Tech jargon. As a web development company, your use of tech jargon may be part of the job. However, take a step back and think of your clients. Your polite clients may be overburdened with terms they do not quite understand. They keep quiet and continue with the project crossing their fingers that it all ends soon.

So, what do you do as a web design company? Do you dumb down the communication or do you educate your client instead.

There are some common terms used in Web Design. We will explore two examples below and show you how to clearly explain terms to your clients to avoid frustration and confusion.

Scenario #1

Eye care specialists - web design client

A client has come to you to create a website for a clinic which specialises in Eye Health. They want to be able to manage their own content.

Current Approach

No worries, we can help you build a dynamic site and ensure accessibility for your clients. We will make it interactive and also ensure we provide a secured back-end to make content updates.

Client Impression

Accessibility, how, they have not even asked who will be likely to use the website!! What back-end?

Improved Approach.

Who is your target audience? Will you have visually impaired people also visiting the site? Do you require sound on the website? We require this information so that when we create the website, we ensure that the accessibility to the website is a comfortable experience for your visitors. Also, as part of your website, we also offer a content management system where you can go online at any time and make changes to the content on your website.

Scenario #2

Selling car parts - web design client

A client wants to create a website selling car auto parts. They have hundreds of products and many categories. They want to ensure the user is aware what page they are on and how to go back to the main page or other pages without clicking too much. Also, they are hard pressed for time and so they may only be able to provide content for some pages but need the site up at the earliest.

Current Approach

No worries, we can help you build your website. Using breadcrumbs we will ensure your visitor is aware of where they are at all times. Lorem Ipsum will solve the problem of blank content.

Client Impression

What are breadcrumbs? I have heard of Lorem Ipsum but how is it relevant to Web Design?

Improved Approach

We have recently worked on a few client sites where they had similar requirements as yours. Let me send you this link and you can view what we can do for you. These are called breadcrumb or breadcrumb trails and are very useful within the site hierarchy. (Or if the client is in a face to face meeting with you, draw it out)

Example: Home>>Cars>>BMW>>Ignition Parts

Not to worry about the content. You can add Lorem Ipsum text in the pages where you cannot provide content to us in time. Lorem Ipsum is a dummy text and this is used worldwide, so it is universally recognised.

The above were just two examples. There are many more examples but the point, try to be specific and take an extra five to ten minutes to educate your client. Alternatively, you may want to create a FAQ on your website with images and examples so that clients understand what you can do for them.