Educating idiot clients
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- Projectile
Are there any studies, infographics, videos etc out there that I can show idiot clients how important it is to reduce mountains of text, have white space, and more importantly sacrifice some of the details in favour of a clean, simple document?
for what it's worth, at the moment I'm drawing diagrams and infographics that explain how businessmen will be conducting businessy things, and they are so stuck on exact nuances and details that they basically want these really complex diagrams printed onto small brochures. They just won't listen to my advice, so I need to show them "proof" from "experts"
- pressplay0
http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte…
just get his books, they’re worth every penny, well written, very educational, interesting examples etc.- they are, but clients couldn't give a shithans_glib
- <bklyndroobeki
- microkorg0
user testing?
- goldieboy0
The fact that they don't consider you as the "expert" is worrying.
Kill them...- I was hired because no one was expert enough. Doesn't mean people like being told what to doProjectile
- drgs0
Ammonia aversion therapy
The client is shown bad design. if the client gets excited, give them concentrated ammonia to smell
- Might also want to consider pinky malleting aversion therapy.cannonball1978
- uan0
and if the ammonia doesn't work, show them both versions, yes, you need to make them both... if they still can't see it, walk away. if they see it, you won, they will consider you the 'expert'.
- freedom0
Are they sending mountains of text and asking you to infographic it?
- orrinward20
When doing small side projects where the client clearly is going in the wrong direction I'll throw up either a 5-second test or preference test on Usabilityhub with 100 test subjects.
Throw the high-info density option against the simpler one and see if the clear messages get across better.
- bklyndroobeki0
It's all your fault.
They aren't idiots.You haven't communicated the issue effectively.
- omahadesigns0
They're idiots because they have too much information they want to show?
Sounds like they have a lot of info and you can't figure out a way to make it look nice, which is your job.
- omg0
put on a huge powerpoint slide show performance.
- I'm actually thinking of doing this - a sort of design do's and don'ts to show what can be done if they listenProjectile
- "if they listen"... get that thought out of your head. show them the way to the light.bklyndroobeki
- doesnotexist0
show them proof by going through the creative process and getting some comps in front of their eyes.
- section_0140
Just cram it all in there and move on. Some of you suggesting it's his fault must have the best clients who never pull this kind of shit. Some people do not care about good design, not matter what you say. They want every inch of their brochure, magazine ad, or whatever, packed to the maximum with text and photos.
That way, I suspect, they feel like they're getting the most bang for their buck.
"Why are their only two colors used? I'm paying for full color, and want to use as many as I can". <-- Actual client quote.
- lol. i have had the very same comment from a client -- paying for 4colour. pricelessGnash
- LOLbklyndroobeki
- Projectile0
A lot of this makes sense - but what do you do when all you talk to is some big shot's minion, who was told to tell you what to do, so doesn't have any decision making power? And is too busy for a meeting?
- Gnash0
Also, don't confuse 'clean, simple' in a document as better communication. Less is more, except when it's not.
- EightyDeuce0
Show them this.... It applies to all unruly clients that want to continue to add mountains of shit to your simple clean efficient design.
- bainbridge0
Some people feel ripped off if you design a logo that's only type too.
- bainbridge0
Is the information important?
- mg330
I had a client go off the rails once about "white space not being useful" and we were literally talking about the flexible left and right of the site outside its 960px width. Really.
- freedom0
Have you ever been to a department store? Most people do not think of white space. If they respect you, they'll listen to you. If they hired you because they just need someone to make some graphics, do what makes them happy and move on.