Client Considerations

The client can be considered to be whoever pays the bill for a particular project, or their representative.

The client need not be end-user.

The role of the client is to define what has to be developed -- to 'mark the target' -- to specify what they want or what they need -- --to approve changes --

Talk about contracts.. the vital importance of drawing one up. The need to be as specific as possible. The contract with the client should lay out as far as possible the expectations of the contracting partners as to what will be delivered and their respective roles. Goslet: design practice and theory: contracts.

Client will often need to be educated into the level of production values which are acceptable, often by being shown previous work or others work, and being advised about the costs. (Costs, deadlines, resources and production values.)

Developers to see things from the point of view of the client, in part with a view to realising their brief to the satisfaction of the client and also because of the need to sell ideas to the client.

Because the needs and wants of the client do not always coincide. Rough idea of what they want, not specific. The role of the producer and later the designer, The producer should have an awarenes of designb itself. If not the de case the designer should be involved.

What resouirces does the client have (people, materuial, equipment, assets. "Knowing who is contracted to provide what resources is essential before production can begin, so that the production process can be adequately planned and it is clear who is responsible for what, and when it must be ready." (Philips IMS (1992), p.7)

Most finished products are the result of compromise. Good communications and respect for each partner in the relationship will result in better products and satisfied customers. The client will be pleased to see their ideas reflected in the product, even if 'creatively reinterpreted' by the design team.

The extent to which the client should be involved in the development process is a moot point. client is a member of the development team. Their influence can affect any aspect of the project so it is important that they are kept informed about progress and approve any significant changes to the product specification. Some overzealous clients can, of course, disrupt a project, by being unrealistic in their expectations and contracts cannot always cover this. The developer is responsible for instructing the client in the design process to the extent that they understand their role: how and when they are involved. The developer should not oversell the medium, leading the client to believe that everything will be possible. There are points in the production process where, once the ball is set rolling, alterations can be very expensive. Such unforeseen expense can best be abvoided by careful planning.

Bibliography

Bunzel, M. and Morris, S. (1994), Multimedia Applications Development, New York, USA.
Hoffos, S., Sharpless, G., and Lewis, N. (1992), The CD-I Designer's Guide, London.
Philips IMS (1992), The CD-I production Handbook, Wokingham, England.
Goslet: design practice and theory: contracts