Make sure you're coming across clearly.
"Rewind what you just said there, and look at it through the eyes of a non-geek."
My friend said this to me in jest when I got way too excited about the wine project over on OkayDave.com, but it got me thinking: does anybody know what the hell I'm talking about when I get going on a topic?
My main interest is my clients, and making sure that they understand what I'm talking about; it doesn't do much good for anyone if I'm just babbling in Geekanese and the client is nodding with a blank stare.
Additionally, and far worse, is the disconnect between developers and end-users (see?! JARGON!) when turning over the reins of an application. What seems natural to a power-geek may feel awkward and foreign to the average user, and we, as developers, are responsible for putting ourselves in the shoes of the user.
To keep myself from completely befuddling my clients, I devised a rule of thumb to guide both my conversations and applications:
Ever versatile, my mother has become one of my most valuable development resources. When I'm getting close to done with an app, I'll call my mom and ask if she's near a computer. If she has the time, I direct her to the beta location of the project and turn her loose without any hints or instructions. If she can't figure out what to do, I know I need to reevaluate how my app presents itself.
Similarly, in conversation, I try to think like I'm talking to my mom. That keeps my tone conversational, rather than instructive, and encourages me to steer away from phrases such as "server-side versus client-side implementation."
Communication is key. How do you make sure you're conveying your ideas clearly?
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