Everyone has his or her own style, and each graphic designer has a particular way they like to work. Finding a designer who can capture your style and realize your objectives for a project can sometimes seem like a tricky business. It’s not really. Consider just a few simple things before starting any project and you’ll get the best design value for your money - plus everyone might just have fun in the process.
- Identify your audience and your objective
This is what it's all about. The message is...the message. And you want to communicate it in a way that's appropriate to the people you're trying to reach. - Be as specific as you can about what you do and don't like
Spend some time before you go to the designer really giving some thought to the impression you want to convey. Coming up with one word descriptions like "cool" or "professional" or "conservative" or even "unexpected" can really help to get things headed in a good direction. If you can go with examples of designs you like, so much the better. And make sure to say what you don't like as well. If you can't stand the color orange or you know you don't want your design to look anything like an important competitor's, it's good to make it clear up front.
- Finalize stuff before handing it over to your designer
This streamlines the process and reduces unnecessary changes and unproductive tangents. This also reduces the danger of old versions of things being published. Whoops. - Make changes while moving in a forward direction
First, be prepared to see at least one option that surprises you in the first round of mock-ups. Let the designer's imagination work for you and take the time to consider the possibilities. Then, once you do decide on a direction, be sure any changes you make reference that choice. And finally, be careful of endless tweaks. The problem with taking a design and making repetitive changes is that you can drift away from the original point of view. - Avoid design by committee
This is a big one. If you show a design to ten people you will get ten different comments. And, if you actually attempt to accommodate them all, you end up with a solution that satisfies everyone but grabs no one. Everyone and his brother might want to get in on the action because design is "the fun part," but resist the temptation to pull everyone in on the project. And remember - your intended audience and original objective are who and what you have to answer to. Always, always refer back to your start point. - If you're uncertain, trust your designer
Really. Relax.
This is all assuming you started with a designer who is an overall good fit for your project. Don't hire Norman Rockwell and then get disappointed when he can't do Jackson Pollock. You wouldn't hire Danny Elfman to score your video if you really wanted Henry Mancini schmaltz, so there's no harm no foul in using different designers on different projects.
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Whether you're a designer or someone looking for a designer, the presentation below by Marian Bantjes is a fascinating testament to settling on a singular vision for your message and then giving it - and your designer - free reign.
Marian Bantjes: Intricate beauty by design on TED
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