5 Design Management Tips
By Rae Visita
1. Establish clear deliverables and a timeframe from the get-go.
Non responsive clients. We’ve all been there. It’s actually quite common but one way to help keep communication open and positive is to make sure expectations and due dates are clear. Instead of “Please send me the main homepage image when you get a chance” your might email and say “Please send me the homepage image by the end of the business day. If you need more time, please let me know asap. I’d really like to present that comp to you on time tomorrow.”
2. Know what your client likes and dislikes
This is extremely important. In whatever initial needs assessment you do, you must must MUST know what they like and dislike. They may ask for a Twitter widget that needs to be the main focus on a landing page and if you don’t inquire about examples you might produce a comp with a widget that they absolutely hate. Sometimes a client will say “Well, I don’t know what I like”. You can always ask “What are the top 3 websites you visit? What do you like about them? What do you now like about them”. It’s that simple, yet, so necessary.
3. Lay out expectations before any issues arise
I really do believe that in any contract you sign with your client, somewhere it should state their responsibilities and it should include whatever has been discussed that they will provide (images, host credentials, etc.) and also that they will attend any scheduled meetings and that these factors contribute to the on time delivery of the project. If they have the expectation of you to be an awesome contractor, then you rightfully have the expectation of them to be a compliant client.
4. Don’t be married to your paid work
An alternative title to this tip would be “Keeping your client happy vs. Staying true to yourself”. Time and time again I deal with testy designers who abhor feedback. A few years ago, a colleague of mine once told me “Don’t be married to your work because one day someone’s going to critique it and you may be so close-minded you won’t see that it can be made better”. After all, if you’re getting paid to do a gig (and you need the gig), at the end of the day your client needs to be satisfied. A satisfied client gives a glowing testimonial; a glowing testimonial paves the way for more clients. I’m not saying produce something you’d be ashamed of, I’m saying ask the right questions and make the necessary adjustments so that both parties benefit from the business relationship.
5. Give yourself time for a design to “sit”
Sometimes it takes a while for me to really understand a design. I might go through a few rounds before I even show a “first” draft. Regardless, I think it’s super important to give yourself some time to sit with a design if you really feel like it’s the one. You may like it today, but after a much needed night’s sleep you may hate it tomorrow. Give yourself time before submitting design drafts to clients and you’ll be sure to turn in designs that, although you’ll be open to get feedback on, you’ll be proud of.
