There’s an insightful article on Smashing Magazine about how the balance of control should be shared between the client and designer, focusing on the design challenges that arise when clients are given too much control.
In our experience, this is a common issue. Clients often come to me with websites built on complex content management systems (CMSs) that were intended to empower them to manage their own content and features. While the idea of a user-friendly CMS is good, the reality is that many clients don’t want to learn about shortcodes, columns, or even HTML and PHP snippets. They just want a simple way to update their site without the technical hassle.
Although the problem stems from CMS complexity, I see it as a challenge to strike the right balance. Our approach is to plan carefully and offer clients as much control as possible without sacrificing usability. I begin by understanding exactly what content they’ll need to update, often breaking it down into individual elements. By focusing on these critical areas, we can simplify the system and leave other areas of the website untouched, reducing complexity.
I also consider the type of content the client will upload, whether it’s videos, text, or images. By setting the correct resolution and aspect ratios upfront, you can automate cropping and resizing, so you don’t need to worry about using complicated editing software. Additionally, you can use clever PHP techniques to organise the admin area, dividing it into sections to make it more intuitive. This way, clients can manage their website content without feeling overwhelmed by too many options, giving them control while keeping the process simple.