You Get What You Need

Mick Jagger studied at the London School of Economics. Which probably explains why he still owns the right to his songs. And is one of the biggest players in the music industry.

Of course that doesn't explain why I turn to the 'Stones' when ever I need some to do solve a particularly irksome problem. There is something about the music and the lyrics that lets my mind play 'connect-the-dots'.

One of the reoccurring problems every web developer faces is the customer who wants to tell you how their site should be built.

We all want client input. They pay the bills after all. But, when the client moves from giving input to taking on the design role the poor web developer is in a bind. They can give the client what they want and be blamed when the site looks like cr.. Or, they can risk losing the contract and give the client what they need.

I have a proposal to get ready for a potential client. The client wants the site to be similar to their competitor's. The competitor's sites a very elegant with lots of eye candy. Their marketing is focused on the lifestyle and experience that come with the product.

The client has a more practical version of the product. Useful and utilitarian. Their potential customers want product information.

Do I give the client what they want - or do I try and convince them we have a better idea.

Which is of course where Jagger comes in:

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need, ah yes...

Ah Yes . . .