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Podcast 43: The business of web design

Author:: Paul Boag
Published:: 17 July 2006
Categories:: Classic shows
Reading time:: 2 minutes

In this week’s show, we cover: running a web design agency, what employers look for when hiring a web designer, the best stats package in the world, should we stop testing in IE 5, and running multiple versions of IE on a single PC.

Warning! The post you are viewing is out of date and almost certainly no longer accurate. For more topical posts, check out the “related reading” at the bottom of this page or drop me an email with any questions.

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User questions: Running a web design company

This week’s show is a little different. We answer a series of questions from listeners about running a web design company. Questions include:

How do you go about pricing projects and in your experience what hidden costs are there?
How do you bill projects? Do you use payment points? Do you have different rates for different people? Do you charge by the day or by the hour?
What skills does a freelancer need beyond the basic CSS, HTML and graphical skills?
How do you assess potential web designers when hiring?
How do you manage a company that primarily works from home offices?
What is your number one tip for running a successful web design company?

In the news

There are some interesting news stories in this week’s show:

ClickTales

This week sees the launch of a new online stats tool. Nothing particularly newsworthy about that I hear you cry. Well actually there is. ClickTales has an awesome set of new tools including the ability to view flash movies of your user sessions.

Visit the ClickTales site

Read the techcrunch review of the service

Gerry McGovern speaks out

This week sees the posting of an excellent article by usability guru, Gerry McGovern. Gerry gives a gentle reminder to all designers not to forget the basics of web design in our rush to implement the latest cool piece of technology.

Read Gerry’s Article

Read my response to his comments

The end of support for Windows 98

Microsoft has finally decided to stop supporting windows 98. On the show, we discuss the ramifications of this for web designers. Is now the time for us to stop, by default, testing in IE 5?

IE 7 Beta 3

It looks like the third beta of IE 7 is facing some problems. Users have been reporting a plethora of bugs including problems with installation and slow performance. Could this spell a delay in launch?

Review

In this week’s show, we look at your options for testing in multiple version of IE on the same PC. In particular, we focus in on running free virtual machines either using VMware or Microsoft Virtual PC.

For more, view my post; Why IE doesn’t play nicely.

Download any version of IE (or indeed any other browser) from Evolt.

Also in the show…

Paul talks about the need to develop in compliant browsers first. Marcus shares his thoughts on presenting your proposals and we both discuss the new look and feel for boagworld.

About me

I’m a UX consultant and conversion optimization specialist with 32 years in digital. I help teams create user experiences that work; winning support, improving results, and making change stick.

Contact me

Email: paul@boagworld.com
UK Based – Clients in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia.

how I help

UX Strategy – Spot what’s blocking a great experience and get a clear plan to fix it.
Improving Conversion – Simple, evidence-based changes that make every click count.
Coaching & Leadership – A sounding board to help you lead with clarity and confidence.
Training & Workshops – Hands-on sessions, playbooks, and self-learning so your team keeps improving.

Dylan Valade

Puma

Actionable Insights

Paul has the ability to see what is hiding in plain sight. He validated ideas under consideration and provided new, actionable recommendations. The most valuable insight was illustrating how our issues were symptoms of an inefficient UX project team structure.

Sarah Zama

Oxford University

Genuinely brilliant

Paul is genuinely brilliant to work with. He’s funny, thoughtful, and really good at meeting you where you are. He matches my energy, communicates clearly, and always seems to know how to say the right thing. Working with him feels easy, constructive, and properly enjoyable.

CREATIVE BLOQ

Magazine Interview

Demonstrates his prowess

As we talk, a pronounced pattern in Boag’s patter becomes apparent: he enthuses about a topic, demonstrates his prowess and then knocks himself down with a swipe of self-deprecation.

Gerry McGovern

Author of Transform

Smart & Generous

Paul is one of the smartest, most passionate, most generous people I know in the web / online industry. He is truly committed to helping organizations become simpler and more customer-centric.

RICHARD HURST

QUEEN MARY’S UNIVERSITY LONDON

An inspiration

Paul is an inspiration, I only wish I’d worked with him earlier in my career. His ability to understand and break down problems and offer advice, drawing on his many years of experience is unrivalled. He genuinely wants to get the best out of you and your organisation and you can’t ask for more than that.

NONDAS PASCHOS

MÉDECINS SANS FRONTIÈRES

Invaluable

Medecins San Frontieres, being a decentralised international association, faces challenges in meeting the needs of a diverse global audience. Paul and the team at Headscape have been invaluable in helping us see the potential of digital for doing this. They have helped us recognize the changes needed to engage with our connected audiences, bringing clarity and innovation to our digital strategy.

JENNIFER RUSSELL

THE SAMARITANS

Supportive and Challenging

It’s been a pleasure working with Paul. He manages to be both supportive and challenging at the same time and has a very accessible approach. It’s been a really inspiring process and I would love the opportunity to work with him again.

JOANNA SOUZA

UNICEF

Entertainingly Informative

We can count on Paul to be entertainingly informative. When we bring him to speak at our workshops, people walk out of the session energized and with a better understanding of how a multichannel journey should be assessed and optimized. Thanks Paul!

RIVKIE LIEBERMAN

MOTIF STUDIO

Best investment

You’re the best investment I’ve made thus far in my business, and that includes a previous coach, paid mentors and many courses! Your expertise is absolutely invaluable. Thank you!

Brooke Mills

Beginning Boutique

Moves the Needle

It’s not a question of whether I’d work with Paul again, but what we’re doing next. He takes the time to deeply understand your business and goals, then moves the needle across the growth levers that matter most.