Published: May 11, 2015
by Erin Nolan
In the design world, time equals money. The easier you make it for the designer, the lower your final cost will be. Plus, you will be more satisfied with the final product – and less frustrated with the process.
The design process can be daunting. The first step is to take a visual idea and try to convey it verbally. This process of communication is made more challenging because both parties may not be speaking the same language.
For example, a client may request that their project use the color blue. From a client’s perspective, the concept of ‘blue’ is clear, but from a designer’s perspective, ‘blue’ can mean a million different things. What kind of blue? Do you mean indigo, azure, cobalt, Prussian, cerulean, ultramarine, cyan, or a shade, tone, or hue of one of them?
Besides color, a designer may also refer to image resolution, DPI, PDF, bleeds, or fonts. Just like shades, tones, or hues, these terms may not translate well for someone who lacks a background in design. It’s up to the designer to be a good translator and to guide and educate a client through this foreign process.
To make the process more comfortable, the best thing you can do as a client is to prepare, allow enough time for the process to unfold, and be honest with your designer.