Two minutes isn’t a long time. But if you’re listening to someone explain a concept you can’t decipher, it can seem like eternity.
As web developers, we have a tendency to use our industry terminology too often. Clients don’t need jargon. Jargon is a wall, built to keep the uninitiated out. That’s not what we want.
When we explain things to clients, try not to make it sound like alphabet soup. Describe things in a way that is easy for them to understand.
Trust is a vital component of human relationships. Without it, alliances that were once strong will wither and die, going down in a ball of flames. We make important decisions based how much trust we put in the people on the other end of the relationship.
Some web developers have been taught to always say Yes — to never reveal that they are unfamiliar with anything in their world. They have come to believe that when asked if they have done something, they should agree, even when they may not have that familiarity. These developers have heard stories of the early web from people who went on to make huge names for themselves. These stories all have a similar plotline. Sometime in the past, a client approached the developer, asking them about a certain technology. The developer assured them they “knew how to do that” and they could handle the job. The developer then learned everything they needed to know over the weekend. These personal recounts always have a happy ending for everyone involved.
The web industry is not in the same place that it was in those Protozoic years. There’s more going on now than ever before, with no signs of slowing down. Misrepresenting your skills will expose you a lot quicker than it would have ten years ago. And that’s a good thing.