[...] Part 2 and part 3 are online [...]

I understand completely where you are coming from. In a nutshell, you have prepared a prototype you feel meets the client’s needs to great extent, yet you have now been told that the user’s navigation and flow is being hindered by data-capture methods to actually get to the information the visitor wanted to come for in the first place. I have been in these situations now and then.

What I would do would be confronting the client at this stage and ask them exactly what their reasoning is behind stopping a user from accessing the exact information they came to the site for in the first place.

Let the client know you understand the reasons for data capture to increase their mailing lists or to have a more accurate feel for their target market, but argue that their plan will fail due to the fact that you – as the visitor – would be stumped by needing to enter your details for information that may be freely available on other, similar sites, thus risking losing a great number of visitors (and potential customers) at this stage.

Maybe suggest a different way. Depending on the project you could make certain items (such as technical specifications or downloadable information) only available if you filled in a small form. This is very normal, as a visitor you have plenty of information to go on with, and if you need a bit more in-depth information then you need to sign up.

If that does not work due to the product then maybe it would help working on having a little “keep me updated” box on the product pages along the lines of “Would you like to receive more information and updates on this product? Please sign up here”, that might do the trick as well.

Please let me know how you are getting on, and maybe the third part of my article may come in handy as well in explaining your reasons for suggesting not to have sign-ups plastering a visitor’s way

I have worked on a prototype based on the client’s brief, but half-way during the project some of the routes to get to the product have changed with a requirement to increase sign-ups – once you did a search and want to go to the product page you are asked to register your details for example.

I am a bit at a loss here, as the original brief was very easy to follow, and I am now struggling trying to make sense of the prototype, simply because I as a user don’t really want to proceed if that makes sense?

Joanne