> As soon as the client sees HTML they get excited. How true! Then they > think they have a real application. Clients differ however and I think > the success of a project hinges on managing the client, their > expectations and their capability to visualise it in terms other than > just a webpage. This is where you come in, and how you manage the client > matters. They are all mostly different, although most want to see the > vissuals at some point early in the process. This is why I "mock up" the > visuals, and educate them on what the functioning prototype actaully > represents
You have to provide a minimal amount of training to your client regardless of what method you use. They won't understand your software development process until you tell them. So whether you build the HTML first or last, you'll have to explain to them what they're getting. I've tried both ways. Building an HTML only front end first has dramatically improved my projects. I find it is much easier to explain to them that a prototype is just a clickable non-working application than it is to explain to them to not worry about the way something looks. If you try to get them to focus on functionality first, they will eventually get hung up on the way something looks or a spelling error or a layout issue. Once they get hung on a design issue, they will not move on until that issue is fixed. So instead of a functional version you get a functional version that has a tiny amount of design in it. The problem with this is that often developers get pushed up to the day of the deadline and decide the look and feel isn't that important, making the features work are more important. So the end user gets screwed out of a good interface, and they ultimately decide to not use the software. How many people use EVERY feature on their VCR? Very few. How many VCRs are blinking 12:00 right now? MILLIONS! This is because the software was built around features instead of built around what the users really want and making it easy to use. Creating a good user experience is SO much more important than having another feature. At least, I think it is! :-) Steve Nelson ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrFMa.bV0Kx9 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
