They say the best kind of problems are the ones you can watch your neighbors having. Learning from someone else’s problems is something akin to finding free money. It’s with this in mind that I’ve approached a series of entrepreneurs and freelance designers about their biggest struggles in attempting to smoothly run a design project. So that their benefit might be your stepping stone.
Struggle #1: Will they deliver what they promise?
Concept: Designer and entrepreneur can work together to create three mood boards, [link other article] with possible creative concepts for each. Give them names or themes, that inspire you: Conservative, Cutting edge, From the streets, Fashionista, etc.
Sketch: Once you can envision a few possible concepts, building off of the central idea, pick one and commit to exploring it further. Start sketching possible solutions. At this point, simpler really is better: your sketches can be hand drawn, with a everlasting pen and paper technology, or a quick outline from shapes on the computer.
Artwork: With a mature idea of the work that needs to be done, computers can be really handy for producing vibrant and professional looking artwork. A finalized version with colors and definitive fonts should be produced, ready for use both in high and low resolutions.
It’s clear: working in smaller stages, you can avoid that big “Eureka!” moment, when designer and entrepreneur talk quickly (and vaguely) about their needs, go back to their caves, and only see each other after two months for Groundhog’s day. Which is, of course, how all the worst disasters happen. For Lisa Penson, a business coach and trainer from Australia, trust is the biggest struggle. “Will a freelancer delivery what they promise?” She recommends trialling people, and paying on delivery of milestones. Co-create and work in stages, and you’ll save time and money in corrections and revisions.
Struggle #2: Is the freelancer a good match for my project?
As with any relationship, the work between designer and entrepreneur should be permeated by shared values and vision. If that’s bordering on too much common sense, why don’t we break that down into something a little more practical.
“Are you drawn to their style?” Make a decision, based on your first impressions of the designer’s portfolio. What attracts you to their work? Which elements stand out as unique to you? Conversely, if you’ve found their work isn’t exactly in line with your expectations, could they be flexible with their skills, according to your specific instructions? There are many ways to approach any project, if everyone involved is flexible.
“List out all of your expected needs from a designer” With this information dictated and ready, take your goals out into the job market and specifically find a freelancer that can help you fulfill as many of the points on your list as possible. Joli suggests it is not simple enough to just say the entrepreneur needs a logo – it matters to the designer to know all the places that logo will be used (website, business cards, etc), because they need to plan how it will look across different applications, and price the project accordingly.
Struggle #3: How can I keep the project on track?
Communication (or, especially, the lack of it) can make or break a design project. So establish a routine, weekly or bi-weekly, wherein you and your collaborator chat about the project, how it’s progressing, and any delays you’ve run into. Try to keep it simple: can be something that works for both parties, like a fifteen minute call, or rather a succinct email with updates? It may sound like micro-management, as first, but as long as you both strike a balance for the ideal interval, this can work wonders to keep the project on track.
Struggle #4: Knowing in advance if the designer can deliver what they promise.