Mistakes to Avoid When Working with a Web Design Agency
Selecting the right web design agency is an important first step. However, to truly gain maximum value from the engagement over the long haul, clients must also nurture productive working relationships throughout by avoiding common missteps that can derail projects. Taking the time to understand pitfalls that commonly cause web design agency engagements to go awry empowers clients to foster better collaboration.
Not Conducting Thorough Due Diligence
Before selecting a web design agency, thoroughly evaluating their track record, reading case studies, checking reviews and requesting references to speak with existing clients helps determine overall competency and fit. Not conducting comprehensive due diligence often leads to regretted agency relationships filled with misalignment.
Providing Incomplete Goals and Requirements
Failing to provide the web design agency with a comprehensive brief on your overarching business/marketing goals, target audience insights, content strategy, must-have features and functionality needs early on severely limits their ability to deliver optimal outcomes tailored to your objectives.
Not Clearly Defining or Agreeing on Deliverables
Leaving ambiguity on what specific deliverables the web design agency is fully accountable for producing and delivering through the engagement like wireframes, page designs, visual assets, functional specifications, code etc. can cause disconnects and mismatched expectations if responsibilities are assumed versus explicitly outlined.
Rejecting Strategic Suggestions Without Consideration
While clients rightly know their business, target audience and objectives best, it is prudent to seriously consider technology, design and user experience ideas thoughtfully proposed by the web design agency that positively impact key performance indicators and align with long-term brand evolution objectives.
Making Purely Subjective Decisions
Declining or dismissing objectively valid recommendations from the web design agency for purely subjective reasons without adequately considering the data, research and user insights behind them or weighing potential compromises will limit the overall outcomes achievable for the client over personal preferences alone.
Unrealistic Timelines and Projections
Not accounting for the requisite time needed for discovery, strategy, creative ideation, content production, reviews and iteration, testing, etc. based on actual project scope can place intense pressure on the web designer to take shortcuts that compromise quality and user experience simply to meet arbitrary deadlines.
Delayed Feedback and Approvals
When clients chronically delay providing the timely feedback and approvals requested by the website designer on items such as copy, designs, features etc., it markedly slows down the agency's production rhythms. This can result in idle resource times or rushed outcomes due to compressed deadlines.
Withholding Ongoing Communication
Lack of regular, open, timely and organized communication from clients on expectations, progress concerns, questions that come up and access to required information greatly inhibits a web design agency's ability to meet needs and identify potential realignment opportunities early should misalignments occur.
No Post-Launch Planning
Not planning for ownership of ongoing maintenance, future enhancement needs, and budget considerations post-project completion limits the client's ability to fully maximize the long-term value of the web designer engagement. Continuity planning is key.
Clients play an integral and active role in steering web designer engagements to successfully deliver exceptional outcomes through diligent selection and transparent collaboration. Conscientiously avoiding common pitfalls lays a strong foundation for building trust, rapport and positive end results on both sides.
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