Presenting web layouts to clients
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- set
Just having a discussion in the studio and was wondering how you guys present your flat (jpeg) web layouts to clients?
Simply email them the jpegs?
Put the jpeg into a bit of code so they can view it through the browser?
Personally present it to them and talk it through them?
Any more options?
- bigtrickagain0
i put the jpegs in an html file and send them the link, like so:
http://www.lithegiant.com/srg/sr…this way i can put in my notes along with the comps
- Continuity0
Depends, really. I've worked in shops that did everything from printing them out on A3 and gluing them to mounting boards for face-to-face meetings, to putting them in PPT presentations and emailing them off like that.
- ugh... PPTMeeklo
- I rather do PDF insteadMeeklo
- I know. PPT is pretty nasty for showing comps.Continuity
- PPT fucks with resolution... sucks ass to hear client say things are grainy, they don't get that it's powerpointless, they think you suckvaxorcist
- tasty0
if you're a salesman type, in person will always help sell it through.
If it's send over via web there needs to be description and project plan with it. Going solely of "pretty pictures" makes for a nightmare because they aren't seeing it for the functionality, user experience, etc.
- Meeklo0
All my clients get a single project page like this:
http://client.accent.tv/jug/this way they can check progress from any computer, and share thoughts with me or their partners, I found this to be more effective than sending multiple jpegs over email. Plus a lot of times my clients are not in the same city I am, so the face to face thing doesn't work for me, I do go over it on the phone, but I rather get their comments written on an email.
- wow... slick, dudebigtrickagain
- Ideally, this sort of presentation could be tied to a project management app, like Copper. That would be good.Continuity
- would love to hear more about cooper, I have a few clients (agencies) that use basecamp, so sometimes I use itMeeklo
- I've used it a few years ago, and I really liked it. It is expensive, though. They have an online demo you can dick around with.Continuity
- What are you using to generate your client pages? Are they static or CMS-driven?Continuity
- slick - found a few typos - "Images sclaed down for dysplay purposes, "bulletfactory
- I did one in dreamweaver a long time ago, I don't know how to code shit! ;)Meeklo
- thanks for the typo, i'll fix it todayMeeklo
- Nice! As asked, what CMS are you going to be using on this project? Just trying to get a feel...ArmandoEstrada
- mydo0
most important that they're seeing the designs at the right size and resolution. so jpg in and long scrolling page of pages works best IMO.
Meeklo's page is V nice.
- set0
Nice Meeklo!
I agree that presenting them inside a browser is the best option although I think displaying at the right size is key as I know a lot of our stupid clients would think that (900px resize) is the size it will be.
- actually you are correct in that statement, I need to make it more obvious that you can click to see full sizeMeeklo
- trooperbill0
i NEVER show websites as jpegs in a browser as clients think "that was quick... if they can do that this quickly then i have time to mess around with the layout etc" they dont get that its a comp and not a finished website. ALWAYS show them a printed mockup and if possible a jpeg shown out of a browser in photoshop so they can see its very much in production.
- hmmset
- VERY TRUE...vaxorcist
- that's an interesting point.bigtrickagain
- try doing that when your biggest client is in Helsinki, 4 hours behindMeeklo
- vaxorcist0
The perception that screenshot = 90% done is a big problem...
- quack0
click image to proceed to the next comp is the best presentation i've found, that way the comped image is the same size and placement as the actual site would be and they only look at one page at a time
- each page gets their own title etcquack
- i do theseSlashPeckham
- seed0
For websites I usually put the png in simple html files just to show how it aligns in the browser, page backgrounds. etc.
- kona0
It's not ideal but I talked my CD into doing *cough* PPT presentations.
During my first few months they were sending JPGs over the fence asking for feedback. Well that's all fine and dandy but the client was now forced to look at the JPGs with zero context.
5 or so minutes before a client call or GoTo Meeting we'll send them a PPT deck with the concepts in order. The deck starts off with a brief description of the project, a brief description of their brand (as they described it), our goals, then the first concept. This helps to reinforce (shove down their throat) everything that they've told us which we put into our design. This helps to remove the "we didn't say that" argument if and when the designs are off.
The page before the first concept has a brief description of the page and some bullet points (talking points). It's a twofur. It gives us talking points and helps us speak to key areas of the design, but it also gives the client the same ability on their end should they have to present the creative to investors, ceo, principals or whomever. It helps them present the creative exactly how we want it presented.
After the presentation we send the PPT deck and a PDF of the JPGs so they can print/view them larger.
- Continuity0
^
Context really is everything. In the end, it doesn't _really_ matter how you present the comps - face-to-face on boards, a PDF, PPT or Flash presentation - as long as there's narrative to put everything in context for the client.
- Not_Just_Another0
I'll tend to lay them up similar to how Meeklo has shown, although I'll have each image at 100% and with the entire image being a button to click through to the following page.
Seems to work for both the clients viewing remotely and for showing onscreen when face to face.
- quack0
personally, i believe...
displaying a website on the web in any way other than how it will actually appear online is only confusing to clients.
a write up for each mock up url or a pdf wire frame to match is sufficient.employing any method that will not retain 1:1 scale such as a pdf or other embedded document type i believe is a bad idea as well as it will not appear online as it does in the document
- +1 on the PDF comment, awful way to show web workd_rek
- yet, we do it all the timemonospaced
- I don't know if "awful" is the right word, sound too extreme..Miguex
- rson0
I always post a link and print them out to present.
- clearThoughts0
I print them out in A3.
Not joking! If the designs are good, people get really impressed, that their website actually looks so good you can m*th*rf*ck*ng print it.
- sherm0
I like http://gomockingbird.com/
- airey0
i do stuff like this:
http://www.alloystudio.com.au/cl…so the client can get an idea of how it sits in the page. of course it leads to some fucking douchenozzles saying "the links don't work" but you can't help some folks.
- quack0
airey & I have something in common, i hope he's okay with that.