• we have a new portfolio with a ton of new client work
• that new portfolio has a fancy new jQuery sorting capability
• we now have pagination from portfolio item to portfolio item
• the whole experience has been made more seamless.

Our overall goal with the redesign was to have a website that served to showcase the content (aka our work) as opposed to one that battles the content for attention. This is why we went the direction of subtle patterns and largely minimalist styling, including the shift to using blue as a secondary color.

As always, this new design is in its infancy, so we’re still working out some bugs here and there. If you spot anything wonky, please let us know. We’d also love to hear you feedback in the comments. Thanks!

A while ago, I made up an infographic detailing our process. The purpose of this infographic was to give our clients a quick overview as to how we work, from meeting through launch, so they know what to expect in a design project. We haven’t really used this infographic yet – our own marketing materials are constantly being pushed to the backburner – but I thought some people may find it interesting. The end version will likely see a few changes to better reflect the direction we’re heading as a business, but overall the process remains more or less the same. Here’s the graphic (click to view large version):

Our process is generally broken down into these elements:

• Meet (the client)
• Research
• Sketch
• Concepts (graphic says 3; it depends on the project & budget though)
• Present
• Revise
• Deliver, and
• Launch.

Nothing groundbreaking, but if you’re at a loss as to how to maximize your efficiency and keep your projects on point (scope creep is bad! Boo!), give this process a try.

That’s right, website designers and website owners: most people who come to your site will hit & run.

This revelation can be a harsh one, and especially tough for designers to inform clients of. Clients all too frequently get caught up in the excitement of launching a new site, which can lead to major scope creep and feature bloat on a site; all of a sudden, a simple site has turned into a 75-page monolith, despite the designer/developer’s requests to keep it in the tracks.

But increasingly often, these monolithic sites aren’t required – in fact, they may prove a detriment as unless they are superbly designed, chances are it will be difficult for the user to find what they want within a few clicks, leading to a higher bounce rate than desired. It’s important to remember that a lot – I may even say “most” – viewers aren’t going to be nearly as interested in the website, or the business in general, as the website designer or the business owner. With that in mind, it’s important to embrace brevity, clear information hierarchy and structure in a web design. One (increasingly popular) way to do this is via the one page website.

One-pagers won’t work for all sites, obviously, but they can work for more than you imagine. The benefits to a well-designed one page website include

• potentially lower cost to the client
• high usability
• information brevity
• increased conversions
• opportunity for unique design decisions and more.

Let’s explore these  benefits a bit more deeply.

Lower Cost

One page websites are a great option to present to your clients who may have a lower budget, or those who only need a basic web presence. Because there is only one page, there is no need to create an in-depth site map in the planning stage (instead, I recommend a page map, which can sometimes be a simpler process); there may not be a need to create a navigation system; there may not be a need for other various time-consuming, and thus cost-increasing, website features.

Of course, this can go the complete other direction as well. Just because a site only technically has “one page” doesn’t mean it’s simple or cheaper to produce; there may be a few forms, a navigation system built around some page scrolling, and other in-depth features that can bring the cost right back up to that of a standard, larger website. It’s important to articulate this to the client, but my point remains: a one-page website can be a very simple solution to your client’s needs – and the simpler the solution, the less time and less cost to them.

High Usability

A well-designed one page website can be more user friendly (and of course, a poorly designed one can have the opposite effect). Right off the bat, a one page site eliminates the potential for confusing mega drop-down navigation systems. Instead, all the information is laid out on one page for the user to see, and if the designer does his/her job properly the user’s sight line will flow through the page, allowing the user to find the information they want quickly and efficiently.

Information Brevity

Because information has to be contained to one page (although this page can scroll infinitely), one page websites naturally promote more concise information. For those clients and small businesses who don’t have/want to get a copywriter, this sort of restriction is welcome. It forces the author to get to the point quickly while not taking up too much space; this, coupled with proper information design and hierarchy, aids the many web users who scan instead of read thoroughly. People want to get the point quickly; one page websites can help that.

