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Future of Web Design: 30 April, London

My mother would be delighted if she had any idea what this was.

The end of April will find me in London, speaking at Future of Web Design.  Nobody is more surprised I was invited than I am, but more to the point: nobody could possibly be more terrified.

I’m not usually nervous about speaking in public; I do it pretty often, at all kinds of events. However, having thrown a huge strop about the state of the “Future of” conference series, I’m putting myself under a lot of pressure not to completely bomb this one. After mulling it over for a few months, however, I have finally concluded that the best way to pull this off and avoid vomiting all over my (very tasteful) Ferragamos is to just go ahead and be my normal foul-mouthed, acerbic self.

Thus, I will be presenting Throwing Client Collaboration Out the Window: The Stalinist Web Design Model.

Web designers and agencies of all sizes almost universally promote themselves as agreeable team players in a collaborative partnership. But what happens when you throw that practice out the window and adopt a process that isn’t a collaborative creation, a model where you don’t give the client choices, and a project management style where you constantly say No to the customer? Sabrina Dent argues that the clients are just as happy, the end users are better off, and the design and build takes less time with fewer tears.

I may never work again, but at least I’ll have something to talk about.

  
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   11 Feb 2009 | In: Events |

11 Responses to “Future of Web Design: 30 April, London”

  1. Jonathan:

    You definitely brought a smile to my face with that post. Best of luck at the conference…

    11.02.2009, 6:52 am
  2. martin:

    Would I be right in summarising the message as “differentiate between client needs (generally to be accommodated) and client whims (not)”

    11.02.2009, 8:48 am
  3. Sabrina Dent:

    Would I be right in summarising the message as “differentiate between client needs (generally to be accommodated) and client whims (not)”

    No :)

    11.02.2009, 9:28 am
  4. David Behan:

    That’s cool, Sabrina. Kudos and best of luck with it.

    11.02.2009, 9:57 am
  5. Michael Kane:

    Ah honey, you didn’t disregard EVERYTHING I said in the creation of Curious.
    Oh, wait a minute. Oh my god, we weren’t collaborating, YOU WERE HUMOURING ME!

    11.02.2009, 10:33 am
  6. Chris:

    Sabrina

    I wouldn’t apologise for the approach, it’s spot on. Reminds me of the response to my son’s question “what’s for dinner” yesterday: A:WIGY (Whatever I Give You!) -works every time. Could work for web design too but only for talented designers like you…

    Chris

    11.02.2009, 10:40 am
  7. Dave Concannon:

    Excellent, I’m looking forward to this. I’m a big fan of saying No. :)

    11.02.2009, 10:53 am
  8. Ciara Crossan:

    Worked for me chica! And where would I be now without you!
    Must get hooked up with flights….don’t want to miss this! ;)

    11.02.2009, 11:26 am
  9. Julian:

    Sunshine and lollipops indeed.

    I’m inspired to go back to making gardens for people. Big red van with Uncle Joe’s face printed on the side and no whimpering entertained from the client once engaged.

    Plus a jolly sideline in iconoclastic lectures at garden design conferences.

    Fountainhead Garden Design, prop. Howard Roark.

    I can see it now.

    11.02.2009, 12:44 pm
  10. Hayley:

    Very sensible of them to ask you :D

    Wish I could afford to go, perhaps I can win one of these competitions they keep doing!

    17.02.2009, 5:15 pm
  11. mark keogh:

    This theory is well founded

    Dan Gilbert at TED

    You might have to watch the whole video to see where he supports that the lack of choice makes most people happier than too much choice.

    Just say no!

    18.06.2009, 1:52 am

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