Website... MORE COLOUR

[Russell]

ok so I am redoing this website:

http://www.splashcar.ca/

here is 3 different ones I have now done for them:

#1

#2

#3

#4

Now I like #1 (as much as I really dont like the site), they want MORE COLOUR!!! thats all they say to me MORE COLOUR!!! They like the rainbow around the images on the current site, any ideas on how to add MORE COLOUR to #1 with out making the whole site look like a$$?

Also any ideas on logo placement?

[gaffer]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

How about changing the gray background to a brighter colour. Even white may help. That is what I found to be the most drab.

Andrew

[James]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

Im no developer so Im not even gonna comment on that but i DID drive by splash the other day, i can practically throw a rock from my office there heh. Any word on an NVD discount?

my paint thanks you in advance hah

[Russell]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

I will ask

mmm website anyone?

[Mr. Burns]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

I was thinking maybe change the white background on the header... looks a bit plain.

[variable26]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

this is just my humble opinion.... (please don't hate me)

#2 and #4 --> my favs

get rid of the table borders... (that 4 thick pixel thingy)

too many fonts... keep it to 2 different types...

the nav bar can have square ends... to tie it all together.

[Russell]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

I hate myself for this website... it sucks... but the BUYER likes it. I think it is

They want more and more and more colour

[variable26]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

maybe they need a splash screen... all colorful and fun... then a go to the "functional" site....

or something like this... but car stuff on the right... and your welcome in the left/middle column

[Tuna]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

I hate myself for this website... it sucks... but the BUYER likes it. I think it is

They want more and more and more colour

Yea, I can't believe they want those rainbow things, they are so hideous, what do they think they are selling? Beany babies?

[variable26]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

web design business is hard... i don't do it because most clients are maniacs and have no idea what they want/need except for some idea that they have no idea of how to convey to the designer... unless you are fully in control and the client is web savvy, you are farked.

[GTI_VR6]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

#4

[Russell]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

Yea, I can't believe they want those rainbow things, they are so hideous, what do they think they are selling? Beany babies?

Well I am sure they have all of them!

[Kor]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

I used to do websites and at first I had a lot of problems like you are having. Its the same for all kinds of customer driven development. Basically, the customer does not know what they want and/or need.

What I learned is that as a professional and an expert, its really your responsibility to communicate to the customer what the difference is between an effective product and a poor product. The difference between a successful company and one which is not successful is how well you are able to communicate such things. You won't see high profile companies making crappy websites just because their customers don't know anything about design, or because a single customer exec has a rainbow fetish.

Obviously you can't be blunt or rude, but you should really meet with the person and explain some of the elements of good design and usability to them. You need to break it down in terms that the person understands, and for each item you need to explain how it can impact their business either directly or indirectly. These are things that people will care about.

From the customer's perspective, they probably don't think that the colors matter or they may think that appearance is not the most important requirement for their business. They may have a belief that having more colours on a website will work the same as in a print ad; you need to explain that it is not the same as a print advertisement and that people will judge it differently.

If you are patient and instructive, I think that not only will the customer get a better product, but they will feel like they got a better value and respect you as a professional.

[Russell]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

I used to do websites and at first I had a lot of problems like you are having. Its the same for all kinds of customer driven development. Basically, the customer does not know what they want and/or need.

What I learned is that as a professional and an expert, its really your responsibility to communicate to the customer what the difference is between an effective product and a poor product. The difference between a successful company and one which is not successful is how well you are able to communicate such things. You won't see high profile companies making crappy websites just because their customers don't know anything about design, or because a single customer exec has a rainbow fetish.

Obviously you can't be blunt or rude, but you should really meet with the person and explain some of the elements of good design and usability to them. You need to break it down in terms that the person understands, and for each item you need to explain how it can impact their business either directly or indirectly. These are things that people will care about.

From the customer's perspective, they probably don't think that the colors matter or they may think that appearance is not the most important requirement for their business. They may have a belief that having more colours on a website will work the same as in a print ad; you need to explain that it is not the same as a print advertisement and that people will judge it differently.

If you are patient and instructive, I think that not only will the customer get a better product, but they will feel like they got a better value and respect you as a professional.

Could not agree with you more! I have done that for all my other sites... but I have found Splash to be very very bad for listening and understanding what I was saying.... he does not think people should be looking at his website from work (so he told me not to worry about market)!

[Davetronz]

Re: Website... MORE COLOUR

this is just my humble opinion.... (please don't hate me)

#2 and #4 --> my favs

get rid of the table borders... (that 4 thick pixel thingy)

too many fonts... keep it to 2 different types...

the nav bar can have square ends... to tie it all together.

My thoughts exactly...