carvingCode: carving unique nooks in the web™

References:

No Small Task: Migrating Content to a New CMS
Why it’s hard to migrate content
Five suggestions for a successful CMS migration
Surviving digital content migration

Listened to Bob Edwards’ show on XM Radio this morning.  He interviewed Howard Gardner and discussed aspects of education reform.  Gardner was discussing his theory of “multiple intelligences”, which I’ve heard/read about some time ago, probably in graduate school.  One thing he said that struck me was his reference to teachers needing to “conduct the orchestra” when teaching. 

I’ve been thinking and designing my lessons like this for some time and now have a phrase I can use to describe what I do.

A classroom full of students is very similar to an orchestra.  Many different instruments which require different types of instructions in order for them to reach their ultimate potential in the particular piece of music.  How wonderful is that!

I’m mailing off a formal proposal to a client today.  I spent a lot of time on this, as I wanted to get it right.  Determining fees is a tough one for me, as I want to give value, but can’t give my time away.

Looking over articles and websites of other web designers, I know what the typical fees are for services.  Clients can have different views about the merit of specific fees.  Some understand; some don’t.  Clients won’t question a $75 an hour fee paid to their mechanic, but can question this same fee when paid to their website developer. I don’t blame the client, especially if they have had a bad experience with another web design firm; an all too often told story.

The fee I charge for a project is worth every penny.  The client gets more than they ask for, a true value in today’s business environment.