Something typical when I met a friend or a future client to help them with their computing needs is that we all don’t know what we haven’t planned and we tend forget to ask a lot of critical question we don’t write down. Below I share some tips to help you save time when planning for your computing needs, whether they are web design, web development, freelance, programming, or any other project involving a professional designer.
Write down questions ahead of time. Meetings go by quickly and to help keep your memory safe write down in advance everything you want to know. Ask if it’s possible to email for further questions; most people appreciate it.
Keep a list of designs, sketches, writings or contents, as well as images at hand. This will help go more in deep in conversations, about the project,feeling you’re talking the same language with the other person; this way use is more concrete than abstract words, which result, among other things, in better cost control.
Find group support. Joining groups, like www.meetup.com, that addresses issues, interests, or concerns related to the project you are trying to achieve, will give you thousands of ideas to tap into and express with your future designer.
Do your research and homework. Research as much as you would like about the topic you’ll be talking with your designer; make sure to includes cost, materials, alternatives, styles, color, etc., and do a little homework by applying them (mentally) to your project to get an idea of how it might looks like or how it should work.
Take notes. You are so excited in your first meeting thinking about your project and solution that when you get home you might forget things you are suppose to start working on. Taking notes will help with the planning/designing process and even if you start recording meetings minutes, this will improve your work a lot more.
Show a honest interest. Don’t waste a designer’s or yours’ precious time. If you find that for any reason your planned project won’t work for both of you, be direct, clear and sincere by expressing not more interest on going further before incurring in any other expenses (o signing a contract). So, think seriously after your first meeting because it’s here where usually many things come to light and you get a better sense of what the real team is and the ‘deals’ that come along with it.
Have a good day 😉