Comments on: Designers, How many concepts or samples do you provide?

By: who needs designers anyway | The Adventures of Tina and Mr. Bee

who needs designers anyway | The Adventures of Tina and Mr. Bee — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 17:59:33 +0000

[…] Not enough for ya? You want more torture? Ok, fine, listen to this song about bigger logos. Or maybe you’d rather read some comics by BearSkinRug (type the number 34 into the Currently Viewing brackets), or N.C. Winters. […]

By: How many drafts do you sent your clients?

How many drafts do you sent your clients? — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 20:43:55 +0000

[…] from FreelanceSwitch.com, tell us that he sends out more than 5 drafts to his […]

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 07 May 2007 18:02:25 +0000

Only 1. If you’re designing more, you don’t really understand the client’s specific needs and requirements. Spend more time getting to know what they’re looking for, then make one sweet, spot-on design. Don’t waste your time with others that you know you don’t even like as well.

By: Pedro

Pedro — Sun, 06 May 2007 17:48:08 +0000

I work with small costumers and as Steve said : “I do half of the design and get feedback and change or continue etc. Works well and they feel involved in the design process which they love.” is also the way i work.

One question, and if someone can help here, how and when do you charge for presenting layouts and variations ?

I mean, do you charge some % parte before the prototype, and how much of the whole estimated work price ? Sometimes i do not know how to handle this part. I’m afraid costumer runs away if i do not present a scratch of what i propose in terms of design. In the other side i will spend time on that, so think costumer need to pay a minimum for this.

Some tips in how to deal with this before-after dilemma will just be great.

Ty,
Pedro

By: Benny

Benny — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 22:32:24 +0000

Very interesting article.

In terms of website design I usually try to present 2 designs. But doing the second design is mostly a struggle, I can’t get out of the ‘flow’ of the first design.

What I found out is this: I always explain my design, not sell my design saying how good it is, but explaining what my concept is, why I use certain colors/shapes, why this design is suitable etc. It helps!
Not saying anything and show them the design mostly end up with the client giving a negative feedback. Because they don’t see what we see!

I thinking showing the client too much designs or variations will only confuse the client and make your work harder. But experimention is good though, to make a lot of designs for yourself, but not show them all.

I agree: we designers “should” know what works best. But still it would be arrogant to think the client would like our design, only because we like it ourselfs. Different tastes. Communication is key. xD

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:18:37 +0000

I usually stick to one design concept. Where am from, website development is not sooo popular and as such clients can’t tell exactly what they want…I do agree that taking that first step to meet up with a client and discuss the project goes along way in helping you come up with a better concept.

Over here 3 is definitely a crowd….giving a I-don’t-have-a-clue-what-is-going-on client options is just inviting trouble into your territory.

By: Wayde Christie

Wayde Christie — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 05:30:50 +0000

Slightly OT - but funny nonetheless…

http://www.underconsideration.com/MaketheLogoBigger.mp3

By: joza

joza — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:38:19 +0000

It’s all in the sell my friends. True, we as designers “should” know what’s best. But, there are a lot of people who call themselves designers when in reality, they can’t tell their ass from a hole in the ground. I like to give 2 SOLID designs and let the client choose. If you do one concept, you could be looked upon as someone who only has one good idea in them at a time. Not good. There’s never anything wrong with giving 3, but it can muddy up the water. You know your client, or at least you should, if you can sell them with one concept, more power to you. Oh and by the way this quote is THE most stupid thing I’ve read in a long time…. “Making more than one concept only adds to the perception that what we do as designers is easy and disposable.”

By: adhi

adhi — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:50:23 +0000

sometimes client dont want to know… they want much sample and dummy, and sometimes they want design same as they see in internet..

Thanks..this is make me more thing good..

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 03:54:29 +0000

I tend to do three, non-baked concepts. Through a good initial discovery session with the client, I create one that is pretty straight forward, another that may be a little edgy, and then a do a third that is what I would want/do if it were my project.

Regardless of outcome, I end up with 2 in the files that weren’t used that can be used later on.

Granted, there are times the client says “I want this”, so that’s what they get.

More of a pain than concepts is revisions, and I limit that to 1 major revision prior to coding, and 1 minor revision prior to final approval before incurring additional cost.