When Clients and Developers Speak Different Languages
"You know that thing, where you press a button and something just pops up?"
I often hear things like this during client meetings. Even after four years of freelance development, these moments still catch me off guard. It seems like something I should understand, but I can't figure out exactly what they want.
The hardest part of freelance development isn't coding. It's communication.
People from Different Worlds
Developers and clients fundamentally speak different languages. Developers think and speak in terms like "API," "database," "server," and "frontend." But to clients, these words might as well be alien.
Conversely, clients talk from a business perspective about "user experience," "brand image," and "market response." To developers, this can feel abstract.
When I first started four years ago, I didn't recognize this gap. I'd imagine different things, say "Yes, I understand," and more than once received "What is this?" when delivering results.
The Importance of Requirements Documentation
The best way to solve this problem is documenting requirements in writing. Verbal communication easily leads to different understandings. But writing reduces room for misinterpretation.
For example, if the client says "I need a signup feature," I organize it like this:
- Signup method: Email/password
- Required fields: Email, password, name
- Optional fields: Phone number
- Email verification: Required after signup
- Terms agreement: Checkboxes for Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Writing specifically allows clients to give feedback. "Make phone number required," "We don't need email verification." Ambiguity disappears and expectations align.
The Power of Wireframes
Even documentation can lead to misunderstandings. Especially UI-related aspects are hard to explain in words. This is where wireframes help tremendously.
Wireframes are rough layouts of screens. They don't need to be pretty—just show what goes where. I use Figma to quickly sketch and share them.
Clients who nod along saying "Yes, I understand" to written explanations often say "Wait, that's not what I meant..." when they see the wireframe. Visuals are that powerful.
The Importance of Interim Sharing
One of the most important lessons from four years: Share results as often and as early as possible.
Don't reveal everything at once after completion. Share progress along the way. "Design isn't applied yet, but here's how the functionality works"—show a working prototype.
The advantage is catching wrong directions early. Hearing "This isn't what I wanted" after building everything might mean starting over. Discovering midway means smaller corrections.
The Courage to Say No
You can't fulfill every client request. Some things are technically impossible, others possible but require too much time and money.
Early on, saying "no" was difficult. I worried about losing projects. But I've experienced multiple times that accepting unreasonable requests makes both sides unhappy.
Now I say no when something won't work. But I explain why and offer alternatives. Surprisingly, clients accept well-reasoned refusals.
Trust Is Everything
Ultimately, communication's goal is building trust. Projects run smoothly when clients believe "They'll do it well if I leave it to them."
Trust isn't grandiose. Keeping promised schedules, informing about problems early, answering questions sincerely. These small things accumulate into trust.
Running Dante Company for four years has taught me that communication skills are as important as development skills. Maybe even more so.
I hope this helps others with similar concerns. Feel free to reach out through dante.company if you have questions.