Teams Assigned - client meeting

Before you meet with the client I have found it helpful if the team meets to discuss what will occur and to establish who does what. Here are the steps you need to follow.

  1. PM - create an agenda - refer to the "1st meeting forms" for examples of agendas.
  2. Meet as a team (face to face, online chat room, or email) to determine roles and review who will do what at the meeting. I recommend that all who attend the meeting in person speak during the meeting by coordinating at least one of the agenda items.
  3. Create a list of questions which the client needs to answer. This questionnaire will be the major agenda item for the first meeting. I recommend that the PM send a copy of these questions to the client at least 3-5 days before the scheduled meeting. Refer to the "1st meeting forms" for examples of questions you can use. Feel free to personalize these questions to meet the needs of your team and client.

  4. Call the client and identify yourself as the representative of the Web design team from Santa Rosa Junior College. A comment about how enthusiastic or excited you are wouldn't hurt. Explain that the initial meeting can take between 1-2 hours. Mention that there are questions you will be asking them and mention you will send them the questions at least 3-5 days before the meeting. Suggest that they start working on the answers to the questions before they meet with the team. Remind them to bring all the existing materials that they would like to use at the web site. Mention that if possible all content needs to be in digital form.

    Set a time and place for the meeting - usually their office, however if they do not have Internet access at their office or if they work from their home, the campus will be better option. We recommend you do not meet the client in their home. Meetings can be scheduled for the library room on the 3rd floor computer lab in Maggini Hall.

    Plan on arriving 15 minute early and have a plan for what to do if one of the team is late (ie... we will wait 10 minutes and then proceed without you.)Once the meeting time is established inform your team.

  5. Send the client the questions before the first meeting (email, or fax)
  6. Send the team and the client a confirmation email the day before the meeting
  7. The PM will create a web page which contains contact information for the team and client and place it on the web as a part of the project web site. Teammates will refer to this Web page when contact information is needed. An example of a Web contact page can be found here. Bring a printed copy of this page to the client so they can keep it for future use. If you do not have the client's complete contact information or if the client adds new contacts, simply make a note of it.
  8. Bring the client calendar and review it with the client. This document is an overview deadlines that affect the client. In the link above I have provided a generic calendar which you can use as a starting point. I recommend you put in specific dates and elaborate on any item you feel may need additional explanation.

  9. Before the meeting mention that their are several Web pages which are used to prepare the client for the process ahead. verify that they have read these documents, if they have not just ask them to read them or provide them with printed copies during the meeting. I ask you to do this because some of the clients were not at the first meeting I held in January or August and may not fully understand the process.

    Client Information Sheet
    Client Overview
    Client Pitfalls

  10. Here are the things I would like each team to accomplish during the first meeting
    • establish a warm , friendly and respectful relationship with the clients
    • clarification of any issues from the "client preparation packet"
    • create a storyboard or flowchart - boxes that describe the number of pages at the site and the organization of those pages
    • as much content as you can get
    • develop a communication plan for the client What is there preferred method of communication - phone, email, skype, face to face. How quickly will they respond to your email? How often does the client want to be updated on the progress of the project?
    • Give the client a calendar and review it with the them.
    • Give the client the "team contact information"
    • a review of the design sampler (optional as time permits)
    • a review of the programming sampler (optional as time permits)
    • a time and place for the next meeting. If the designer and programmer were not able to present their samplers set up a time for those meetings.

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One more thing...

One of the most significant challenges of the course is to reconcile your personal goals, the class requirements, and the needs of the client. Most of our clients are very excited and enthusiastic about working with you on a Web site, they are also fairly uninformed about the web, Internet, and technology.

Your job is to educate them, listen to them, and give them what they want. You may not be able to work for the client who was your first pick, but with the right attitude all the clients will be able to provide you with a positive experience.