Dealing With Setbacks

Frustrated WomanIf you’ve been in this industry for a while sooner or later you’ll come to a hiccup or worse a wall. Whether you’re a freelancer or the owner of a design firm or anywhere in between you’re not immune from the reality of circumstances and bad luck. Now some mishaps we actually can avoid, and that comes from seasoning and learning how to make good decisions early in time. There was a quote I got recently from a book I’ve been reading that really resonated with me.

Easy short-term choices lead to difficult long-term consequences, while difficult short-term choices lead to easy long-term consequences.” The Paradox Principle.

I’m here to let you know of some good ways for you to deal with those setbacks. I’m also here to tell you that you’re not alone. We’re all out there at various times of the day or night pulling our hairs out or slamming desks when things don’t work right. Until there’s an 800 number for 24 hour sympathetic support, we have each other.

#1 Walk Away

This tip is probably the most important; walk away for a few hours. When you hit a wall in development, it may not be best for you to fight your frustrations head on. More times than none the more you look at it, the more things will make even less sense. You also run the risk of double thinking some other strings of code you knew were good before but go back and tweak that in hopes that it will fix some later functions that had you messed up in the first place. Ugh! Been there before and probably will be there again. When it happens and it’s been about an hour already, just take my advice and walk away for a few hours to clear your mind. Coming back to it the next morning with a fresh mind and fresh eyes usually makes an issue stick out in such an obvious form you’ll be happy you took off.

#2 Get a Second Opinion

Get a second pair of eyes on your work. You can rub your eyes all you want but still never see clearly. And it may not be your vision, it may just be your lack of understanding or knowledge. One thing I learned early in this business is that I’m not the smartest, but if I can find others that are smarter than me to help when I need them, I’ll still win.

#3 Spend Time On Another Project

It’s never good to waste time. Especially when the weekend is fast approaching and you’ve been pulling some late nights on some deliverables. I refer back to my one-hour law; if you’ve made no progress in an hour, find another project that you know you can pick up and make steady progress on. There is a slight chance the time away working on something else may job your mind on what can help get you through your main setback. Even if there isn’t, you’ll get a sense of accomplishment at the end of your day knowing that you finished some things instead of lost 6+ hours making absolutely no headway on just one piece of work.

#4 Research and Read a Book

There is a possibility you may not know everything. I know crazy right? So why not take some time to look up your exact issue on Google? You’d be surprised at how many other people will have had the same question. While you’re searching the inter-webs why not check out a few forums like Designers Talk or FreelanceSwitch. Great places to put your questions out there and get support from other designers and developers. You can also take this time to read up on your HTML or CSS skills. Remember that bookmark you left on the second chapter of that “Build Your Own Website The Right Way Using HTML & CSS“, well why not pick that book back up and continue reading up. We’re part of a fast paced and ever-changing world so try not to get left behind in technology, otherwise you could be working much harder  or longer than you need to.

#5 Relax and Inform

For me it’s music or playing Wii with my kids. Go ahead and indulge a bit into something you enjoy to do. The work will still be there. If your project is pending, go ahead and let yourself off the hook and contact your client(s) and inform them of the setback and that you’ll need some extra time to complete it correctly. It’s key to be honest here because a mountain of other issues will arise later if you don’t. So go ahead and set that expectation to follow-up when you’re back on track, not a projected fix time/date, but a call or email when you action have it figured out and are able to move forward.

So what are your biggest or most recent frustrations in work? Do you have some other ways to handle setbacks? Let us know in the comments below.

Image credits: iStock Photo

Website Attacks From China

Hacker graphicYou may have received a few web form submissions on your website that at first would seem like a bunch of HTML coding garbage with an email address and name that make absolutely no sense.

Spam message from China hackers

I did a bit of research and found out that these are from hackers in China. When I first started to receive them I just deleted them because the forms on our server are not stored on our server but instead are sent via email to our office. Eventually over the next few days I began receiving 5-10 form submissions every few hours each day. This can be terribly troublesome and alarming.

In order to combat this you’ll need to block the IP addresses from those rogue computers/hackers in China. Fortunately for the forms we currently use on our HTML website, the Country and IP addresses are provided. To block them you’ll need to create a HTACCESS file with instructions on blocking the IP addresses. I found this website to be quite informative with a host of IP addresses not only from China, but also other known Countries like Nigeria and Russia. I mean let’s be honest, we know we don’t have a fortune waiting for us in some Nigerian back just waiting to be transferred.

