You Are Part of the Team –
The design process is a partnership between you and your design firm. Having a positive relationship is crucial to ensuring everything runs smoothly and is completed on time. This way the best results will be produced. If you’re on the client side of this partnership, try following these tips to help contribute to a friendly and productive environment.
Good Teamwork
#1 – Be smart about revisions
As a client, be sure you understand what comprises the design package you purchase, specifically including the number of revisions your project is entitled to. Or, reverse that: purchase a design package that includes sufficient customization options and revisions.
In some contracts, youโll have a set number of rounds of revisions, Other contracts may not number revisions specifically, but will limit work to a specific number of revision hours. Youโll want to gather all your feedback and submit it for ONE revision, rather than trickling requests in a bit at a time and using up all your revisions or revision hours. Even where youโre using revision hours rather than a set number of revisions, itโs generally faster for a designer or developer to make several changes at once to your project, so try to avoid making continual revision requests that will use up your allotted time in an inefficient way. You donโt want to have to incur additional expenses because you used your last revision before communicating all the changes you really want.
#2 – Practice good communication
It is also crucial to make sure you are communicating your vision with the design team, as well as providing the information your team needs for your project. Even the most talented writer canโt profile your business without any information on it, and no developer can build your brandโs new website without your logo and brand colors.. Itโs essential to stay in touch during the designing process, and to be responsive to requests for information from start to finish.. If you want a logo designed but you donโt tell the team about your business or give them more information on what youโre looking for, the process will be delayed. If you donโt respond to emails or calls, your project can be put on the back burner. Bad communication not only slows down the process but can also push back the deadline.
#3 – Be open to expert advice
Itโs the job of the design team to give you just what you want within the context of your contract. That said, you are employing a team of professionals to produce your design for you. They understand color theory, UX (user experience) design, how font choice reflects on your brand, and so on. So, be open to input from the experts youโre paying for.
For example, no matter how much your 10 year old likes a curly font, it may not be the best choice for a Biker Joint. And that pixelated screen shot youโve been using as a logo is not going to do any favors for your website, a brochure, your business cards, or anything else.
Donโt do this:
Generally, youโll have the best results if you tell your design firm what you want while leaving room for their expertise.
The Best Results
In closing, working with a design team can be a rewarding process: you get to see your vision come to life. But remember to be clear about what your contract includes, to be responsible and provide the information your team needs to complete your project, and to be open to your design teamโs expertise. All of these things help to make sure the process goes smoothly so that in the end, the best possible product is produced for you.
