[Wolves] Crap web company website (was: SQL problem)

Matthew Revell wolveslug at understated.co.uk
Fri Mar 19 11:17:25 GMT 2004


sparkes wrote:

>>Really not good enough :) If an individual or company wants to set 
>>themselves up a web expert, of some kind, the only way to prove that 
>>expertise is through a practical demonstration.
> 
> Am I the only one who heard Fred Dibnah say 'Practical Demostration'
> then?

Never watched his programmes, sorry.

> Gotta keep up with the Langridges ;-)

Now, that would take some doing. You'd need a hat, for a start.

> But how to you promote something like accessability when the client just
> wants a simple website at a price they can afford.

It's a difficult question to answer. It depends on your market. I love
Wolverhampton but, let's face it, outside the Chubb Building, the place
doesn't exactly have much in the way of savvy business. So, your likely
audience will be those who don't understand information arch,
accessibility, etc. They'll be the guys who are really pleased with
their personalised number plate and, as such, may expect flaming logos
on their website.

I think there are two possible approaches:

1. Accessibility, IA and so on, should just be part of what you do. You
can't market your services based on them, so don't. When someone 
requests something that goes against that, use usability study evidence 
to back up your arguments and translate the usability study evedience 
to, "people won't use your site, you'll lose money".

2. Seek to educate the marketplace. Use your website to publish
relatively simple articles, you've written, on the subject.

Every day, I have to make compromises in what I do, because other
people I work with have a different (read: wrong) idea of how to do 
things. I fight my corner but have learnt that, eventually, I have to 
give up, on some things.


-- 

Cheers,

Matthew Revell.

www.contentpeople.info - for web writers and editors
www.webeditorblog.com - observations and experiences from a web editor
www.lugradio.org - radio for Linux and open source fans




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