i may prefer this "stripped" feeling you guys are speaking of

http://www.pixelparlor.com

-ZiP!-

8/29/2005 8:38:02 PM

Quote :

"Again which is why they hire YOU, as a designer, to tell them NOT to do it. Caving into monetary reward isn't exactly a trait I would emphasize as you are doing. What the fuck good is getting paid to create something that doesn't represent what you stand for? I don't prefer "stripped" sites. I like sites that meet the needs of the audience. It just happens that most of my clients have been large entities with very very broad audiences. I have absolutely no problem with sites that go for visual flair and a more art over useable appeal if that is what the client's needs dictate It's part of being a DESIGNER and not a damn business stooge. If someone hires you to design something for them, they are hiring your expertise, knowledge and skills. Not a fucking yes man who will do what they want just because they want it. If they want to get what they want, they can do the shit themselves."

the page with the splash page for the flash intro is for an arts school in durham targeting a young audience with an urban background...the flash intro met those clients' needs even if i prefer to not have that.

meeting a clients' needs does not make me a design whore...i have turned down a slew of clients for that fact alone...as for the result of the webpage, last month http://www.potentialis.org had over 25,000 views...i'm not trying to argue with you, i just think that to say that certain things are a "complete waste" when every client has different needs is a hypocrisy.

with a technical (architectural design i believe i saw on your site) background and my marketing background it's pretty obvious that we may approach the same thing in two different ways. for me it's all about the clients...i am a designer and not a consultant...i don't get paid to change their business plan, but i have to match a page or theme with their business image in most cases and there is a certain amount of constraints that result from that. i find out what the client wants, give my suggestions (not say "that's what i'll do") and then work up a rough site for them to critique...if i was a HUGE web design company i could easily say "this is how i will do it" if they don't have the same view of their site as me, but i'm not...and i believe that to grow as a business or individual you have to satisfy your customers...

that doesn't constitute being a design whore...

and ZiP i like your page...your friend steven nghe has actually sent a few customers my way...lol...(mainly potentialis)

oh and Noen this isn't a sarcastic, prickish remark, but if you want my opinion on some site improvements i would be glad to oblige, granted it would only be my opinion

[Edited on August 29, 2005 at 9:31 PM. Reason : /]

8/29/2005 9:31:14 PM

haha, interesting, i didn't know steve was sending you people, haha

i prefer print to digital at the moment

-ZiP!-

8/29/2005 10:13:44 PM

yeah i would love to get into print...i saw some of your work and really like it

-i was in a yahoo class with steve and it came about when we were working on the marketing campaign and the 32 page plansbook...lol

8/29/2005 10:18:21 PM

ah, i appreciate it man. ah gotcha - he and I went to high school together - he's a good kid

-ZiP!-

8/29/2005 10:19:58 PM

Yea I'd be glad to hear what you have to say about it, but that would constitute another thread or a PM.

Quote :

"as for the result of the webpage, last month http://www.potentialis.org had over 25,000 views"

Views does not constitute revenue. It's all about how many of those visitors become clients and customers.

My background is in Graphic Design and computer science. Basically opposite ends of the spectrum. I've done business plans, marketing, consulting, project management and all that stuff as well, but it's never really been fun for me.

Quote :

"for me it's all about the clients...i am a designer and not a consultant...i don't get paid to change their business plan, but i have to match a page or theme with their business image in most cases and there is a certain amount of constraints that result from that."

Then you are a consultant, not a designer. You have your terms completely backward. A consultant works within the constraints of the client and acts as an assistant to their in house project. A designer is given reign to produce a good or service that will ultimately benefit the company in the best way possible. You don't have to have a totalitarian grip on your client, but they should understand that they are hiring your for your expertise, to do what IS best, not necessarily what they THINK is best.

Quote :

"if i was a HUGE web design company i could easily say "this is how i will do it" if they don't have the same view of their site as me, but i'm not...and i believe that to grow as a business or individual you have to satisfy your customers..."

You don't have to be huge at all. You just have to be able to backup your direction. You say "this is how you need to do it and this is WHY". It's usually pretty easy once you can start relating design decisions to their bottom line. Satisfying the customer is absolutely the primary goal, and with private business, that comes through making the company more profitable.

8/29/2005 10:35:42 PM

^i thought your background was Industrial Design rather than Graphic Design? What year did you get your BGD?

-ZiP!-

8/29/2005 10:56:41 PM

Why should someone donate? That seems out of place.

8/29/2005 11:07:39 PM

^^I originally came to state to do GD, but wasn't accepted in design school. So I went on and just did CSC.

But I was employed as a graphic designer and web designer off and on since 97. I just started ID last fall :-D

8/30/2005 1:49:34 PM

ah gotcha, cool for gettin' in later

-ZiP!-

8/30/2005 11:49:36 PM

Noen you're my alter-ego

seriously you are right on track... keep posting so i don't have to

8/30/2005 11:59:03 PM

So, I changed the overall size of the site to be smaller and used other popular sites as a comparison for font sizes and page width sizes.... just to make sure things were more conformed to the general pop.

So, from that perspective, how does it look... keep in mind I havent gone through and made all the suggested changes, so just look at the font and at the page size and tell me if its aight

8/31/2005 8:04:06 PM

i'm on 1600x1200 resolution and it looks much better to me

8/31/2005 8:29:16 PM