Increased Conversions

If a one-pager has high usability as well as concise & sound information architecture, there is a very good chance for increased conversions on the site. Whether your goal is to have the client call you, set up an appointment online, or buy something, it’s been proven time & again that strong usability and information architecture directly affects these conversion rates. Because well-designed one-pagers naturally lean towards high usability & brevity, there is an higher probability of increased conversions.

Unique Design Opportunities

Finally, one-page websites provide problems to designers. Good problems; what I’m getting at is that they provide us with opportunities to come up with creative solutions. Some more obvious ones are using jQuery overlays (for photo galleries, videos, sign up forms and the like). Perhaps we can consolidate what would normally have been pages of content into a horizontal slider – or perhaps a whole page slider. These are just examples off of the top of my head, but it only takes a few minutes of checking out sites on one-page design galleries like OnePageLove to see some brilliant, creative solutions to the issues that one-page websites can bring.

When & When Not to Use One Pagers

Some of the clients I’ve found one pagers great for include:

• musicians (a recent one we built is for Daniel Moir, a singer-songwriter)
• artists & photographers
• clients with a low budget
• small businesses who want a basic web presence
• online applications with one sole purpose (like ToDoTweet)

Of course, one page websites are definitely not a one-size-fits-all solution. Be sure not to force a one-pager on a client with a ton of content, or a client whose clientele will expect a standard web browsing experience.

How to Design an Effective One Page Website

This could be a whole post on its own, but for now I’ll just touch on the basics steps that we take when designing a one page website for our clients.

First, we look at their goals, content & clients to ensure a one page site is the correct solution. As mentioned above, don’t try and force it on a site that needs to be bigger and more robust.

Next, we figure out a basic page map (or wireframe). This will be a little different than a standard wireframe, of course, because all the information for the whole site will fit on this one page. This wireframe will take into account the goals of the site; what the viewers should see first, where they should go next, and what the end goal of the website should be. For example, Daniel Moir’s site below had a hierarchy of new album promotion -> gallery ->  songs -> mailing list, updates and shows. You can see how that hierarchy manifested itself in the final design.

As we’re laying out the wireframe, we discuss solutions to issues that come up. Perhaps there is only a 240px by 240px area designated for the photos, but the client has a dozen photos they want shown. One solution to this may be a call to action with a button that launches a gallery of the images in a jQuery overlay. Another example might be a client who wants all main information areas displayed “above the fold” of the average user’s screen. Perhaps then we can bring in a vertical accordion using jQuery Tools. These are just some of the problems and solutions that may come up in a one page website build.

Finally, it’s into design & development stage. We design with the goals, content & wireframe in mind to create a unique, aesthetic and effective design. Next, we take into account how the client will manage their content. Do they want to manage their content? If so, do they need a simple solution like Perch, LightCMS or CushyCMS? Or do they need something more in-depth, like a full-on WordPress install? Once these questions are asked, we can begin the development stage, carry it through testing and into launch.

Conclusion

One page websites are growing in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. Thanks to various easy-to-implement jQuery solutions along with the ever-shortening attention span of the web user, it’s important to know when, why & how to recommend, design & develop a one page website for your clients. It’s always important to make sure you’re going through with a one-pager because it’s the proper solution and not just because it’s a growing trend; do your research, make an informed decision, and roll out a great product. Your clients will be impressed, and with good reason.

Rush Work Equals Rushed Planning & Research

When you have an overly cramped timeline to complete a design project, corners have to be cut. One of the first to be cut is the planning & research stage: essentially, the foundation of the project. Good design is effective design, and discovering what will be effective is a product of logical planning and research – both of which take time.

When we cut corners on the planning & research stage, we are laying a foundation that is already weak.

Rush Work Equals Fewer Concepts

Generally speaking, if a project’s deadline is too soon, fewer concepts will be explored by the designer & other project members. It’s a simple time issue; there really isn’t enough time to fill up your artboard with various concepts, playing around with some, fleshing some out, and so on. The designer’s process, which he or she has honed over the years if they are an effective designer, will be compromised. When compromising the process, we compromise the result.

While I’m not a proponent of quantity over quality, I do believe that some of the best ideas come later in the drafting process. I know I’ve been multiple hours deep in a logo design project, with multiple design concepts that aren’t quite there yet, only to finally come across the winner much later. Had these projects been on an overly tight timeline, chances are I would never have gotten to that point – leading to a final design that isn’t quite what it could have been.

