So this topic tends to spark quite a lot of controversy among pretty much all businesses. In some businesses it is deemed fairly acceptable for the customer to get their way. I believe, and I am not alone in this, that in the web design world we should learn to put our foot down to a certain degree.

We’ve all been there; Client x has been sent the visual for their new website, you have slaved over it for days, making sure every detail is perfect and that the most suitable fonts, colours and imagery have been used to their best advantage. It truly is a wonder to behold and you cannot wait to get the thumbs up so that you can code this bad boy up and your client can skip along to all his peers telling them how the sun shines from your backside and that you are the lord and saviour of the internet… right…?

That’s the dream. The reality is usually something close to what is illustrated here

When a client asks you to “make the logo a little bigger”, and you believe that the size you have used is appropriate for that design, say so. That is what you have been brought in to do. I’m not saying be arrogant or rude, be nice about it. If someone is already on their site, chances are they now know what the company is called and so having a logo that is 500px by 250px at the top of their page is just using up space that could be better used to sell their product or service.

If they ask to use a colour palate that would be better suited to a fun fair, then I would explain that it may not be to their clients taste. The site should be aimed at pleasing their general audience and may not necessarily be to their own specific tastes.

The main thing that you need to get across to your client is that they hired you for a reason, you have the knowledge of the industry, trends and dos and don’ts of web design. What they need to understand is even if the colours are not to their tastes, they will work better for their audience. Having a colour palate that compliments their brand will help build trust among their customers. If their customers feel the site lacks a professional feel then they may well go elsewhere.

It’s your job as a designer to stand up for this. If you just do whatever your client wants then you are not only doing your client a disservice but yourself too. You won’t want to direct people to their site and you won’t want it on your portfolio either.

What are your thoughts on this?