Haha I’m putting that one on my favorites list. Everytime I feel crappy about a site I will just go there and make myslef feel better!
Also, you got to wonder about the people that actually pay for their site to be made by these guys. Wow!
-brad-:cowboy:
Kit, Kit, Kit… First of all, I really should charge you for the bottle of PeptoBismol I had to chug after seeing your site. That is, well, criminal.
I have to disagree with those that suggested a letter. I am a manager, and believe myself to be fair and impartial. The truth is, if you love your job, don’t do the letter. With a letter like that you are saying “Here ma’am, here’s a letter from me that says you’re stupid, btw… I’ve copied other people to let them know how stupid you are.” That, simply, won’t fly. Especially if she is “connected” (pun intended).
You can, however, express your point by building a better solution and camping on it. Just wait for the right opportunity. You can also gather some support in a round-about way: A user survey, for example. Given to all the users of the intranet in order to “Improve and gather experience through the voice of our dear employees”. This will give others the chance to say how much the site “blows” and will not implicate you.
Finally, I have a client I’m dealing with now that has the same skewed reality. He thinks he nows web stuff and he just doesnt. The first thing he did? Well, he had a logo. It was small, ugly, beat up. He said "I’d like to have this in a format that can be easily transferred to billboards, print media, etc… any size, anywhere. So, I spent 20 hours reproducing his image into a vector graphic. Tedious, Tedious work in Illustrator.
What did the client say? It’s too perfect!
Oh well… what can you do? Well, if it is freelance, you can give them back their money and say “Im afraid we’re having problems producing your vision”. We suggest you try these people, or that people… bla bla bla…
If you are an employee of the company and you have bills to pay.
“Wow ma’am. I had no idea anyone could think the way you do”! _______that way they think it is a compliment.
Hang in there, Kit!
great link Kirupa, Is this site for real or is it suppose to be a good laugh? Its even worse then the sites I made with the geocities page builder (link on profile to one of them) when I first got the internet (not to long ago actually, sure I’ve been using a computer since I was 4 but I only got online the beginning this year, and already my knowledge is superior to anyone in my class, infidels, enemy’s of Bill W G)
Edit : Why do I aways proof read after I post? Go to get into the habit of reading it before.
*Originally posted by kirupa *
**Hey Kit,
I know just how you feel. That is one of the reasons I completely stopped doing freelance work for other people. If it makes you feel any better, the worst site on the planet has to be: Yahoo | Mail, Weather, Search, Politics, News, Finance, Sports & Videos
Cheers!
Kirupa 
**
that website really ruxxxxxx, haha, just kiddin
yours,
h88
Well ladies and gentleman, I have a plan.
Thanks to the fact that th great woman in question can’t keep an idea in her head for more than 10 minutes without changing it, I have accumulated a huge stockpile of designs for this Intranet.
I am therefore going to put it forward to the steering group that we run a little poll on the current Intranet. Set up some screen grabs of all the hard work I’ve done on some funky designs, as well as that Godawful monstrosity. Then let them vote for what they like.
After all, they are the people who will be using it, and it would be criminal not to ask their opinion, wouldn’t it? smiles sweetly
Then if they go for the completely childish design I’ll bow to their judgement and they’ll get what’s coming to them. If, on the other hand, they choose something a bit (how can I put this?) better, I shall feel smug and justified, but won’t need to say a word as the people will have spoken. :evil:
MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! sounds good! lol that will most likely change her mind!
It’s worth a try. My manager agress it’s a good idea, so now I just have to go about this in a very subtle way…
well i hope it works! now i gotta do some homework-eeek!
Good luck Kitiara! Blow her un-professional idea out of the water!
kit if you could, when the voting is all over, will you post the final new page?
Ah… See? Im not so crazy after all… (in sally field manner… You love me! You really love me!)
I shall post the final design when it is agred upon. Fingers crossed it’ll be a funky one.
