Description: How your communication with a web developer can be made easier and simpler with a few tips.
Communication? Easy Peasy!
Speaking to people is easy, right? I mean, we do it almost every day with our friends and family, so how hard can it be to do it in a professional setting? They are just people. Well anyone who has ever told you this is wrong. Well, not completely bad but it is not very helpful advice, is it? Anyone who has worked with anyone knows that when you are working in a professional setting, communication with a fellow teammate is one of the most difficult things to do for the average person. What people don’t warn you about when working in a team setting is how difficult it can be when you have an underperforming or simply difficult-to-communicate colleague. Web development is no different. Whether you are a client, a team member, or simply someone interested in the field, knowing how to communicate with a developer can make the process with them go smoother and much easier.
Knowing the Lingo
Understanding what a developer is talking about can make speaking with them much easier. While it is not possible to learn everything about web development overnight, knowing some of the key trigger words that may come up during a conversation with a developer will make your life so much easier (and keep you from being scammed into choices you may not want as a client dealing with an unethical developer.)
SEO
SEO stands for search engine optimization. SEO is important for every website so it may be a topic that comes up during a conversation with a developer. SEO is simply a means to make your site easier to operate. SEO can look different depending on what your website needs, but in most cases, it can look like a search bar, links in your footer, or labels on your form. SEO helps to make your website accessible to all.
Backend/Frontend
Backend and Frontend code are typically the only terms you would hear as a fellow or learning web developer, but they as still good terms to know. Backend code refers to all the JavaScript, MySQL, and other code that make the website function. Frontend code is your HTML and CSS, everything that makes the site look pretty and appealing. Sometimes, developers are separated into these two groups depending on their skills, so if you are talking to a backend-only developer, then you know to only discuss the functionality of the site rather than the design.
Conversion Rate
Conversation rate refers to the percentage of people who click and use your website how you want them to. Every website has a purpose and a reason to want people to interact with it. The conversion rate is simply the term to tell you how many people your website was able to convince to fill out a form, buy an item, sign up for a service, etc. Communication with your developer about making this happen better will be worth it.
Um? What?
Questions! We all have them, and the best advice I can give on how to make communication with a web developer easy; ask them questions! Many people seem to have this fear of not knowing, myself included, but when you are speaking with a web developer and you don’t understand, you need to ask them to clarify. Don’t be afraid of it. Asking them to explain is so much better than remaining oblivious and acting as if you understand. Asking questions is how you learn, so don’t be afraid of them.
Summary
Communication! Man does it suck. While I’m sure many of us are waiting for the day when AI or machine operators will take over and we wont have to actually speak with a living person, until that happens, bettering your communication skills will help you be prepared for any conversation with a web developer.