Forget Flexibility, Design for Now!

Graphic Design

Earlier this week I stumbled upon the article “Design for Now” on the Blue Flavor Blog. The article describes a common situation within the web design profession, the need for sites that are “designed flexible for the future.” Tom explains how reading this is creative briefs, requirements documents, or project explanations is his least favorite thing, and I agree. This has to be one of the most frustrating things that a designer can deal with when trying to work on a website. Once discussions have headed down this route the potential for lackluster work arises.

Flexibility Forces Weaker Solutions

Let me first start by clarifying, I do believe that websites should be designed flexible enough to accommodate future changes. However trying to take everything into consideration that may or may not arise is a surefire way to water a design down to a boring and expected outcome. One quick example would be a site navigation. You may want to use a more interesting font selection for the navigation, however the need for future expansion may face you to use HTML type in order to remain as flexible as possible.

Flexibility Overlooks what Is Important Now

Design creativity does come from restraints, and flexibility could be looked at as a restraint, but you may also be neglecting a solution that is more successful now. Flexibility is only valid when it can still effectively meet the needs of the client’s current situation as well as in the future. One good example of this situation is choosing to build a site based on a full CMS while a flash micro site may actually be more effective now. This is usually done as a way to avoid future design costs, but rarely does it ever turn out that way. In fact, more often than not we end up scrapping the original work because by the time the client is ready to get back into the project so much has changed that it is not relevant anymore.

Flexibility Fosters Laziness

While the first two reasons are disappointing, this one is just plain frustrating. If you do not supply the copy writing for your clients, then this one is sure to come about. Usually it sounds something like; “Well the site should be flexible enough to handle all our content so you can just go ahead and start while we work on the copy.” Every web designer out there has been frustrated with receiving copy from clients, but the added caveat of flexibility makes it 10 times harder to explain why you need the copy upfront. You could just as easily be applied to information architecture, or even positioning.

I think that Tom and the Blue Flavor crew have hit it on the head here, flexibility should be possible just within limits. Flexibility in web design is a great thing, it allows you to add new and innovative content to your site in an economical manner. But when flexibility becomes about saving money, avoiding responsibility, or compromises the effectiveness of the project something needs to be done quickly.

for more information on Blue Flavor or to read some more of the great articles, be sure to check out their blog.

10/08
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6 Responses to “Forget Flexibility, Design for Now!”

  1. Brandon Cox | eGrace Creative
    October 8th, 2008 at 10:48 pm

    A very interesting take! I appreciate your willingness to go against the flow and make some very valid points about this issue.

  2. purelocke
    October 9th, 2008 at 7:59 am

    This is something that I believe every designer deals with - “fighting” that urge to apply modern techniques in favor of having “flexibility”. You’re take on the issue is definitely interesting, and worthwhile to think about. Some clients are more agreeable and open to design suggestions that require them to produce their content up front, but there are more out there that view web design and development a one-time expenditure and effort, therefore wanting everything prepared for “future” enhancements and content additions.

    By the way, just wanted to let you know that the link to Blue Flavor’s article has a “=” inserted after the “www.”.

  3. Matt Z
    October 9th, 2008 at 9:15 am

    Agree totally with point number three. Pages should be designed around the copy, not just boring templates that copy gets thrown into. Makes the entire site seem cookie cutter and dull, rather than dynamic and engaging.

    I can understand having flexibility as a requirement because a client may wish to cut costs. However, having the same stale, outdated site for years could cause such a loss in revenue that no matter how much you save by having a “flexible” site, you are still at a loss.

  4. Zinni
    October 9th, 2008 at 10:59 am

    @purelocke

    Thanks for the heads up, I fixed the link. I also agree with your assessment that there are a number of clients out there that think of web design as a one time cost. However eventually they will need to upgrade when something ends up breaking, or the technology is no longer supported. that is just the reality of web design…

    Matt, I am still struggling with explaining to clients why content is important up front. Unfortunately there is a common misconception out there that designers are decorators and content doesn’t play a role in design. When I find clients who have evolved past this way of thinking I make sure to keep them happy, as the work is always better.

  5. Jin
    October 9th, 2008 at 6:30 pm

    I can’t remember how many times I had to make sacrifices in design because the client wanted “maintainability.” As in, code in certain way, so later on we’ll just swap a skin for a new look, without touching the underlying code. This sounds great on paper, but doesn’t work for a lot of sites in practice. Certain clients just shouldn’t know about csszengarden….

    And the sad fact is, rarely do clients simply want a skin upgrade. If it’s time for the site to get a facelift, then pretty much everything’s gutted ‘n started over anyways. Just in my experience, YMMV.

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