Mon, 2005-02-21 22:01
Hi,
I'm just getting the hang of XHTML and CSS and have noticed that pages can look pretty screwy in the "layout" or "design" view modes of GoLive or Dreamweaver.
This doesn't bother me terribly, as I do a lot of editing of the source directly. But what about cases where you'll be handing the site over to a client who plans to use GL or DW to maintain it?
I have a couple of relatively inexperienced clients who, for various reasons, would like to handle maintenance duties once I finish with the design. I'm afraid they'll get frustrated and wonder why the page doesn't look right in their editor.
How have you dealt with this situation?
Tue, 2005-02-22 00:11
#1
clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
good topic, I hope you get some good suggestions.
Tue, 2005-02-22 01:19
#2
Re: clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
pixel boss wrote:
Put this in the contract:How have you dealt with this situation?
Quote:
If the client or an agent other than the designer attempts updating the client's pages, time to repair web pages will be assessed at the hourly rate described above.
Tue, 2005-02-22 03:03
#3
clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
I actually do have similar language in the contract.
But the issue here is more where you have a client who says at the outset that they want to try handling maintenance. In some cases this might just mean revising text, in other cases it might be more involved.
The point is, they'll be envisioning a site they can just open up in a WYSIWYG editor like Dreamweaver. And if you do a pure CSS, standards-based layout, more often than not it will look pretty odd in Dreamweaver's "design" view. It's not always as easy as "cut and paste."
So that's the issue I'm wrestling with--do I:
1) explain that CSS layout offers a lot of advantages and yes, it looks weird in Dreamweaver, and is a little trickier to edit at first, but it's the way to go.
2) just give them a tables-based layout that they can more easily handle in their editor
3) avoid clients who won't hire me to handle maintenance (would that I had that luxury!)
Tue, 2005-02-22 03:19
#4
clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
Perhaps deliver "documentation" to the client. A quick breakdown of the css and one extra warning about your hourly charge to fix what they mess up. 
Personally, I would always want to give my clients the best I can give them. Right now that is XHTML, CSS and no tables for layout. I mention that in the contract and once they sign it I assume they agree with it.
If they own Dreamweaver and want to maintain it I would seriously wonder why they want me to even bother to design it.
I'm sure it happens more than I know about though.
Tue, 2005-02-22 14:03
#5
clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
This may be off topic or going on a tangent, but as I'm new to designing web sites for pay, do you guys really have the client sign a contract?
Again please excuse my ignorance, but what do these contracts look like?
I understand if no one wants to reveal what their contract contains, but any replies would be appreciated!
Thanks
Tue, 2005-02-22 14:23
#6
clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
Lots of stuff on the web regarding web contracts (try google) such as this:
http://www.sessions.edu/Freelance_Forms/
Now, where were we? Oh yeah, the problem of CSS, WYSIWYG editors, and clients who want to do maintenance. . .
Tue, 2005-02-22 14:55
#7
clients who wish to maintain CSS-built sites
This thread is probably more suited to the 'Off Topic' area than 'CSS Layouts' which is really for questions related to the structure and coding of CSS layouts
I'll move it over.
Hugo.
p.s just a thought but if it's just basic content that they would wish to update wouldn't a CMS be a better bet, less possibility of the client screwing up fundamental parts of the layout to which they really shouldn't be allowed anywhere near without experience.