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24 ways to impress your friends

Business

Where there’s muck, there are clients, deliverables and contracts. Occasionally, there’s brass. Here are articles on developing and improving relationships with clients; writing contracts and presenting your work; and encouraging success and avoiding failure.

  1. The Accidental Side Project

    Drew McLellan

    Drew McLellan puts the chairs up on the tables, sweeps the floor, and closes off our season, and indeed the entire 24 ways project with a look back at what it’s meant to run this site as a site project, and what impact side projects can have on the work we do. Will the last one out turn off Christmas the lights?

  2. It’s Time to Get Personal

    Laura Kalbag

    Laura Kalbag discusses the gift of personal data we give to Big Tech when we share information on its platforms, and how reviving ye olde personal website can be one way to stay in control of the content we share and the data we leak. Christmas is a time for giving, but know what you’re giving to whom.

  3. Build up Your Leadership Toolbox

    Mazz Mosley

    Mazz Mosley hands out the sheet music, gives a quick blast on a pitch pipe, and counts us in with a rousing chorus to remind us that leaders are made, not born. Just like a good box of chocolates, styles of leadership come in all shapes and flavours, each with its own function and purpose. Just avoid the coconut ones.

  4. What I Learned in Six Years at GDS

    Anna Shipman

    Anna Shipman looks back across the wintery landscape to her time spent working on the UK’s Government Digital Service. Like the busy elves in Santa’s workshop, government digital workers toil tirelessly for the benefit of people everywhere. The very best of them, however, also share their blueprints.

  5. All That Glisters

    Drew McLellan

    Drew McLellan wraps up our 2017 series with a gentle reminder that in a rapidly moving industry, the best technology for the job isn’t always the newest. And while Christmas tradition tells us we should follow the bright star, sometimes the answer lies closer to home. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

  6. Designing a Remote Project

    Suzanna Haworth

    Suzanna Haworth turns off the daytime TV and puts on her favourite Christmas slippers to discuss the subject of distributed teams. Is working away from the office the key to health and productivity, or a way to avoid small talk at the Christmas party? Well, at least you’ll be home when the postman delivers your shopping.

  7. Blow Your Own Trumpet

    Andy Clarke

    Andy Clarke encourages us to have confidence in the way we communicate with potential clients. Being open and genuine, and providing an insight into what working with you will be like can help prospective clients choose you over your competitors. So before you refresh your glass, refresh your website’s copy!

  8. Levelling Up

    Ashley Baxter

    Ashley Baxter recounts her experience of developing an app better suited to her customers’ needs, even though she isn’t a programmer. With a new year approaching as fast as the old one can carry it, get building.

  9. Nine Things I've Learned

    Mike Kus

    Mike Kus rummages inside his sack of personal design experience and pulls out nine gifts to share with us. From finding reasons to stay motivated, to thinking in new ways and overcoming creative block, there’s enough food for thought for all the twelve days of Christmas.

  10. Sketching to Communicate

    Paul Annett

    Paul Annett illustrates the benefits of sketching to convey and record ideas for wireframes and other project objectives, with some useful techniques to raise your scribble from doodle to diagram. The reverse side of all that wrapping paper should become tempting…

  11. The Great Unveiling

    Cennydd Bowles

    Cennydd Bowles reveals his thoughts on the important moment when we present designs to others. With thoughtful decisions and a considered approach, showing and explaining your designs can be a gift to your clients that keeps on giving.

  12. Ignorance Is Bliss

    Andy Clarke

    Andrew Clarke shares a case study highlighting the benefits of progressively enhanced web design. Ever wondered how to convince your clients to let you use cutting edge web techniques? It may be simpler than you think.

  13. Make Out Like a Bandit

    Jina Anne

    Jina Anne encourages us to stop and take stock and make sure that we’re getting the most out of all the work we’re putting in. Does your work make you happy, and if not, how do we change things for the better?

  14. A New Year's Resolution

    Mike Kus

    Mike Kus get us fired up with some ideas on how to think beyond the web when embarking on a new project. Inspiration is often hard to come by – learn how not to fall into the trap of churning out another identical web design.

  15. Contract Killer

    Andy Clarke

    Andrew Clarke rides into town to remind us of the importance of having a proper contract in place between those providing a service (usually us) and our clients commissioning the work. Projects that don’t run to plan are a fact of life, so make sure you’re prepared.

  16. How To Create Rockband'ism

    Henriette Weber

    Henriette Weber argues that there’s no more time for ‘business as usual’. Instead it’s time to turn your company into a rockband and take it on tour. It’s Sunday, so kick back with some tea and toast, put the newspaper to one side and ponder something a little different.

  17. Mobile 2.0

    Brian Fling

    Brian Fling offers his insight into the state of the mobile web as we hurtle towards 2008. Just as Web 2.0 taught us to rethink our assumptions about the web, Mobile 2.0 looks to do the same. There’s a little something to mull over as you munch your mince pies and move onto bottle of Sherry 2.0.