10 Project Expectations I Set for My Own Clients
Communicate these 10 project requirements & limitations to your clients during the onboarding phase to manage their expectations.
10 project expectations I set for my own clients
The first consultation call with a prospect can feel like a whirlwind of ideas and possibilities. They talk about their business needs and goals; you can't wait to offer your creative vision. They tend to want a lot of things on their website, and that might rush you into saying yes to everything—to go above and beyond as a web designer.
Anything to get them to say yes to working with you, right? Unfortunately, being overly accommodating could lead to scope creep and milestone delays down the line.
This might seem counterintuitive, but in my many years of handling client work, I realized that the most successful projects do not rely on my unlimited availability or countless revisions. Instead, they're founded on mutual respect, clear communication, and well-defined boundaries. Being transparent with the level of service you can realistically provide will get you far in earning the trust of great clients.
As part of my regular practice, here are 10 project expectations I often discuss with web design clients before they sign a contract with me:
1. Defining project assets and file management
What will you be needing from your client? When do you expect to receive it? It's difficult to draw up a custom-fitted strategy for their website without its content, so ideally you'd want access to their brand elements, official photos, and website copy at least one week before kickoff.
Not every client has these assets ready, but at least you'd be able to assist them if they find this initial step overwhelming. For businesses without a strong brand identity, I typically offer my brand strategy and design services before building the website. But if it's writing their own website copy they're stumped on, I point them towards a brainstorming tool I built myself, Copyspark.
2. Establishing communication methods and channels
How will you be keeping in touch for the duration of the project? I personally don't like digging through my emails for comments or requests, so I set up a bespoke client portal that's easy to use and maintain on Notion. This way, we're always on the same page when it comes to tracking project updates, deliverables, and messages. Truly an understated way of providing a white-glove experience.
3. Setting web design studio hours and availability
When will you be working on the project and responding to inquiries? Let them know your timezone and work days while you're at it. This will help you pencil in milestone meetings without having to disrupt your sleep or postpone your weekend plans. Plus, it's reassuring for your client to know they can expect a reply from you, even when they don't get immediate answers.
4. Requiring timely client feedback
How much time does your client have to review what you've given them so far? Personally I'd like to give them a few days to go through the deliverables and provide their input. Clients can get too busy running their business, but their steady guidance remains necessary for the website project to proceed as planned.
It's essential to emphasize late fees and rescheduling fees, both of which apply to the final bill in case you don't hear from them within a certain period. You could, however, choose to make exceptions for emergencies on a case-by-case basis.
5. Limiting web design revision rounds
How many times can your client ask for a revision? A maximum of three rounds of refinement per phase is the sweet spot in my experience—allowing for adjustments based on client input without extending the timeline too much. This is all up to you, but do note that it's unreasonable to guarantee unlimited revisions for offers with much quicker turnarounds, like template reskins or design intensives.
6. Clarifying website performance standards
What factors do you consider in measuring performance? Which of these are within your control? A quick Google Lighthouse check illuminates insights on website strengths and areas for improvement. Use your own discernment to interpret these figures by benchmarking against the client's existing site, industry standards, or other relevant considerations.
It's possible to uncover opportunities to speed up page load before the launch. But if your client is unwilling to make concessions in the final build, feel free to explore alternatives to improve user experience such as crafting a custom loading GIF.
7. Specifying website responsiveness for devices and screens
How much can the website for accommodate for a variety of screen sizes? Unlike print and packaging design, web design is meant to be more fluid. In theory, it takes the shape of whatever screen size or orientation is available to it. Yet in practice, you can only ever check the build for specific resolutions and widths called breakpoints.
Not all clients are aware that the final design can deviate from your prototype for this very reason. I find that the best way to address their apprehension is by involving them in the testing process. A quick call or video walkthrough can do the trick.
8. Outlining browser compatibility testing and support
Which browsers did you use to test the website for potential glitches? Browser options abound, but as a good rule of thumb it's enough to optimize your design elements and custom code for the top three: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple's Safari. After all, most niche browsers are built on the open-source, Google-maintained Chromium code (e.g. Brave, Opera, Arc).
If the business owner insists on testing cross-browser compatibility on major alternatives such as Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge, you can consider this as a service add-on to be discussed and priced accordingly.
9. Addressing web accessibility standards and compliance
How do you ensure that their site is accessible to users of all abilities? At the very least, I'm sure we all want every visitor to have a pleasant experience scrolling through your client's website. But intention may not always lend itself to implementation. I do believe this aspect requires your careful consideration—so much that I examined how a select few website platforms perform in this regard.
We can do our best to educate ourselves as web designers and developers. Still, there is no better substitute to the cooperation of accessibility specialists for industries that require stricter compliance (e.g. e-commerce, healthcare, education, automobile, finance).
10. Integrating artificial intelligence tools in the design process
How much involvement does generative AI have in your design process? It's important to disclose whether you've intentionally employed machine learning tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Midjourney, Copilot) at any stage of the project. I'm certain your client will appreciate you taking great lengths to consider intellectual property (IP), data privacy, and other ethical matters that could directly impact their business.
If this is something you'd like to look into, you can read more about my collaboration with IP lawyer Ivy of Canary and Hedge as we discuss relevant contract language and use cases.
And there you have it—the many administrative and technical ways to manage client expectations before they even sign the dotted line. Trust me, it's best to bring these up within your consultation call and project proposal, rather than reserving them for your web design service agreement where they can be overlooked.
Broaching these key topics will not come across as unreasonable to the right clients. In fact, your honesty will demonstrate a deep familiarity with the design process—and by extension, a vote of confidence that their dream website is in the right hands.