The Client-Designer Relationship: Navigating Creative Partnerships with Ease
Kishya Greer
Crafting Brands That Stand Out | Specializing in Visual Branding & Packaging Design
Clients often come to me and my team with one clear objective: solve their problem. But let’s be real—they know their product or service way better than I do. They’ve lived it, breathed it, and seen it from every angle. But that’s where the beauty of collaboration comes in—a fresh perspective can breathe new life into even the most familiar challenges.
Bringing in an outsider can spark both excitement and a bit of fear. The key to minimizing that fear is a solid roadmap—a step-by-step guide to how we’ll work together. Think of it like following a recipe: Step 1, preheat the oven; Step 2, mix your ingredients; and so on. Simple, right? This kind of clarity is especially crucial when you’re on a tight timeline or managing a large project with multiple phases.
Let me break it down with the first few steps of a tight timeline example:
Tight Project Timeline:
Quote Approval:
Round 1 of Design:
Round 2 of Design:
With a roadmap like this, there’s no fear of the unknown—just a clear path to success.
The Secret to Effective Problem Solving
Over nearly 20 years, I’ve learned that the best creative solutions come from true partnerships with clients. The key? Asking the right questions. And those questions usually revolve around understanding the “why” behind everything.
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Once these questions are answered, I can guide the process to effectively reach the target audience, using the right channels and the most impactful design.
Avoiding the "I’ll Know It When I See It" Trap
Design can be pretty subjective, especially when brand guidelines aren’t set in stone. Some projects require strict adherence to rules, while others might benefit from a bit of rule-breaking creativity. But the last thing you want is to get stuck in an endless loop of revisions because the client isn’t sure what they want.
The solution? Mood boards!
Creating 2-3 concepts or styles to show the client early on can work wonders. It gives them a visual starting point, something to react to. More often than not, they’ll pick and choose elements from different concepts, merging them into one cohesive direction. This step is crucial—it empowers the client to make key decisions early on and helps avoid that dreaded “I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know it when I see it” scenario. It is also a crucial point of collaboration. They are making design decisions, and they become vested in seeing the outcome.
Involving All Stakeholders: The Final Key to Success
One last piece of advice for smooth sailing: before diving into the design process, make sure you’ve identified all the key stakeholders who need to be involved in the approval process. Bringing everyone on board from the start ensures that there are no surprises down the line, and it builds trust—both in the process and in your ability to deliver.
In the end, a successful client-designer relationship boils down to clear communication, mutual respect, and a shared vision. With these elements in place, even the most challenging projects can be tackled with confidence and creativity. So, next time you kick off a new project, remember to lay out that roadmap, ask the right questions, and get everyone on the same page. It’s the recipe for success.
Have questions? Leave a comment.
Director of Packaging | Brand Director | Creative Director
2 个月Spot on. Early mood boards (we call them territories) has been key to getting aligned and especially useful when the timelines are tight.