This blog is for all of you to discuss the disciplines of writing, editing, designing, and publishing your works, from ideas and difficulties during writing to matters of importance to editors, from the concerns of designers to the advice of publishers, printers, and webmasters.
All topics are welcome, but avoid personal invective, flaming, and provocative posts.
The Client-Designer relationship. Are there such things as rules or accepted standards for the interaction between client and designer? I want this to be a topic that we can refer clients or designers to for perspective so please let's stick to the high ground
ReplyDeleteLet's say a client hires a designer to design a printed brochure. The designer provides the client with an idea. The client likes the idea and instructs the designer to prepare final files. Then the client takes those final files and revises them to his/her heart's content and sends it off to print. The final result looks completely different than what the designer did. The designer gets paid but feels ripped off. Did anyone do anything wrong?
ReplyDeleteYes. The client sent it to the printer! That should be spelled out in the original contract or memorandum of agreement, which is what I do. I never let the author/client handle the printing of the work. FWIW, I don't have any clients who have—and know how to use—InDesign, so that's what you might call a natural contraceptive to stunts like the client revising the design and then printing it!
ReplyDeleteMichael,
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for a blog! So many blog are niche-bound, this is refreshing.
I am a designer who works in publishing. My clients are terrific editors who work collaboratively with designers and production professionals. Our roles are clearly defined and based on traditional publishing work flows. Under these circumstances, I feel comfortable handing over the final files to the co-creators/clients.
I am not a designer, but I've certainly heard other designers talk about similar experiences. They have eventually come up with a polite way to ask their clients not to tell anyone about the designers' role. It goes something like "I think your work on the file was so important to the final result that you should claim full credit for it. I won't be at all insulted."
ReplyDeleteAnd then they cash the check, pay their rent, and go on to the next assignment.
Meeting the customer's desires can be the wrong thing to do for sales, but I do have clients that are clueless, in ways that are just waaay beyond my ability to fix.
I find ways to fire them as clients before we get too far in, without making my opinion too clear. Saves wear and tear all around.
Oh, and I should have explained that my work is as a financial and management consultant, like a CFO by the question, rather than as a designer, but the potential for messes is similar!
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