< back to index

Balancing Acts

September 21, 2012
photo courtesy of pafterb.blogspot.com

This week’s Wired Opinion Article written by the smart John Maeda stressed the importance of art over design and introduced new programing on Sesame Street.  Are the two connected?  We shall see…

The new iPhone 5 was also released in stores today, some 2 million shoppers are waiting to pick up their diamond cut little piece of silonic perfection.  Our mouths are already watering.

With so much innovation happening this week, we started to consider the connection between artistry and design.  Between design and product.  Between product and development…what’s the balancing act?

Our final connections led us to the developer business relationship.  Before working with your next developer, consider this.

Clarify.  Have a leadership team meeting to strategize the intent and purpose of your website.  Ask yourself your business goals, your thoughts on the aesthetics and functionality of your site.  Be clear and be prepared.  This will help the develop work in tandem with your business and facilitate your goals.  Steve Jobs had the clear insight to hire the designers and developers to facilitate his vision.  You must do the same.

Familiarize.  Since you’re going through the time and budget to work with a developer, make sure they have a clear understanding of what your business is and its goals.  Creating a website or presence incorporates far more than product features or fact listings.  Your business’ website must be a representation of your business, its core values, and practices.  If your developer doesn’t know, your audience never will.

It takes Two to Tango.  Working with a developer is starting a relationship.  And like any relationship, you must have an open dialogue in order to survive.  This means you should learn a little bit about developing too.  Just enough to have an educated conversation with your developers.  Keep the dialogue going and your relationship will thrive.

Watch Who You Ask.  When developing your website or presence, make sure your working with the specialists who are working with your business.  Don’t ask the other person in the room.  It may seem like its a great idea to get as many opinions as possible, but not in this case.  Your building something very specific with your developer.  Would you ask a stranger on the street to help the contractor working on your roof?  Never.  So don’t do this with your business.

Bottom Line:

Be specific.

Be clear with your goals, who you’re working with, what they know, and make sure to keep it an A B conversation and avoid the temptation to involve C.