Client Tips
1. It’s about objective, not taste
We aim to create a design you love. But because design is inherently subjective, our primary goal is to help you determine and meet your objective, without getting too caught up in the design details. Questions like “will users see and click this call to action?” are far more important than questions like “do you like this shade of blue?”
2. Focus on problems, not solutions
If you see any potential problems with a design, it’s important to tell your designer and let him or her work to find an effective solution. Because all Noble Image designers hold degrees in design, problem-solving is one of our greatest strengths. We often present our clients with great solutions that they hadn’t even considered!
3. Consolidate your feedback
Receiving all feedback to a design at once, rather than receiving an e-mail or call each time you think of new changes, ideas, and revisions, is most helpful for us. This will minimize the chance for miscommunication and reduce the margin of error when we work to update a design.
4. Choose a spokesperson
If you’re working with a committee of people responsible for the website, please choose a single spokesperson to represent the team and to maintain contact with your designer. This helps to minimize miscommunication, and will ultimately expedite the design process.
5. When in doubt, ask
If your designer uses a term you don’t understand, make sure to ask for an explanation. Guesses or assumptions on either end can lead to an unexpected and undesirable outcome, but early clarification ensures that the designer and client are on the same page and working toward the same goal.
6. Read all e-mails
Though at times your designer may send you long or technically heavy emails, it’s important to read all correspondence thoroughly and ask questions when necessary. E-mails from your designer will often include important notes, disclaimers, or explantions that, if missed, may lead to an undesirable outcome.
7. Read the contract
Thoroughly read your contract before signing. Requests outside the scope of the contract represent an additional cost, so make sure we understand your needs and have included everything you want! Refer to the contract throughout the project for details about the process, timeline, and project specifications.
8. “Small changes” usually aren’t
What may seem like tiny tweaks can accumulate to represent hours of coding and/or troubleshooting for your designer. To minimize this, evaluate design mockups thoroughly before the website build-out phase, and if your site utilizes a content management system, decide which changes you can make later.