Recently, we assembled a series of design guidelines for creating webstites called Design Like Commareus. It’s basically a short cookbook that allows us to train other designers as to how we would like sites created for your clients.

The first rule is: 1. “The client gets what they want.” In the website design world, this rule is tempered by the proviso: Try to Save Clients from Themselves.

Here at Commareus, we are professionally trained in graphic and web design. Some of our direct clients, such as web development firms, are too. So why do their clients (our clients, once removed) insist on dictating on design and usability issues?

When I had my carotid endarterectomy this past summer, I never once told Dr. Najjar how he should approach the operation. (Of course, they knocked me out, which is a very good thing!) When my mechanic, George, installs a new part in our Volvo sedan that has over 300,000 miles, I’m not over his shoulder telling him how he should do it. (He’d probably whack me with a torque wrench!)

Bottom line: We will ultimately do what the client wants. Unless you are a design professional, allow the expert to steer you gently in the right direction. You can be assured that you will get the best product for the money spent, and avoid the fate of Mr. Magoo.

A few weeks ago, I was on the phone with a client and he was lamenting that he knew all kinds of people ‘in the business’ that he would love to hoist a few beers with, but never got the chance. The next day, we launched the Marketing, Media, and Communications Roundtable.

The first event was held at The Horseshoe Pub (80 beers on tap) here in Hudson, Mass., aka Mayberry. It was attended by 13 people from videographers to ad agencies, and, of course web development companies.

We networked and hoisted a few for about a half hour, ordered dinner, had a short presentation (All About Flash) and had a great meal. After dinner, there was a ‘roundtable discussion’ and it was so compelling that we had to break it up so the waitress could go home!

The May event will be: “All About Video.”

Fools that is!!

Take a look at our April 1st faux home page…no fooling! http://www.commareus.com/aprilfools/

The litany of web design mistakes is too numerous to list. Suffice to say that you probably know bad web design when you see it. We really could only have it up for that one day in fear that one of our prospective clients would stumble on it and never come back. We know we wouldn’t!

On the other side of the coin, we’ve just launched the second revision of our site. Of course, web company sites are like the greenskeeper’s lawn – all browned out. And since you probably know good design when you see it too, we hope you are removed from your socks…