1. The Client Is Not The User
The client may think she knows what the user wants, but she cannot. This is because the client is not the user.
This brings me to the second principle:
2. Don’t Give The Client What She Thinks The User Wants
If the client does not know what the user wants and you give her what she is asking for, you are doing her a disservice. You will ultimately be delivering an application that does not meet user’s needs. Your client may initially be happy that you have given her exactly what she asked for but will she remain happy when the product is rejected by users?
I have seen too many designers and developers who are aware of these two principles but proceed to reach the wrong conclusion from it. Namely, that they know the user better. Which brings us to our next principle, which is, simply:
