I have a client who I realize, after too long, has not been comfortable with the WordPress technology I’ve presented them. I haven’t yet pinpointed specifics but they’ve come off as apprehensive in working with it.
I suspect the concept of a staging site has possibly confused them as well. After a number of months of asking the client to test features on a staging site, they didn’t. They’re now finally observing the live production site. I have to make more requested changes and I fear that if I ask them to visit the staging again, they’ll shut down again.
**Questions:**
\- How have you explained the concept of a staging site to your client? Do you include them in the process of testing features on a staging site?
\- Has this workflow been integral for you?
\- Has it ever become a workflow problem?
– I tell them all of the development work is on the staging site – which is here {enter_url}. I tell them this is for testing and approval of changes before pushing to live.
– it’s not integral, but my preferred way of doing things
– the only problem I have encountered is them still editing staging when a site has gone live. Part of that would be my fault not locking down access once the site is live
I think to people who don’t know about websites, everything we say confuses them.
Most clients are confused by most things….
I have a couple approaches that I’ve found help. The first is setting up regular review meeting where I can walk then through deliverables for the next iteration and review together whatever it’s appropriate to review.
The second is using something like markup.io that lets them leave comments directly on the site, visually. It’s less overwhelming for them, imo. They can just leave feedback without needing to worry about structuring it.