If you need help putting together your own htaccess file, leave us a comment below and we’ll get some details from you and send you one via email.

Hacker Image credit: Iconfinder.com

Why Does Building a Website Cost So Much?

Money ShotThis is a touchy topic for some people because it involves the main thing we’re all battling with in the current economy – MONEY. Depending on how familiar you are with the web world and which side you fall on (user/consumer or developer/geek), the cost of building/creating a website can be a mystery to business owners   Because it’s not just about selling you the service but helping you to understand what goes into the cost and ultimately and why you’re being charged what you are for your businesses website

Most people think its pretty easy to build a website.  And for some that may be true.  But for most, the key considerations are beyond their level of expertise and a designer or developer is the best options.  When contracting a designer or developer, understand that you’re not paying for the technology. You’re paying for their time and knowledge. To be honest, there isn’t anything that a web designer does that anyone else cannot do. So let’s go deeper to understand what the common needs are, clarify some myths about web design and give a clear understanding of what the “time and knowledge” really provides you with.

Small Budget but Big Ideas

There are plenty of you out there that are either thinking of starting a business or at the beginning stages of developing your business. Chances are you don’t have that huge SBA loan or a stockpile of start-up cash, so penny-pinching and sweat equity is you’ll be building on. As a small, budget conscious business owner you might have a great idea in your head but are unable to bring it to life because you don’t know how to or have the necessary tools. You could spend hundreds of dollars on buying a tutorial software program, spend hours to learn from them all in hopes of a “DIY” success.  Just the thought process of designing your own brand takes time.  Then bringing that vision to a digital medium takes some additional time and skills. So what’s more likely is that it might be cheaper and faster (and less of a headache)  to hire a designer who can make your vision a reality with a little less Advil.

Why You Don’t Know-It-All

We love these types of people. Why? Because they likely already have a plan and concepts for what you want your website to look like and convey to your consumers. Which is great that you’re that clear about your market base and what they need or want.  The only drawback, is you usually believe the building process is as simple as copy and paste. Know-It-Alls sometimes will sign up for a trial version of some web-based CMS (Content Management System), built a few pages of a  simple website, and now assume that  it’s a quick and easy process.  Like some .99 cent WYSIWYG app  which can   would work just the same as every app that a seasoned developer must be using.  This couldn’t be further from the truth!  Here’s what that time and knowledge consists of a seasoned web designer and developer offers:

  • Knowing how to build page structures
  • Creating responsive designs for a better user interface and user experience
  • Adapting the website for optimum browser compatibility
  • Ensuring all necessary software updates
  • Typography for a better look and feel
  • SEO
  • Sitemaps
  • Working with image sizing and quality
  • Optimizing page loading times
  • Creating content for landing pages
  • and so much more

If You Want Full Control

I have no argument with clients who want to manage their websites once it is completed. The ability to update content, images, links and so on without having to contact your developer is truly ideal. We used to sell desktop programs for this back when we primarily built HTML websites to allow this indulgence. Now with WordPress, not only is the learning curve smaller, there is no cost for additional software. Now because most people aren’t looking to change the base structure of their websites; WordPress is a great option to self manager. But here’s the warning.  Be aware that with a few wrong clicks or improper coding edits, you can actually break your website.  These types of mistakes can render your site with a 404 error quick and in some cases may not have an easy fix. This is just one of many examples why its better to leave it to the professionals. If we break it you justifiably can yell at us!

When Time is of the Essence

There are plenty fly-by-night and quick turn around website builders out there. Also some software programs available from your local Best Buy or Office Depot, as well as online with quick setups that seem like great financial options. .  I’d like to raise just a small, red flag on this seemingly time and cost-effective option.  You technically don’t “own” the software. What I’ve seen happen countless times is that after purchasing the software, the software developer goes out of business.  Or worse, no longer cares to update their software for the most current browsers and security loopholes.  So you the consumer are left holding the empty bag and spending hours Google’ing how to fix something you had no part in creating.

So what’s the best option when you need to get online with your website within the next few days and don’t have the time to learn, study, design, or build it. Most designers and design firms can accommodate your prompt request, but may entail a slightly higher cost because of the quick turnaround.

