Web Designers Are Their Own Worst Clients – Ugh!
February 21, 2010 • Web Site Design
If there’s one thing that many web designers have trouble with, it’s designing or redesigning their own web site. Yes, really! I hear that so often in the web design world and unfortunately, I’m one that’s right at the top of the list. I can absolutely love an idea, go through all the work it takes to make it happen and then after it’s done … I hate it!
Nobody seems to know why this happens either and it’s very frustrating. Many of us (myself included) put 110% effort into giving our clients what they want but when it comes to giving ourselves a site look we’re happy with … it’s the closest thing to impossible there is it seems. I’m thinking it’s a lot like the “Doctors make the worst patients” kind of thing. A doctor should not diagnose or treat themselves (although I would imagine that many of them do) but they really should seek out another Doctor to do this for them.
Objectivity seems to play a part as well. Being objective about one’s own work is really hard to do! As a web designer, I want my own site to be perfect, no less than as perfect as I want for my clients. I can really hate a site I’ve designed for a client but they love it! This means I’ve done the job they hired me to do and I should be proud … but if I hate how a site looks, how can I be proud of it? I’m left with the pride I feel in that the client is happy and that’s as it should be. It doesn’t matter if I love it or hate it, what matters is what they think.
But when it comes to my own site … I’m the “they” in the equation! I may get tons of compliments but if I’m not happy with it, it’s gotta go. The problem then is where do I find the time to re-do it? That’s quite a trick in itself. So, I may display a web site design for months that I don’t like myself. I wonder and worry the entire time it’s up for public viewing just how I’m portraying myself to my clients and potential clients.
People who know me tell me I’m tooooo picky, to much of a perfectionist when it comes to my own work whether it be for a client or myself. Sometimes I have to wonder if they’re right because I can drive myself stark-raving-insane trying to come up with just the right look. I love this or that designer’s site, and sometimes I make some time to try to do something similar but it never seems to turn out right. Picture my head banging on my keyboard and you’ll have a good visual as to what happens when I just can’t quite get there from here. I do take a little joy in knowing that I’m in good company because I know I’m not alone paddling this boat.
What do I do? I guess I just keep trying because I sure have no intention of giving up!
