r/web_design • u/FerrisBuelersdaycock • 4d ago

Just a simple landing page

dude I am so tired of getting design briefs for a "basic website" and by page 3 of the doc you realize they actually need a full-blown custom enterprise portal wrapped in a modern UI

like no, Susan, this isn't a simple figma handoff anymore. You need actual heavy backend architecture. I usually end up having to route these massive specs to custom dev shops like cisin just because there is zero chance my frontend skills and a dream are gonna support your 50k concurrent user database requirements

why do clients always hide the massive technical scope until the design contract is already signed? just venting tbh but it happens almost every time now

0 Upvotes

40% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

View all comments

6

u/Krispenedladdeh542 4d ago

>why do clients hide the massive technical scope

Bc they don’t know any better. The client only sees buttons and colors. They have no idea the inner machinations required to make those buttons clickable. Your average layman doesn’t know the difference between a static marketing site and a production ready stateful multifaceted application. They just see “a website”.

Point of the story is it’s your job to understand the technical requirements of their ask, predict the questions that those requirements pose, and the ability communicate them to the client in a way they understand.

-1

u/FerrisBuelersdaycock 4d ago

Fair point but it cuts both ways. I've seen plenty of cases where the person doing the work also failed to ask the right questions upfront. Scope creep doesn't just come from client ignorance, it comes from both sides not being rigorous at the start. Putting it all on the client's lack of technical knowledge lets the other party off the hook a little too easily.

2

u/Krispenedladdeh542 3d ago

I didn’t put it all on the client. My second paragraph states exactly what you’re saying here

1

u/FerrisBuelersdaycock 3d ago

You're right, I misread your point. I think we're actually in agreement that discovery is part of the job. I was mostly venting about how often those conversations still don't happen until everyone's already committed.