Client changes to website?

[designed4you]

Can websites be designed that the client can make changes to the information without having the designer make the changes? Is this a good idea or bad idea?

 

[chrishirst]

Where have you been for the last ten years or so??
It's called a CMS and there are hundreds of thousands of them live on the Internet these days.

Is this a good idea or bad idea?

Yes and No to both of those questions
And it depends how anally retentive the 'designer' is, and how attached they are to 'their' design.

 

[designed4you]

Thank you for your responses. I am new to webdesign.

 

[ian]

Its obviously a selling point if you can offer an interface which allows them to easily change certain details like opening hours, staff details phone numbers and all that other stuff.
Downside is it may mean being able to charge them less long term to do any future updates to the site. But that should not be your motivation. Your motivation should always be in the best interests of the client, it is good business practice. One of the best generators of new business is referrals from existing satisfied clients.

 

[designed4you]

Thank you ian. I agree with serving the best interests of the client.

 

[CenTex Hosting]

Yes CMS is the way to go for customers. When we build the site we usually give a 20 min demo on how to edit the site and so on. We do daily backups, weekly and monthly backups. just in case the customer messes something up we are able to restore the site for them.

I would say more times than not the customer comes back and asked if we can get set up on a program to just have us make the edits for them.

 

[RLC Media]

CMS is good and CMS demos on how their website is programmed helps the client better understand their website's functionalities. CMS is a lot easier to use than hard code programming.

 

[jainteq]

Yes With CMS designs they are possible.