Hit the jump for the rest!

Rush Work Leads to Errors

When everyone’s rushed, the members of the project are constantly dividing their time between their true responsibilities – be that project management, design, or other – and clock-watching. When we’re constantly diverting our attention, we are much more prone to errors. Simple things like missing kerning errors you normally would have caught, or missing a dead link on a website, become the norm in rush jobs. Not only does this ultimately slow down the project and create more rework, it put us designers in poor light. Multiple errors are not the hallmark of the professional designer, but they are near impossible to avoid when rushing to complete a job.

These errors compound, too, because rush work also leads to little or no testing time. This is mainly when we’re designing in an interactive medium, like a website. All of a sudden, that time you normally have slotted into your project management workflow is cut short, and next thing you know you’re launching a site with dead links, incorrect paths and the like. All these things should be caught in the testing phase; however, if the testing phase is cut short in order to meet a deadline, chances are they’ll be missed.

All this – less planning & research time, less time to explore concepts, more errors – will inevitably lead to an average design (if you’re lucky). A lot of the time, it leads to below average work; it is rare that the rush project ever results in a great design. Remember, great design is a process that requires thought; time for thought is usually the first thing to go in a rush job.

And the absolute worst thing about rush work and the subpar results? It’s rare that the client recognizes if they were the cause; more often than not, you will be the one to blame for the subpar work (and this isn’t great for client-designer relationships, either). And perhaps that’s fair; it’s up to you to refuse rush work if you feel the end result will not be up to your standards. Remember, the proof is in the pudding: if you start releasing a bunch of average to below average work, your reputation will take on that light. That’s poison for your career.

How to Avoid Rush Work

If you want to have a solid portfolio, a long career and all of your hair, it’s best to learn how & when to avoid rush work. First off, most designers will tell you that most work that clients deem “rush” does not actually need to be rushed. It might be an issue where your client is getting pressure from their boss; it might be an issue where they are just really excited to launch a new website; it might be an issue where they just have no idea how long it takes to complete the project they are commissioning you for.

If this is the case, put on your communicator’s hat (which should always be on, really) and let them know that their deadline does not need to be so tight. Let them know the downfalls of rushed design work; in the end, the work will be there for a long time, so the quality will be remembered far more than the fact that it was completed in 8 days.

If your client refuses to budge on the deadline, you have two options: take on the job, or pass on it. If you take it on, make sure you communicate very clearly to the client that corners will have to be cut. They will get fewer revisions and fewer concepts. If you have other projects on the go, which I imagine you do, consider a rush fee. You have multiple clients you have to keep happy, and taking on a rush job will bump their project down the ladder and risk upsetting your client- some think that it’s reasonable to demand a higher cost in order to take this risk, but that’s in your hands.

If you refuse the job – and saying no isn’t a bad thing – let them know why. When Paper Leaf refuses rush work, we let the client know that we’d love to work on their project, but not under the circumstances outlined. We want our work to be strong & memorable, and rush jobs generally don’t allow for that.

Keep in mind: the payment for a rush job is immediate, but the effects of a below-average design with your name on it are much longer lasting and wider-reaching. What are your experiences with rush jobs?

If you’re a freelance designer, chances are  you end up playing creative director with a lot of your clients – project manager with some too, I bet. I know this is the case for Paper Leaf. With that in mind, to adhere to the above-mentioned three steps, you might have to be the one that gets the ball rolling; the one that starts the discussion about roles; the one that practices open & honest communication; the one that embraces the idea of trust. If you are a designer who works with a creative director or a project manager, hopefully they understand the importance of these three steps. If not, you may have to tread carefully and, again, be the one who gets the ball rolling.

All this said, why do these three steps matter? Let me explain.

Role Definition

In the simplest of projects, the roles can be broken down into the following: client & designer. The client is the one needs design services for their business; the designer is the one who learns about this business and offers their design services. Seems very simple, doesn’t it? However, any designer will tell you that these lines can soon become blurry – usually in the form of a complaint from the designer that their client “wants to play designer” or that their client has demoted them to “pixel pusher” status. This happens, and it’s unfortunate. However, the reason it happens is largely due to the fact that the roles in the project were never clearly defined at the outset.

