"The More You Know"...

... about clients history, their business, past projects, the better you can solve problems.
RELEVANT SOLUTIONS= more info. about client (politics, goals, agenda)

CLIENTS INTERNAL CHALLENGES:
-get client history
-make allies
-make sure "head honcho" person with veto power in involved from the start

OUTLINE the process
-explain process to masses
-make sure everyone gets the big picture
-list roles, responsibilities and get contact info
-assign day-to-day person, person that will guide the proj. through all stages

TIMELINE
1. find out client expectations
- what are the fixed variables?
2. separate true urgency from false urgency
-what has hard deadline?

AUDIENCE&CONTENT
1. identify&prioritize
-identify all possible audiences
-establish vitality and importance of each
2. requirements:
-emotional: how do you want your audience to respond emotionally?
-physical: physical content, physical interaction
3. organize content: the alphanumeric solution
-be prepared to help client think through context and copy
-provide "birds-eye-view

CONTENT ANALYSIS
-align design approach to clients long term goals
-look at previous versions of project

CONTENT STRATEGY
-goals clear?
-what needs to be achieved?
-define success
-identify assumptions

REVIEW CONTENT
-all pieces together?
-message on target?
-tone on target and specified?

CONCLUSION: knowing content...
-helps eliminate surprises
-design effective solutions
-be organized
-build client relationships
-stay engaged

UPDATING
-how often?
-can a non-designer do it?
-how will it be reproduced?

FORM FACTOR: cost? updating? hindering or helping?



STRUCTURAL OVERVIEW: site maps/page maps/ flow charts
SITE MAPS
-gives a visual outline of all the components and informational elements to a project
-used for web and interactive design site structure and navigational flow
-allows for organized discussion
-made before design process begins
-infinite possibilities for how it looks

WIREFRAMES "schematics"
-detailed guideline for layout (no details such as color, type, shape etc.)
-discover which element in the design are most and least important to determine focal point
-organizes: headers, sub-heads, intro paragraph, text, sidebars
-thorough
-free from extraneous graphic elements and details