Web Sites, Goals and Ego

September 15, 2003 | 5 Comments

Gerry McGovern says, “Your website is for your customer, not for you.”

This might sound like a no-brainer, but I assure you — it’s not. If you’ve been working on the Web for any amount of time you’ll not be surprised by this. Gerry makes some great points in his article. A group’s (as well as in many cases an individual’s) Web site should be focused on those who use and read it. Often it’s just not that way, and no matter how much we try, we’ll always have to address the needs of a site’s owner or stakeholders.

Stakeholder, or organizational goals are important. They’re one of three types of goals I try to identify for every project (more on goals). While it is true that some are often just an manifestation of ego and can be counterproductive to user goals and other, more bottom line goals, they’re still important and need to be addressed. To avoid them or push them to the back burner can be a mistake you don’t want to make.

You could take the most consumer facing site in the world and if the person writing the checks doesn’t feel it presents him or her in a good light you might be in for some problems. There comes a point in many projects where you need to balance a goal or two you feel doesn’t make a whole lot of sense against some “more important” goals.

Ego will almost always have an impact on the design and development of a Web site. It could be your client’s wife, your CEO, your creative director, you developers, your marketing department or even your testers. It could be you. People usually have the best intentions and feel that their opinions should count. Take these opinions head on, weighing them against your other goals and making decisions on them that way will get you much further than neglecting or avoiding them.

I know. I’ve been there more that once. Take my advice: If you know your CEO likes a certain shade of blue and hates red, make one of your goals to get more blue into the site. Chances are it won’t effect any of your user goals and you’ll most likely save your self some time, effort and grief later.

I’m sure that is an easy example, but sometimes it’s just as simple as that. If there is a major goal conflict you might need to take the time to sit down with your stakeholders, with your other goals clearly laid out, and explain the pros and cons to them. Don’t just assume they’ll get it either, sometimes they don’t and you may have to give in.

As bad as it sounds ego based goals can, and will, often trump user goals. It’s a rather unfortunate fact that every Web designer and developer will have to deal with at some point. All we can do is do our best, try to educate and have good cases and data to bring to the table.

Filed under: Web General