BYOS (Bring Your Own Stuff)

If you want to see a designer or developer do a face-palm smack, tell them you need a website, but you’re not sure how many pages; don’t have any content; the pictures you have are all on your cell phone as text messages; and oh your favorite colors are all in the rainbow. Sure my example may seem a bit comical and slightly unrealistic but I can assure you those requests have come to us. Clients who come to web designers unknowingly unprepared should be prepared for higher costs as a result. Additionally some of these issues which may come up haphazardly during the development process, can require redesigns, restructuring and  reorganizations, shooting the cost up even higher.

To keep costs at quoted or at priced levels, clients must BYOS or prepare to PMM (Pay More Money). Lack of preparation can also hold a project at a standstill or cause a push back the launch date. Additionally, when those requested materials are inadequate,  there might be more incurred charges for the designer to find stock imagery, perform research on your industry for content as well as securing a content writing for your website. So before you sign on the dotted line, think about what you’re able bring to the table to mitigate costs, both time and money. If you’re not a great content writer, admit it and pay for someone to write for you. If you don’t have time to take product pictures, let a photographer come in and do that.

The Wrap Up

Know that most designers and developers who have been around for more than a few years, do what they do because they really get joy out of it. We enjoy seeing a happy client at the end of a project that’s excited to tell the world about their new worldwide face and presence on the web.  One of Design Theory’s “theories” is that we don’t treat businesses as a one time sale. Me and each of my team members maintain good working business relationships with each of our clients. They know we’re always looking out for their best interest as we offer the right products and services to make their project a success.

If you have questions about our pricing, (or our competitors), don’t hesitate to call our office at 888.603.1090.

(image credit from RGBStock.com)

Browser Testing on a Mac

Found this application from Adobe recently and though to share my experience with all of you. If you’ve been in the design industry for about a year, chances are you’ve worked on or own a Mac computer. I’m not going to get into how or why Mac’s are the preferred choice in design and development, but they are. One main pain in the rear though is browser testing, and since the common browser that we mostly use is Firefox or Google Chrome, access to Internet Explorer isn’t an easy because there isn’t an app for that on the Mac OS.

So enter Adobe for creating a web-based browser simulation app called Adobe Browserlab. It is free to use, all you need is an Adobe ID that you can also get for free and use immediately. This makes for browser testing across multiple browsers a much more pleasant experience even with side-by-side comparing. For those using Dreamweaver there’s also a way to integrate Browserlab for even more testing and preview abilities during your site developments. See some of the screenshots and video below.

Adobe Browserlab Screen 1

Adobe Browser Lap Screen 2

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmU19swH7aY]

 

Are you already using Adobe Browserlab; well let us know your thoughts and some tips or tricks you’ve learned along the way in the comments below.

Secure Your WordPress Website

When it comes to your website, most people don’t always think about how safe it may be at this very moment. The thought of spambots or website hacking robo-scripts really doesn’t resonate until the worst happens. I’ve seen some websites get hacked and it isn’t a pretty thing. Hackers take pride in vulnerabilities and WordPress tries to do a good job with updating whenever these threats come to their attention.

There’s a new plugin that we’ve been using for the past few weeks that has been pretty stable and informing on what’s going on with our websites.

WP Fence Logo

This plugin features a host of options there in:

  • Scans core files, themes and plugins against WordPress.org repository versions to check their integrity.
  • WordPress Multi-Site (or WordPress MU in the older parlance) compatible.
  • Wordfence Security for multi-site also scans all posts and comments across all blogs from one admin panel.
  • Premium users can also block countries and schedule scans for specific times and a higher frequency.
  • See how files have changed. Optionally repair changed files that are security threats.
  • Scans for many known backdoors including C99, R57, RootShell, Crystal Shell, Matamu, Cybershell, W4cking, Sniper, Predator, Jackal, Phantasma, GFS, Dive, Dx and many many more.
  • Continuously scans for malware and phishing URL’s including all URL’s on the Google Safe Browsing List in all your comments, posts and files that are security threats.
  • Scans for heuristics of back doors, trojans, suspicious code and other security issues.
  • Includes a firewall to block common security threats like fake Googlebots, malicious scans from hackers and botnets.
  • Rate limit or block security threats like aggressive crawlers, scrapers and bots doing security scans for vulnerabilities in your site.
  • Choose whether you want to block or throttle users and robots who break your security rules.
  • Includes login security to lock out brute force hacks and to stop WordPress from revealing info that will compromise security.
  • Real-time traffic includes reverse DNS and city-level geo location. Know which geographic area security threats originate from.
  • Our online forums are available 24/7 to answer your WordPress security questions.

