- Once you finish researching potential designers,
it's time to begin the process to hire one.
Asking the right questions and knowing what to expect
will help refine your search.
It's like dating, you probably want to know a few things
early on before getting serious.
I expect good craft and skill to be the baseline.
These are like wheels on a car.
You should expect this at the minimum.
Being super skilled at Photoshop is not enough by itself.
If you can, meet with the designer face-to-face.
If there is a distance issue, use Skype or Google Hangouts.
I like knowing who I work with.
You've already looked at the work on the designer's website
and don't need a replay of every project.
Find a project that resonates with you or feels
similar in tone, and ask about the process.
What was the assignment?
How long did the project take?
How was the relationship with the client?
What was the result after the project was completed?
This is what you need to know from the answers.
Did the designer understand the assignment from the client?
Did he or she follow the assignment, ignore it,
or create a better assignment that solved the problem?
Did the designer meet the deadlines?
If not, what happened?
There are times when a client will delay a deadline
or pause a project, but be wary of someone who insists
it was entirely the client's fault.
This isn't a blame game.
Did the designer collaborate with the client?
If so, how much?
Was the process enjoyable or difficult?
And can the designer point to the result of the project?
You're spending money to increase revenue, visibility,
or convey a message.
You need to know that the designer is working
to the same goal, not just making something look better.
My favorite interviews with new clients end up being
a two-way conversation.
A good designer is interviewing you
while you are talking to them.
Both parties need to have compatible working styles.
There is no room for divas on either side.
Stay away from the tortured and strange designers
that can't communicate and insist it's
a creative process they can't discuss.
At this point, you've refined your search
and narrowed the choice down to one or two designers.
More than this is a cattle call.
Now it's time to dig in to the actual assignment.