“Is it possible for you to make a project and send it to me, and then we will decide if you have appealed to my taste?” – about the fact that it is not beautiful what is beautiful, but what pleases someone.

What is the best graphic designer in the world? One, that reads the mind of the client 🙂 Unfortunately, we have never heard of such a person. The stage of collecting inspirations and preparing initial designs is a stressful time both for the client, who wonders whether the graphics proposals will meet his expectations, and for the designer himself , because it depends on him how future cooperation will develop. Suiting the customer’s taste is a dream of every designer. However, it is not easy, especially if the client does not have any, even  initial, vision of what the final result should look like. How to support a graphic designer in a designing process?

1.    Let’s start with the goal…

Why do you need a new website? Why would you like to change it? And the flyers? Where would you like to distribute them, who will be the recipient?

If you ask yourself this question at the beginning, it would be easier to determine the direction that the graphic designer will take in the design process. Perhaps you have decided to commission due to the upcoming fair, conference, or other event, that will tell the graphic designer what to follow (e.g.. new graphic identification is to distinguish you at trade fairs, so you especially care about bold and creative design).

2.    Let me get to know you

At the beginning of the design process, the graphic designer will definitely look for information about you. He will review your website, company  profiles on social media, he will try to get to know your competition. Help him with this! Briefly describe the general profile of your company , what distinguishes it, what the  assumptions are , what you would like to emphasize, what distinguishes the company from others. The graphic representation should emphasize you not through modern, flashy design, but through a graphic interpretation of your key values. Give a hint what the graphic designer should follow in designing.

3.    Share your inspirations

What you like would be an important inspiration for the graphic designer. Everyday, you look at many things, you unconsciously look at shop signs while walking down the street, browse many websites , use mobile applications. Even if you are not aware of this, your taste is a result of many visual, auditory and tactile experiences… Taste is an  extremely individual , complex thing, that is why the graphic designer has a tough task trying to recreate the resultant of your experiences in his project. How can  you facilitate your cooperation? Try to recreate the path that led you to your vision of what the end result should look like, even if it is just a sketchy outline in your head. What website were you browsing when you thought about creating your own website? In which online store do you like shopping ? What companies do you follow on social media and why is it that their posts attract your attention? Such a  “bank” of inspirations will allow for better final results. It will also be a value for the client himself, as it will be easier for him to define the assumptions of the subsequent graphic designs in the future.

4.    Express your opinion

There are situations when the graphic designer’s project is not approved by the client. If the end result does not meet your expectations, be open about it. But before you describe your comments, consider what was the reason for that. Why the graphic designer did not suit your taste? What elements do  you not like? It is worth looking at the project from two sides, in order to understand better where the lack of acceptance comes from.

• First of all – usefulness. Is the design created by the graphic artist unreadable? Is the content difficult for the recipient to access? Does the form correspond to the function of the graphic medium?
• Secondly – visual message. Do you like the choice of colors and their arrangements? Do the fonts match the style adopted by the graphic designer? Do you like the style of the project? Did the graphic forms designed by the graphic artist appeal to your taste?

If your comments relate to the visual effect try to give the graphic designer a hint to let him know what he could change e.g. “I don’t like this colors, I would prefer calmer ones”, “I would prefer younger people to appear on the photos I would like to interest younger customers in my products as well” or “I don’t like this decorative font. I would prefer the simpler one that you used in  the contact form”.

Of course there are also situations when you thing that the graphic artist is actually reading your mind and the final effect is an exact reflection of your dreams. If you liked the design, tell the graphic designer about it. He will be glad that he has met your expectations and he will remember for the future what he should follow in cooperation with you.