You Can Manage the Design Process!
Is the designer a good project manager?
A designer who is a good project manager will help you get the job done in a timely way with a minimum of fuss. She'll move your project along according to a schedule. She'll check in often, resolve problems, stay on top of details, and make the best use of your time and money. Conversely, a designer who is a poor project manager will blow deadlines, miss details, avoid dealing with problems, waste your time, fill you with anxiety, and possibly expose you to unexpected costs.
You'll need to probe to understand a designer's project management skills. Ask candidates to give an estimate. A good manager should be able to provide an estimate upfront. Ask about their relationships with other providers. The person you are interviewing should be able to talk about printers, Web developers, and writers with whom she works. Ask how they work with timelines. On large projects (three to six months), competent designers provide timelines of when they will provide certain deliverables and when you are expected to hand over copy, images, and other components.
Finally, ask candidates to explain their design processes. Their processes should include questioning and research, presentation of choices for concept treatments, a designated period of time for design and production, procedures to make client changes, and a clear explanation of how the piece will get into print or onto the Web. If a candidate can't articulate the process, best to avoid him or her.
Is this person a real designer or just someone who knows how to work a few computer programs?
Good graphic design will boost the effectiveness of your written communication. It maintains your identity, helps you make a sale, and reflects well on your organization. Definitely find a designer who understands the latest technologies, but don't get stuck with a software geek who knows nothing about design.
Is this person someone I can get along with?
It sounds obvious, but you'll be much happier if you hire someone you'll enjoy partnering with and who exhibits a professional demeanor.
For Web projects: Does she do both the design and the coding? If not, does she handle the design and work with someone who does the Web development? What is their business relationship? Finally, how will the Web hosting work for your Web site? What will the process be for future changes and updates?
For print projects: Does she have printers or paper vendors she works with and recommends? It's great if she has a variety of vendors to choose from, since printers specialize in particular projects and price them differently. Is she willing to work with your printer if need be? Is she willing to look at proofs or go on a press check?
In an in-house environment: When you work with an in-house designer, you most likely don't have a choice of who you'll work with. However, it's still beneficial to check the considerations above to get an idea of how the process will work beforehand and let the designer know if you have any concerns in the beginning.
For oversight of multiple pieces: If you're working on several marketing pieces, try to use the same designer for all of them. There's nothing worse than seeing company branding go through different hands and different looks. You want not only a professional look, but also a consistent look.
Once you choose your designer, articulate what you want.
The information you offer your designer will help her target what you want and prevent a lot of wasted time. As much as you can, have the answers to these questions ready:
- What is the goal of your project?
- Who is your target market?
- Who are your major competitors?
- What is your budget for the project?
- Do you have existing identity elements for her to work with?
- What are some design pieces or Web sites you like? What are some you don't?
- How will you measure success?
- What's your preferred final delivery date for the project?