The client is in the role of the client, or business owner. But what does this role entail? Well, designers rely on clients to provide in-depth knowledge about their business, their target market, and their competitors. The client needs to offer design problems; not design solutions. If this role is defined and understood by both parties, then you are one step closer to a great design.

The reason I mention that the client needs to offer design problems, not solutions, is because it is easy to get the two confused. A design solution is, for example, “make the logo bigger” or “use Copperplate Gothic Bold” (shudder). A design problem, on the other hand, is “the branding isn’t quite strong enough on this poster” (a problem, whereas “make the logo bigger” is a solution – a bad one, usually – to this problem). Another design problem might be “the poster doesn’t seem aggressive enough” (where the client-proposed solution is “use Copperplate Gothic Bold”).

When the client starts making design solution suggestions, as opposed to design problem suggestions, two things usually happen: a subpar design is settled on, and the relationship is soured. Why does this happen? Because, in the example above, if the designer just does as the client asks, the end result will be a poster with an oversized logo set in a poor font. If the client had known to suggest design problems – and, on the flipside, if the designer had coaxed the problem out of the client, as opposed to just accepting their solution – the end result could have solved the problems properly and aesthetically without resulting to poor design decisions made by someone not necessarily well-versed in design.

On the other side of the coin, the designer needs to realize & respect the fact that the client knows their business and knows their clients – just like we expect clients to respect the fact that we know design, we know user tendencies and such. If the client has an issue with a design draft because they don’t feel it will effectively speak to their target market, we as designers need to listen to that, respect it, and see how we can improve our work. When both the client and the designer respect and understand one another’s role, it opens the door for effective, honest & open communication – the second step to improving client/designer relationships.

Honest & Open Communication

Once roles have been defined & understood, the next step is to embrace honest & open communication. So many designs have fallen short of their potential because either the designer or the client has been too reluctant to speak openly about the work. This is a fine art; there is a thin line between openness & honesty and cruel, blunt speaking. Be sure to tread that line carefully.

Why is this so important? Because, to be frank, nothing ever reaches its full potential if people involved aren’t speaking plainly. If you think your client’s idea is absolutely harebrained and will result in the equivalent of burning a small pile of cash, tell them openly. Don’t hint at it. Don’t just do the work, even though it may be an easier path to a paycheck. Think long term – if you know that this concept will not be effective, the client will not be happy down the road when their marketing campaign falls flat; in fact, they just might blame you. That’s a lot of future work lost because you, as the designer with the knowledge of effective design, were too reluctant to speak honestly. It might not be pleasant at the time to speak so plainly, but down the road when your hard work pays off & you have a design to be proud of along with a happy client, you won’t even remember the rough patch.

Likewise, encourage your client to be honest & open about their feelings when it comes to design concepts & drafts. Be careful to know the boundaries of one another’s roles, as mentioned above, but a client who feels they can speak openly will be a satisfied client (unless you fly into a chair-smashing rage whenever you hear something you don’t like – if that’s the case, you should probably change professions). Sometimes we designers can get really caught up in a design concept and lose our “fresh eyes” – when showing the concept to your fresh-eyed client, their honest feedback might very well be the key to catching an ineffective concept.

Learning to have an open & honest communication pipeline between client & designer will not only lead to better designs – it will lead to building trust.

Trust

Trust is the single most important part of a designer/client relationship. Trust is the also the hardest element in the relationship to earn, and rightfully so. However, if both you & your client understand one another’s roles and practice open & honest communication, you can build trust. Once you’ve gained your clients trust – and they yours – you will be able to design freely. Your client will trust your judgement because they know you respect their knowledge about their business; they know they can speak honestly to you about the project and you will respond in a professional manner.

Designing for a client who trusts you is pretty much the holy grail of design – when you & your client reach this stage, hold on to this client & don’t let go. Chances are this relationship will be a fruitful one for both parties: the client delivering to you lots of work, and you delivering to the client effective design that helps their business.

Strive for trust; this is the end goal and the final step to improving client/designer relationships. I know that we have some clients in whom we trust and that share the same feeling; I also know that these are the clients we love to work for. How about you?