Don’t walk; Run. By Andy Rutledge
I look up to Andy Rutledge. Sometimes I forget that and then I stumble upon one of his articles and am quickly reminded. This article, “Don’t walk; Run” is great break down of some of the warning signs of shady design agencies, as well as what you should look for in competent design agencies. He is right, and while it is harsh, I agree with him 100%.
If during the discovery meeting(s) or ongoing discovery process you find that it is someone other than your designer (or design team) conducting this vital process, you’re probably at the wrong agency. Only the designer knows what it is she needs to know in order to do a credible job for you. No one else does. Those agencies where some project manager or someone else conducts the discovery and allows that they’ll pass on this vital information to a designer is treating you casually and, perhaps, irresponsibly. This behavior is a feature in agencies where they’re more concerned with producing subjective, creative work than with producing effective results. Be wary.
If your Web design comps are presented to you only on paper, even if mounted beautifully on boards, you’re dealing with a clueless agency. The Web demands a contextual treatment, so how a website occupies the screen’s real estate is important to you and your agency for understanding how a Web design satisfies certain requirements. True, the design comp will likely be a flat image on the screen, but it should be presented so as to be displayed accurately in a Web/screen environment. Else someone, perhaps everyone, fails to get an accurate picture of things.
Comments