Have you ever had a web project you volunteered for turn bad? I certainly have. It can even happen after I’ve done all the right groundwork. Actually it’s inevitable for those of us who volunteer frequently. But I don’t think that should discourage you. It doesn’t happen that frequently and when it does, it’s a classic opportunity for growth.

Often the issue is scope creep. Those in control want more than they originally said they did. Or they might not like a design you’ve created and rather than working with you, they start telling you what you should do. Yet another type of rogue client will insist that you put absolutely everything willy-nilly on the home page. They won’t listen to reason, much less consider usability tests.

Whatever the specifics, you’ll know, because suddenly your enthusiasm will evaporate. You might even start to dread working on it, even though it’s just a volunteer job.

So what do you do? I’d say it’s time to (in the immortal words of a dear friend) “fire the client.”

Of course, you could confront the issue head-on. That sounds like the honorable thing to do. But it never, ever works in my experience when the issue is volunteering your web expertise. There are many people who don’t understand web work, but won’t admit it. They might be embarrassed, afraid or even ashamed that they know less than you. Of course, that’s silly. Alternatively they could be arrogant or one fruit loop shy of a full bowl. The particulars vary, but the end result is that they underestimate what’s required. Oddly enough they can simultaneously overestimate the difficulty of the whole project, no matter what you say to them. But both of those suggest they aren’t listening.

If they aren’t listening, then saying more won’t work. That’s why a direct confrontation isn’t a great strategy. Instead, I’ve discovered two techniques that are relatively easy and painless. While they won’t fix the website, they get you out.

Politely suggest that they find someone else. I learned this technique from a first-rate contract programmer. When clients go sour on him, first he’ll call someone like me and vent. Then he calls the client and tells them that clearly they need someone more talented than him. He says he’s sorry he wasn’t able to provide what they wanted. One time when he did this, the employer tried to find someone else, and quickly realized he wasn’t going to find anyone better. He returned with a greatly improved attitude.

Focus on the reality that you have limited time – again, politely. You’re a volunteer, so you have more say over your hours. In my most recent less-than-stellar experience, I told them that, due to circumstances, I could only give them eight more hours. That elicited a much-needed thank you. The person suddenly realized how much time I’d put in. She was typical in that she meant well. She just wasn’t the right person to be coordinating this work. I exited stage right, without burning bridges.

There are plenty of other places that can successfully use what you have to offer, so a graceful retreat rather than trying to fix the problem is best. And believe it or not, even though it’s only volunteer work, your reputation is at stake.

So those are my best strategies for when web volunteering gets rough. Do you have others? I’d love to hear.