“Achieve results by becoming an investigative reporter and identifying what the client is truly looking for in the design.”
(Christine Cashen, motivational speaker, Dallas, TX)
It is imperitve that the designer asks a lot of Questions before they start the job, to avoid working on designs that aren’t consistent with the client’s vision.
Also, it is common place for people to call up a design firm, and not really know what they really want. They will simply present their business problem to the designer and expect a solution. It is always the designer’s responsibility to get the information that is needed for the job. Doing this successfully, results in the designer saving time wastage and utter frustration.
The first step is to define what exactly is the client’s problem and what they hope to achieve from your work. What does the client want when potential customers see the design for the first time? Should the solution sell products, inform customers of specials, or educate them about services? These are all important questions that help the designer remain on track throughout the design process.
The designer should always be present at the first meeting with the client if possible. This prevents the ‘chinese whispers’ effect when information is regurgitated to the designer. Not only does this make communication much more productive, but instant feedback can be given to the designer on their ideas if they have any.
It is also imperative that the person responsible for approving the design, is the person that is helping the designer to create the brief. Not having this direct contact can cause major delays and frustration for all parties involved.
“When hired by ad agencies to do independent design work, I have experienced situations in which I had no direct contact with the client. Often this is because the agency doesn’t want its client to know the work is being done outside the firm.”
(Jeff Fisher, Jeff Fisher LogoMotives, Portland, OR)
