledford, on 03/05/2008, -5/+33The girl in the pic isn't doing it for me.
- tcpip4lyfe, on 03/05/2008, -4/+25Huge nose.
- m0zzie, on 03/05/2008, -3/+9she looks like a witch
- Mitthrawnuruodo, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1She turned me into a newt!
- darlyn, on 03/05/2008, -6/+3Yes, I'm afraid I'll have to bury this article.
- Krescentia, on 03/05/2008, -0/+0Then why not go to another site, scums?
- dvsbastard, on 03/05/2008, -1/+22I use copious amounts of large and confusing technical buzzwords to justify my exorbitant fees!
- tcpip4lyfe, on 03/05/2008, -2/+17I assume that they are a dumb ass until they bust out an acronym.
- jeexbit, on 03/05/2008, -0/+4WTF?
- derek20cali, on 03/05/2008, -3/+51. Cut the snarky attitude.
- Errdoth, on 03/05/2008, -2/+8I've always had a bad habit of just agreeing with whatever a client says because I don't want to have to explain things to them. The best clients in the world are the ones that want it done, and don't care how it's done, so long as it works (well).
- Errdoth, on 03/05/2008, -2/+11I've always had a bad habit of agreeing with whatever a client says for the sole purpose of not having to explain it to them. Aside from clients who know what they're talking about, IMO, the best clients are those who don't care how the job gets done so long as it gets done, and it works (well :D ).
- Errdoth, on 03/05/2008, -1/+6Hmm, maybe repeating what I'm trying to say will get more people to pay attention. Bleh...didn't think the first one went through cause I hit the back button right before I submitted...
- KnifeOrSpoon, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2people are smart up until the point they become clients. From that moment forward they are known as idiots and several other colourful names. But it can be quite difficult to tell a client NO when they are writing your paychecks
- DjOverEZ, on 03/05/2008, -2/+11This is a video of monkeys getting drunk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYuIYNaKynI
- CrushThemTorg, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1I prefer "So high right now cat:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA3dHi_o7Yw&feature ...
- xornor, on 03/05/2008, -2/+10Web Developers are tech savvy?
- ruddy, on 03/05/2008, -0/+5yes, if you know HTML you're hot *****. make sure you don't get too technical with that photoshop lingo
- hello2usir, on 03/05/2008, -0/+9Dugg up for truth. Web designers tend to think a little CSS or Javascript means they're on par with actual college educated software engineers. And they normally get angry if you try to shatter that delusion.
- neko6, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2On the other hand, 6 years of Computer Science and I still can't write a damn CSS sheet correctly...
Not that I think I should of been able to, but you know...- hello2usir, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1It's not "should of". It's "should have".
That may be part of your problem.
- hello2usir, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1It's not "should of". It's "should have".
- el_taco, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Why did you add college education in that comment. It would have been acceptable just to use software engineer. Going to college don't mean *****. I wasted 2 years of my life there and gained absolutely nothing.
- neko6, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2On the other hand, 6 years of Computer Science and I still can't write a damn CSS sheet correctly...
- nonrate, on 03/05/2008, -1/+9This is odd since most web developers I know are clueless about technology themselves. "What's a Unic?"
- finethug, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1great article, I will sure keep this info in mind
- Mzungu, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3I'm confused, talk nerdy to her or her nose?
- chakan2, on 03/05/2008, -4/+0I know there were words on that page somewhere, but does anyone have that chick's number (nerdy chicks are either super cool, or completely crazy, either way, lots of fun).
- jeexbit, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1What's a nubian?
- CrushThemTorg, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1The guys in Star Wars who built the Naboo spaceships.
... or someone from a region of Africa.
- CrushThemTorg, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1The guys in Star Wars who built the Naboo spaceships.
- Tomson74, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1how about talk to tech savy people who think they know it all?
and that chicks nose is LONG - teabagginz, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2basically...don't be a douchebag.
- HugeAlReturns, on 03/05/2008, -3/+1Why is he rattling on about xhtml when no current browsers support it? My guess is he writes xhtml but serves it as html, rendering it a total wasted effort.
- el_taco, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1How is it wasted effort if you always code with the same standards?
- srg13, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1I don't see the point in not making a site in strict XHTML - it takes hardly any extra effort, and just makes you more careful with producing clean markup.
- RoyalShrubber, on 03/05/2008, -2/+0/snobby/ Since when are web-devs* tech-savy? :)
*had lamp/script kiddies in mind - ThankTheCheese, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1http://www.duggmirror.com
- Sawta, on 03/05/2008, -3/+2But.. but people turn to web development BECAUSE they're social retarded, not because they're good at it!
- gkiltz, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Just speak English, not techie, and know a couple of good analogies that most people will understand!
A picture of your dog or cat is a great way to break the ice, especially if they have one running around!
Find some way to break the ice, and show them that you're there to help. Be willing to remind them however, that they called you because they had a problem of the type you fix every day.
I remember doing a service call on a case where the guy was an old railroad man. I was able to compare the internet to a "virtual railroad" in the way it handles traffic. That got me through! After that, the guy had good logic if you could get him to use it! - cyrusuncc, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Tip #7
Make sure website can handle the digg effect - fen35, on 03/05/2008, -1/+0I think it is very good idea jejeje
- caponumen, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1No thanks, that's what Trolls are for.
Last time I tried this, my head nearly exploded........ - xhezarian, on 03/24/2008, -0/+0I think it's one of the most crucial points to be considered before referring to the client and/or employee. though in the worst case scenarios is the riskiest part of loosing a client.
- lolo2007, on 05/18/2008, -0/+0I know there were words on that page somewhere, but does anyone have that chick's number (nerdy chicks are either super cool, or completely crazy, either way, lots of fun
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