Design > Client or Client > Design

A friend, well, a younger girl, posted this question up in her facebook status. Several interesting things come with this question:

1) People who at the end don't potentially benefit you or your company in certain monetary way are not clients. Some may not have instant money return, but may give you fame, publicity, relationship, etc which ultimately should potentially increase your monetary income, these are also clients. "Potentially", because in reality no income is guaranteed, it's an investment usually. People who do not provide benefits in this way but you do work for them, you guys are friends, or you are doing charity work, so you should not treat them as your clients.

2) Compromising design, or work, due to the constraints, including client's budget, understanding, timeline, taste, preference, etc, has nothing to do with one's dignity. Good to have some self confidence and proud of oneself, but linking this to dignity? Too much ego right there. Common thinking among artists and perfectionists though, ya one sleeping right next to me, hahaha.

3) Reality is not something people can learn in University. People always have to learn from experience I guess, once they are in the working force.

4) When what your client wants is different from what you want to do, clients aren't always right, but sorry, you aren't as well. Work out why there is a difference and how can get both parties into agreement is what you need, not insisting or dignity or your special design/coding/whatever work sense and knowledge. Clients may not know what they need, but they are not dumb.

5) Throwing jargons to your clients do not make you look smarter and they are dumber and therefore they should listen to you. It just make you look like you do not understand what they need and the business context.

Umm, I tend to talk too much when I am on this kind of topics. Let's stop here aye.