What do you mean by bullet lists with "flair"? Dec 07 2009
15 comments Latest by Matt Henderson
So we’re finalizing the layout of Rework with our publisher. We weren’t liking the appearance of the bullet lists in the book though. There were emails back and forth. Then phone calls. They thought we wanted more “flair” or a hand-drawn look to match the illustrations. We said no, we just wanted them to be “clean and consistent.”
But describing designs with words is an imperfect science. The dialogue dragged on for days. We just weren’t understanding each other.
Finally, we decided to show instead of tell. We mocked up quick and dirty versions of the lists in Pages, exported them in a PDF, and sent that over to the publisher. Took just a few minutes yet completely changed the tone of the conversation. It got everyone on the same page, we all agreed, and then we moved on.
Seems like the obvious move in retrospect. But we kept thinking that just one more email would clear up the confusion. It was a reminder of how easy it is to waste time talking around a problem when just getting real with it can get you to consensus in a fraction of the time.
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15 comments so far
Mark Bell 07 Dec 09
I’m sure that this works well when your clients are actually designers; however, I can only imagine the horrors that would have ensued if I had asked some of my past clients to mock up their own versions of design amends…
JF 07 Dec 09
Mark: The mock-ups aren’t about being pixel perfect, they are about communicating an idea. Words leave a lot up for interpretation. Images help focus the discussion by rallying people around something more concrete.
Dan Boland 07 Dec 09
Any chance we could see a before and after of these lists? Describing designs with words is an imperfect science, you know. ;D
Joelle 07 Dec 09
I have a personal rule of thumb. If I have to clarify myself twice over email, instead of sending that last email, I pick up the phone or go talk to them in person.
If I’m not successful twice, it’s likely I won’t successfully communicate the third time either.
Sandeep Sood 07 Dec 09
This is the most powerful thing we’ve learned from Getting Real. We work with a global team of designers and developers, so virtual communication is further complicated by differences in diction and English comprehension. A picture is immediately universal and cuts through confusion like no other form of communication.
Steven Garcia 07 Dec 09
As soon as a client starts making verbal suggestions, and wants to know what I think, my answer is always tell them I need to see it first – I mean sure, we can have a hearty discussion about what works intellectually, but until it’s in living color, it’s all just idle banter.
Lubo 07 Dec 09
Here’s an idea: All paying 37S customers get a free copy.
Neil Kelty 07 Dec 09
Lubo: Considering that their paying customer base will be a HUGE share of the initial purchasers – that would probably be a very stupid idea. Why would they give away a book for free when we’ll probably buy it anyway just out of curiosity.
Lubo 07 Dec 09
Neil: Because, like all advertising, this is just meant to try and get yet another buck out of their customers.
Blue Sail Creative 07 Dec 09
This is a perfect point.
This is exactly why I work my clients on a discovery phase. I find that wireframing with my clients ahead of time allows them to visualize rather than guess. It allows them to actually see what they are getting prior to signing on board.
The discovery allows us to also explore all avenues and turn over every stone. Without it who knows what the projects would ensue.
Matt Carey 07 Dec 09
Well of course! This is exactly why I know you ask users to send you screenshots of errors or misbehaviours with your apps, as it is easier to diagnose with a visual reference in front of you.
George 08 Dec 09
What I like about this is you said “needs more flair” and your publisher didn’t go off and write some ranty blog or comic about how vague and unreasonable their clients were being. Instead they turned around and said “could you explain more”. Big difference from the way I see a lot of web designers talking about their clients online.
Patricia Hudak 08 Dec 09
I think anytime you are talking about look or an image you have to create a mock up.
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Breakdown that idea into an equation 1 Picture = 1,000 words, but you reverse it 1,000 words = 1 Picture. So, would you rather write 1,000 words or just give 1 picture?
Darcy Fitzpatrick 08 Dec 09
It’s the classic “show don’t tell” scenario. Writers will know this well.
One place where this is approach more questionable than others is in theatre/film where directors must to communicate to their actors what they want. Sometimes this communication can be difficult, but when a director defaults to “showing” their actor, they lose the actor. The performance will never be what it could have been once the actor is simply asked to immitate.
I guess designers are less sensitive, which I guess says something about actors.
Matt Henderson 08 Dec 09
Interesting. I recently had a similar experience, trying to troubleshoot a problem iTunes was having downloading from the iTunes Music Store.
When it become obvious that the frustrating, boilerplate-filled email exchange with support at Apple was going nowhere (in which I was asked to confirm that I was “connected to the internet”), I decided to screencast record the error (using ScreenFlow), drop the video in my Dropbox Public folder, and send Apple the link.
That prompted a, “Wow! Thanks!” reply from Apple, and immediately got my problem elevated to the right technical people, who determined that the problem was on their side. They reset my account’s content, and 10 minutes later I was successfully downloading again.
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