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Any web designer or developer that lands a new job is immediately hit by a small dose of adrenaline rush. It’s an exciting time for any designer or developer, as their creative juices are probably buzzing with new ideas and fresh inspiration. However, that initial feeling can be tricky because it can easily put them away from important things.

If you aren’t adequately prepared from the start, you will quickly get into trouble.

It would help if you had all the right info to deliver adequate, proper solutions for your clients. Getting that information should be your top priority when working with a new client. A few quick questions before you begin can save endless rounds of revisions before sign off.

It is also important to mention before we dive into a few questions that we find crucial - every project and every client is a unique one. There is no definitive or universal list of items you need to answer. Nevertheless, few questions stand out. So without further delay, let’s look at them closer together.

Need to Knows

• What are your goals for this project? - What is the message your client is trying to deliver to the target audience? The overall message can be something as simple as thanking customers, announcing a new product, or promoting awareness. More in-depth knowledge of the project also includes your client’s motivations. By knowing them - you will be in a better position to provide a service that helps their business and avoid designing something that looks pretty and not working.
• Who is your target audience? - You also need to know who you’re planning for. There’s no point designing to appeal to millennials if it turns out the client's main aim is retirees. Who is the brand’s target customer? How old are they? Are they male or female? Where do they live? What do they do? What do they like? These pieces of information can help you with the web copy. They’ll allow you to identify the ideal voice, tone, and language you should use on the site, to position your client’s brand authentically in the eyes of their users.
• Do you have any competition and what separates you from them? - Knowing your client's needs and market also demands to know your client's competition. What does your client do or offer that's better or different than the others? What challenges is your client up against in the marketplace? Asking your client what they like or don’t like on their competitors’ websites is another wise thing to do. You'll know what he wants and dislikes. On the other hand, learning how your client differs from their competitors can deliver a quality website.
• What is the scope of the project? – Last but not least, find out and stick to a client’s final deadline. Set and eventually achieve all the key milestones along the way. These dates will come handy in creating a project schedule, keeping you and your team on track. And if the client’s timeline cannot fit into your existing workload, you'll know it's impossible to get the job done.

Wrap

One way or another, as we stated, every potential project or client is a unique one. No one can claim that there is any universal bucket of questions you are obliged to ask your client. It all depends on the project itself. But having a ton of useful information can only ease up the entire design/development process.

When done well, a quality conducted research creates a chain reaction that affects the entire project. It leads to a deeper understanding of how users affect the product requirements, which affects the product strategy, influencing the prototypes, and as a result, makes for a better final design of a product and, in the end, a satisfied client.