Unknown internals about web development complexity
How about starting new web development work? Back five or four years, I would have said very easy to start and manage it. Hold a second - My mind is racing now, has it become tough now?
Well I have no other word to say - but yes web development has become complex to manage now.
I may state lots of different reasons and fill my blog without giving second thought. However, I don't want to clutter the post and want to list obvious reasons.
Client's expectation
We need to create such and such application within shortest possible time frame. If you can finish it within one month then it is great otherwise there is no meaning of starting the project. Do you hear such statement from clients? I do most of the time. I don't want to blame client for thinking of creating application within shortest possible time, however all the time cake needs to back before we start eating.
I had to explain different scenarios as why I am not over promising you to finish the project within shortest time.
Cluttered user interface design
Most of the time we create user interface design for the client, however sometime we fail (very honestly) to deliver the design. The reasons are many other than our technical competency. The point is client comes up with such an intricate user interface design that is very hard to build using html and raw frameworks. Also the designer doesn't give second thought to responsive layout and screen size. Moreover don't override the concepts of clean complex design with cluttered user interface design. Both are different.
Our experience suggests, simple user interface design are more powerful then cluttered one. The more clutter the design the more unmanageable it becomes.
Fragmented frameworks support
Every framework in web development area has it's place and therefore should be used wisely. I don't know why some clients started advising about using such and such frameworks. The idea of using single framework is more obvious then using multiple frameworks. The inter dependency makes it very hard in long run.
There are obvious ways to manage such requests like
- You can educate client about web development complexity and how it evolves gradually. Let him educate to start development from epic centre i.e. most important and unique features first then others later.
- Ask client about cluttered user interface beforehand. Better connect directly with web designer and let him know before hand what kinds of stuff you are building. The internal allows designer to think more clearly.
- Try to use more usable framework rather most hyped framework.
My experience makes me aware when I should start educating my client. Sometime client is novice and doesn't know the web development complexity and makes some decisions unknowingly. That is our job as a programmer to educate clients about our responsibility.
Do you educate your clients?