In fact, I have scheduled a meeting this very afternoon to discuss the setting up of the aforementioned poll…
well, Iammontoya, I will not get insulted just because you don’t like my idea, but I will state that I have used this method in the past to great effect. Usually the insult which is produced by such letters can be minimalized with the right choice of words. I’ve called my supervisor a moron (in so many words) three times now in five years. I do not believe that he ever got insulted once, and in each instance I ended up getting things done my way. I will grant you this, that the letter option depends upon the recipiant and that some thought needs to be used when taking this approach.
Honesty, even with a little dishonesty mixed in, is still the best option in almost all situations… imo
man Kirupa (http://www.geocities.com/webtekrocks/) you’re right on the mark with that site. These guys should be put in stocks and beaten for producing this site. Anyone who hires them should have the same treatment.
I will add one thing to the letter option statement above. My personal choice in life is that I would rather be honest than work. Some people are not that way. If you value work more than principals then just do whatever it takes to make a buck. I would rather work at McDonalds flipping burgers than to compromise my principals. 
PS - that is not to say that anyone who chooses another solution besides the letter is compromising their principals, just compromising mine.
PPS - there was an oppertunity when my director came to all of us (mainframe crew), and asked why the tape library was so screwed up. We were all being diciplined for errors. I took out my letter, and sowed him that ideas had been presented, but in the end the supervisor implimented a set of ideas which were in direct contradiction to the worker’s thoughts. That day, **** flowed uphill rather than along it’s normal path. (in the voice of Hanibal Smith) ‘I love it when a plan comes together.’
I will say what I will say with a smile on my face and sort of front porch comedic tone. Please do not take anything said here personally. Treat it more as one man’s opinion; an editorial comment of sorts… nothing more.
I am not in disagreement with honesty.
I’m guessing Kit has a job because she needs one, and not just to make a statement about women in the workplace or people working, or making a stand for honesty in the workplace.
Most people work because the have families to feed and clothe or they simply need to feed/clothe themselves. To ignore such responsibilities to make a stand over the look of a website would not be wise. Is it really a compromise of ethics or morality? I guess that is subject to an individual’s opinion.
All things considered, there is a right way to say almost anything; That much is true. However, I would say the group of people that choose the right words in times of conflict are definitely in the minority.
As it stands, it will still be “different strokes for different folks”. We cannot fit cookie cutter solutions to everyone’s situation. Some people respond to “in-your-face” confrontation. Some people choose a more diplomatic approach. One simply never knows. My advice, however, is that, when in doubt, choose a smart, diplomatic approach, and you will gain ground on the opposition without them knowing it.
And that, is simply my opinion. <smile>
Man, that site kirupa posted is even worse than my Intranet. Jeez, and these guys were posting tips on designing good websites?!?
I can’t belive that site Big K posted. What a piece of crap. Is it a joke. Please tell me thats a joke. My god I love the “learn the profesonal secrets of web designers” button. The only secret these guys know is how to suck ass. I think I’m going to go punch something I’m so mad about that site.
Hey Kit. If this is just for your 9 to 5 job I wouldn’t worry about it to much. I’m in the same boat and u have to be careful. If u don’t get fired for sending a letter stating your concerns and the boss agrees with u then u have another problem. The person u complaned about might not get fired just a talking to. Then u have someone in the office who hates u and wants u dead. IF u do write a letter be as vauge as possible and watch your words. Always frase your words as a suggestion.
One of the easyest things to do is to make your boss think it is his idea to do a differnt design. Thats what I do at work. I prersent them with two options and make them think they are making all of the decissons when there not.
This is the site I’m stuck working on from 9 to 5. Its not too bad but it gets real close sometimes. I have to realy fight to keep it on close to the right path.
www.municipal.gov.sk.ca
PS. Not all of this is my work. some of the pages my supervisor(who has no training) work.
*Originally posted by sintax321 *
**The only secret these guys know is how to suck ass. **
hahahah Man Sintax you kill me…
I’m the “Humor Assaisn”:ninja:
HEHEHE
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