I'm not sure where I first heard this phrase, but I've adopted it as my own over time. The reactions I've received when using this phrase have ranged from "it's pretty harsh" to "what exactly does that mean?". Those were my reactions when I first began thinking about the words early in my career. Why do I have to do art on my time? Shouldn't the work I do for clients be artistic as well? Is there a place where these ideas can intersect? Fortunately, time and experience have taught me the answers to these questions, and I find the phrase more relevant with each passing day.

What's your problem? No, really, what is it. Do you ask your clients this? Would you? I think it needs to be asked. Otherwise your design will be your problem, as well as the client's. There is little room for subjectivity in communication and web-design.

I can't count the number of times my designs have started plummeted into the chasm of subjectivity. I used to think this was the result of my tendency to be a people-pleaser. Love me, love my art. Don't love it, I'll change it, as long as you still love me. It took years for me to identify what was missing from my conversations with clients. I was, quite simply, asking the wrong questions. It doesn't matter if your client likes blue, or saw the latest wiz-bang flash effect online. It just doesn't. What matters is clearly identifying what the client's problem is.

What's your problem? No, really, what is it. Do you ask your clients this? Would you? I think it needs to be asked. Otherwise your design will be your problem, as well as the client's. There is little room for subjectivity in communication and web-design.

I can't count the number of times my designs have started plummeted into the chasm of subjectivity. I used to think this was the result of my tendency to be a people-pleaser. Love me, love my art. Don't love it, I'll change it, as long as you still love me. It took years for me to identify what was missing from my conversations with clients. I was, quite simply, asking the wrong questions. It doesn't matter if your client likes blue, or saw the latest wiz-bang flash effect online. It just doesn't. What matters is clearly identifying what the client's problem is.

Your new site is going to use CSS, Javascript, Ajax, Web Standards, PHP, a p-38 space modulator, and a flux capacitor. What the hell does this mean? Who cares. Clients certainly don't. Too many times in my career I've set in meetings with people who have overheard the latest web-jargon and inflict it on clients in an attempt to wow them with these buzz words. Like the pre-loaders on the web that say "loading xml, buffering, connecting to mysql server, etc" these terms are basically meaningless to a great many clients.