And there’s so much more. One of the things we cared the most for was an option where we can set the amount of failed login attempts to the WP dashboard then lock a user out after so many failed attempts. Having multiple sites that all have different plugins and settings, Wordfence does a good job and sending emails on whenever plugins need updates as well as when WordPress itself requires updates.

Resolving Threats is quite simple too as well as intuitive.

Threat 1

Seeing the live traffic is a bit interesting too. Especially if you just released a new post or want to see how a live marketing campaign is working for your site.

Live Site Activity

Well don’t just take my word for it, check it out for yourself from WordPress.org Plugin Directory and see what others are saying about it. Or visit the Wordfence website for full disclosure. This plugin is actually FREE, and is fantastic for what it offers. However I would suggest their premium version as it adds a bit more functionality like remote scans, more scan frequencies in a day, and the ability to block IP’s from known malicious areas around the world

Analyzing Your Trends – What They Really Tell You

Last week Design Theory allowed the outside world an inside look at our audience numbers for our weekly blog postings via Peeking Underneath the Hood at Your Blog #’s.  It was great to get feedback by email and comments on the blog as to what people thought of our exposure and how that helped them to consider the importance of analytics. Most companies should know that tracking their visitors through a source like Google Analytics includes hits from search engines, pay-per-click networks, email marketing, displayed advertising and the like.  Off-site analytics, like the ones I’ve demonstrated here, are to measure not just the website’s current audience but also it’s potential audience and what we at Design Theory can do to create more opportunities, exposure and buzz (aka comments) about our services. So, the analysis of our web data helps to improve the website and our blog content for Design Theory and it’s visitors.

During the last week of September
887 Page Views vs. preceding week’s 994 Page Views


As opposed to last week, this week we see a significant increase in readership directly from www.jpdesigntheory.com.  Additionally, the top referring website is still Google but there seems to be a little less traffic via Google UK than the week preceding and Google.com jumped 46 more than last week as well.   Last week there were very few unique readers on Monday & Tuesday (how readers are tagged via a persistent cookie that stores and returns a unique id value so that Client V is always the same Client V whenever he/she comes back to the website) but this week, there are definitely more than its predecessor (361 vs. 221).  That’s great because that tells us we are reaching new people and therefore more potential clientele.  As far as the blogs go, Daphne & I are still neck & neck, which once again confirms that our blogs and tags are working well for us. Lastly, as ironic as it is, our top view location moved from Ulaanbaatar, New Mexico last week to Meriden, CT this week.  I can’t explain that one at all!  But at least it reflects the diversity of our readers and confirms that Design Theory has a worldwide presence.

During the first week of October
717 Page Views


What I also notice right off the bat is that Tuesdays readership fell drastically and I know exactly why.  I was on vacation and didn’t blog.  Yes that’s right, I did it…I took a vacation and I’m not sorry about it.  And although I’m not happy the numbers dipped, it did provide us with some solid intel.  It shows that I have a reading audience and there is value in the content I create weekly for the blog.  So Daphne metaphorically DUNKED on me HARD but that’s ok.  Despite having different titles and talents, we have the same goal.  And that ultimate goal is increasing the ROI that those talents provide via the blogs and the work we do for our clients.

As detailed in the Audience Stats, our number of visits/readers let us know that people are accessing our website and whether or not we are capturing new audiences.  However, something this particular report doesn’t reflect (but should definitely be considered) is the bounce rate.  The bounce rate tells us how many people come to our site and quickly left it.  Now there are plenty of reasons that happens.  Maybe someone had to answer their door or walk their dog…but most often it reflects that they didn’t find what they needed or became bored with the content. There’s no room for ego when looking at these numbers I must tell you.  Because what it does is identify areas that we could improve on like imagery, written content and the ease of navigation throughout the website.

So once again we learn, we grow and do better.  I’m encouraged by our numbers while knowing there’s ALWAYS room for improvement and I look forward to continue to write and put out great content & tidbits to our readers and clients.

~ Content Writing Inspiration ~
The beginning is easy; what happens next is much harder. ~ Anonymous