In the past six years I have had many client inquiries to build a website for a product or service and several have wanted to use a template-based Content Management System (CMS) like WIX.

Although these drag and drop, do-it-yourself sites have been a source of controversy amongst designers and developers (several months ago I attended a designer’s meeting where the disdain was palpable); as a freelance designer and small-business owner I need to consider the factors of time, budget, and functionality and make the right decision for my client. Sometimes that may mean using WIX, like I did for Sparkling Clean Handbags: a client with a small budget, quick turnaround time, and a service and products ready to go to market.

In the end, the client loved the final product and I gained practical UX experience and gleaned invaluable metrics on the strategic planning and pricing of web projects.

CMS services are innovations and tools that are here to stay, so it is necessary to make peace with the machines and fashion a peaceful coexistence. Familiarize oneself with CMS functions, usefulness, and drawbacks in order to provide your client with sound counsel and effective design facilitation based knowledge and experience, not fear and anger.