In all my life as a creative in the web design industry, I had my fair share of requests that would crush any creative spirit even before we get our hands dirty. Here I've listed about 7 most darnedest requests (possibly more out there), that a client would ask from our service. They're also coupled with reason as to why having them is a taboo today and can sometimes be a design nuisance.

1. Can I have a splash page for my website?

Just in case you've been out of touch from web world. Websites nowadays does not adopt any splash pages that tells the user the site is optimized for so by so resolution. And even stuff like this site views well on IE *bluegh. Blah blah... and a huge juicy button labeled "enter here". Such tactics are designed for a rather another breed of sites if you catch my drift... at times, would normally come with an "are you over 18?" disclaimer.

To have this is like having to go through a first giant hurdle before the user gets to the info that they want.

2. A flash intro would be cool for my website can we have this too?

Ok, now you're really out of touch. You're really getting ahead of YOUR time and getting beside yourselves OBVIOUSLY. Flash intros were like in 1997 I think, I used to awe at it when flash first made it's debut. I think one of site that I could clearly remember was by Gabocorp.

TODAY, flash intros gets on my nerve. In fact 99% of the time, the presence of flash constitutes a usability disease as Jakob Nielsen were to put it. Having flash intros could also break the preoccupation of the user... RUDELY, as it prevents them from getting access to their info FAST, we can't afford the luxury of time. On the other hand you could argue that you can put a "skip intro" button, BUT what's the point of having a good intro when you know yourself that you have the option to skip it. This is one form of design abuse that should be avoided at all cost.

3. Can I have my logo to be rotating, cos it would be a dull website without any animation plus making it look more prominent?

We all know that the logo is a branding identity of a company. It's like a backbone of branding to a website if you like. There it sits majestically on the top left corner (well most of the time) and it.... revolves every second! Well not that I have a problem with rotating logos, BUT I feel that its not neccessary as a logo itself is prominent enough that's why logos are isolated on the top left corner of every website. Animating it would either tarnish the reputable strong stature of the logo or worse making a brand look cheesy. Logos are one thing that designers respect, and should be left untouched.

4. I hate plain backgrounds, let's have a repeated pattern of our logo running in the background!

2 words for you mister client, BRANDING OVERKILL. It speaks for itself i guess. This could either be coming from a client in the hardware industry or a manufacturing industry. Repeated backgrounds if not done tastefully, can be a design massacre. Let me repeat, repeated backgrounds if not done tastefully, can be a design massacre! It's like writing "I will not do repeated logos ever again!" on a chalkboard a hundredth times and you place you artwork slap in the middle of chalkboard. Which have more attention? Your artwork or your writings on the chalkboard.

The answer is clear.

Your content deserves more attention than a background. However I do have some good recollection of websites that used backgrounds exceptionally well on my Background Comeback post.

5. It's too quiet, lets add a looping background music and sound bytes to my website. Can you do that?

Another topic that I love to talk to clients about, the sound of music! The word looping music can drive a user loopy as well. Arguably, you can have mute button tucked nicely somewhere on your website. It still proves to be disturbing if you're working in the office as you scramble to look for that mute button. A good percentage of users out there still prefer to turn down or mute off their sound while at work, school or even anywhere in public, unless if they have headphones on.

If you MUST include an audio file let the user start it; some situations might require an audio file. You might need to deliver a speech to the user or your guided tour might have an audio component. That is perfectly ok. Just make sure that the user is in control, let your user push the “Play” button as opposed to jamming the music in your users' face right after they enter the website.

6. On some of my contents, I want to make a statement to my user to emphasise my point, could you make it the text blink?

*Blink* *Blink* *Blink* (Shakes head in disbelief) Which era of the net did you come from? 1996?

Another design irritant to avoid would be blinking text. Enough said.

7. I want lots of fanciful fonts on my website.

Do you know there's a design rule that goes, 2 is enough, 3 or more just messes it up? Well it's true, when typography rule applies. It'll be best to just use 2 font types to do a design and laying out your contents. Also, another piece of advice would be to avoid choosing fonts which are hard to read. Script fonts can be notorious for it if you're not careful. Remember your contents is king, no point giving lots of fluff when your contents can't be read easily. I would normally go for san-serif fonts as they're the most legible and modern looking ones out of the whole lot.

So there you have it the 7 Deadly Sins Client Could Ask A Web Designer To Do... scary isn't it?