- Some think in words;
- Some think in vague impressions and emotions;
- Others think in pictures, but the images are “blurry”;
- Some people think primarily in numbers;
- And then there are spatial thinkers, for whom thoughts are related to each other by a sense of “distance”.
1. Embrace the Differences
Realizing other people don’t think like you is hard, and often involves a rude awakening. It’s like accidentally seeing a roommate naked. It’s uncomfortable, and everyone wishes things were not as they are; but you just have to get on with your life, now. It’s best if you simply accept that you saw them naked. Holding on to that feeling of awkwardness will lead to difficult communication later. Likewise, you should accept that clients often have a very different idea of what it means to think. Embrace the fact that they see things differently. Realize that their thought processes may yield insights you never dreamed possible. If you go on while feeling as though interacting with them is a chore, they will probably notice; and they will not like it. On the other hand, nothing smooths over the bumps in a conversation like an open-minded attitude.2. Build Trust
Building trust with a client is always necessary, but especially helpful when communication is difficult to begin with. When they trust you to do good work for them, they’re less likely to interfere with the smooth running of the project, and provide more constructive feedback. A number thinker might appreciate hearing some metrics from a previous project. Give them those sweet, sweet percentage values. A verbal thinker is likely going to appreciate written success stories. Throw some number-based metrics into the story for good measure, and you can see why a lot of websites already use this technique. For the more emotion-thinking clients, however, the best way to build trust is probably just to befriend them as best you can in the limited time you have available. To do this, you might need to make a special effort to listen a lot more closely to the tone of what they say, rather than their actual words. Emotional thinkers often have trouble communicating effectively with pretty much everyone, so making that effort will go a long way toward building trust.3. Use High-Definition Mockups
Remember back in the day when it was more or less expected that every mockup would be a high-definition mockup? At least, that’s how it felt to me when starting out. I didn’t even know what wireframes were when I started. Well, for some clients, you may need to go back to the old ways, as it was when web designers roamed the plains, searching for stray DHTML they could copy. Most people, even if not visual thinkers, can sort of visualize things when they put their minds to it. Others have little to no capacity to imagine things visually whatsoever. For these people, you might have to show them old-fashioned PSD-style high-definition mockups before you’ll get any useful feedback. And they might ask for more than one concept. If you find yourself in this situation, I recommend either charging more, or using UI kits to speed up production.4. Use Flow Charts
Flow charts are useful ways to organize information (such as site maps) in any case; but can be an especially useful way to convey concepts to spatial thinkers. After all, the whole format is about using spacing for organizational purposes. That’s really all I’ve got, here; the flow chart is a fairly simple concept.5. Present Your Work
Don’t wait for your clients to ask you why you made individual design decisions. When you have something to show them, find the time to talk them through everything you’ve done and/or changed, or write it down. Sometimes, just knowing that you have a coherent reason for the things you do is enough to get sign-off. Even if there are changes to be made, hearing you express your reasoning may give them the information they need to communicate their priorities properly. Basically, the more both parties know, the better. That last bit right there…that’s the point. Featured image via DepositPhotos.Ezequiel Bruni
Ezequiel Bruni is a web/UX designer, blogger, and aspiring photographer living in Mexico. When he’s not up to his finely-chiselled ears in wire-frames and front-end code, or ranting about the same, he indulges in beer, pizza, fantasy novels, and stand-up comedy.
Read Next
15 Best New Fonts, October 2024
Welcome to our roundup of the best new fonts we’ve found online in the last four weeks. In this month’s selection we…
By Simon Sterne
3 Essential Design Trends, November 2024
Touchable texture, distinct grids, and two-column designs are some of the most trending website design elements of…
20 Best New Websites, October 2024
Something we’re seeing more and more of is the ‘customizable’ site. Most often, this means a button to swap between…
Exciting New Tools for Designers, October 2024
We’ve got goodies for designers, developers, SEO-ers, content managers, and those of you who wear multiple hats. And,…
15 Best New Fonts, September 2024
Welcome to our roundup of the best new fonts we’ve found on the web in the previous four weeks. In this month’s edition…
By Simon Sterne
3 Essential Design Trends, October 2024
This article is brought to you by Constantino, a renowned company offering premium and affordable website design
You…
A Beginner’s Guide to Using BlueSky for Business Success
In today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses are always on the lookout for new ways to connect with their audience.…
By Louise North
The Importance of Title Tags: Tips and Tricks to Optimize for SEO
When it comes to on-page SEO, there’s one element that plays a pivotal role in both search engine rankings and user…
By Simon Sterne
20 Best New Websites, September 2024
We have a mixed bag for you with both minimalist and maximalist designs, and single pagers alongside much bigger, but…
Exciting New Tools for Designers, September 2024
This time around we are aiming to simplify life, with some light and fast analytics, an all-in-one productivity…
3 Essential Design Trends, September 2024
September's web design trends have a fun, fall feeling ... and we love it. See what's trending in website design this…
Crafting Personalized Experiences with AI
Picture this: You open Netflix, and it’s like the platform just knows what you’re in the mood for. Or maybe you’re…
By Simon Sterne