Filed under: JPA Business Relations
From the hardships of painting the Sistine Chapel to blogs sampling Photoshop Disasters; just how contradictory is the relationship between the designer and client? When does the line become drawn and what are the simple ways to avoid crossing it?
“I’ve already grown a goiter from this torture, hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy… Because I’m stuck like this, my thoughts are crazy, perfidious tripe… My painting is dead. Defend it for me, Giovanni, protect my honor…”
“When the Author Was Painting the Vault of the Sistine Chapel”
a letter from Michelangelo to Giovanni da Pistoia, 1509
As an employer, account representative and fellow designer, I’ve watched and fought on both sides of this battle. I have used the collaborative efforts of clients, colleagues and market research to build a primary shortlist of common discrepancies among designers and their clients. Though, accepted as common practice, far too often are these elements of a professional relationship overlooked.
◘ primary client concerns
Clients approach designers often with the lack of personal experience in graphic design and publishing. They often acknowledge their need, express eagerness and above all have predetermined what they can afford long before they think about color, layout or functionality.
Most will have already consulted other designers and are understandably combing the market to avoid red flags such as the lack of availability, attentiveness and talent. But what all clients eventually fear most is being trampled by an overly ambitious designer ego or being taken over by their designer. A role reversal that leads them to feel they are taking the back seat to their own identity.
◘…best practices
To avoid succumbing to the client’s B-list, a good designer will keep pace in the conversation, psychology, understanding and well being of their client. In all circumstances, the initial meeting should start as a gesture rather than any formality of the job.
Get to know each other’s backgrounds, personality and how both parties can benefit from each other professionally. Rushing for details may lead to multiple misinterpretations and eventual failure to hit a solid home run on the first design.
To maintain integrity, the most important quality a designer can offer is honesty. It’s ok to involve a seemingly negative element such as availability to the table and still keep a positive atmosphere. Timeframe, cost of service and above all, best business practices should be made readily available at all times to ensure trust and well planned executions for tough obstacles.
◘ primary designer concerns
When approached by a client, a designer may begin sifting through their schedule to verify availability, but their subconscious is begging for the answer to “Does this client have all their ducks in a row?”
The ratio of how much time is spent in design versus content by the designer is undoubtedly outweighed by the content management. They are often put thru more strains than may appear and when asked, have dealt with “every catastrophe in the history of all that is graphic design.” A predetermined design concept can be completely scrapped with a fair amount of content alterations.
Though seemingly exaggerated, the stress and knowledge from past experiences are as real as any profession. When a designer subconsciously wears a badge of discomfort on their sleeve, it is thru the experience of lost time, material and money.
◘…best practices
To avoid this monochromatic portrayal, even the darkest of designers can be shown the light by a well organized effort on behalf of the client. The designer will not expect to have their work laid out for them with the greatest of ease, but they will look for how much pride a client has in their work.
They like to see that their clients have more than the design requirements, but important details such as dedication. Well written, and well proofed content. How dependable they are. Even the most humble designers can feel inundated by excessive indecision.
Essentially, designer feels that when a client approaches them to fulfill a need the ability to sell themselves and their project, the designer can build from that momentum and in turn sell the client to the world.
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
-Michelangelo
There may never be an end to minor toils and frustrations of any practice including design. The solution may only be just a simple humble approach to reveal the longevity of a relationship. Not to mention greatly reducing stress and offering a well deserved sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.
