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There comes a time, we all realize that we’re going to need some help translating the vision we have for our business branding into a compelling design. But it isn’t always easy to convert your idea for others to understand, and working with a web designer can create some confusions that leave a bitter taste for both parties.
The point is, working with your designer goes way beyond hiring one and expecting him or her to ‘get you’ just because you provided a brief with a couple of guidelines. Having a successful web design team implies counting on a talented and committed graphic designer who properly understands your vision.
To make it easier, here there are 20 website design tips to work successfully with your web designer from day one.
An image is worthy of a thousand words! Do your homework and create a simple catalogue with samples containing a short description of the pages, fonts, and colour combinations you love. Keep it simple and in a friendly format.
Vague language leads to imprecise results. Take some time to get familiar with the jargon and basic web design terms. While you don’t need to learn all the ins- and outs of being a web designer, being able to understand the jargon will help you communicate more clearly about what you want.
You can’t build a magnificent building on a weak foundation — Gordon B. Hinckley
You must know what the basic systems and formats are. After all, it’s your responsibility to buy, manage, and provide your team members with the corresponding tools to carry out their functions.
Wear the leader’s hat. If you are the kind of manager, who requests tasks with phrases like: ‘work your magic with that program of yours’, please stop immediately. The only responsible for carrying on your project as you had envisioned it, it’s you. Be clear about what you want, as again, vague language leads to imprecise results.
To get the best results asking and merely answering questions isn’t going to be enough. Be willing to explain your vision in detail, multiple times. Achieve a zen-like state; take a deep breath, appeal to your most professional self, and clarify as much as necessary.
Every movement that drives from point A to B needs the accomplishment of an established set of rules or premises. Tell your designer when are your best moments and methods to interchange and discuss designing ideas.
Trust is a two-way street. It is, therefore, vital that you take some time to get to know your web designer. Keep in mind that we’re all humans and don’t expect miracles overnight. Great design takes time, and concepts can be a bit difficult to translate into a practical design. Make sure to check with your designer if the deadlines are achievable
Not being a designer doesn’t mean you can’t have great ideas for web design. As someone who knows the market you’re operating in through-and-through as well as your business, you have plenty to offer. Supervise and stay in constant contact with your designer to learn firsthand how the project is going and be ready to help out where necessary.
It’s not what you say, but how you say it. Do not confuse honesty with bluntness or indulgence. Both are nocive and pointless, to foster excellent communication. Being critical is part of the improvement process, but learn how to give feedback to build-up your designers’ projects instead of breaking it down.
If you don’t like a design; talk about it and explain what you don’t like and why. Make sure you formulate yourself in a way that doesn’t attack the personal feelings of your designer.
Prioritize which decisions you make first. You have plenty of responsibilities, so do yourself the favour of not unnecessarily straining your back by delaying imminent decisions. Stick to your plan and avoid adding extra stuff if they do not make the difference.
There’s nothing more demoralizing in a team than someone acting irresponsibility. And managers aren’t exempted from playing their part. If you need to buy, set up, or grant access to a specific tool for your designer to continue on the project; take care of it right away. That also applies to activities in preparation of creating a website, such as having the content ready and knowing what goals your website should achieve
That also applies to activities in preparation of creating a website, such as having the content ready and knowing what goals your website should achieve.
Be clear about any edits you’d like to get done on the website. For example, use a word document detailing the changes you’d like to make. Illustrating your ideas often works better than trying to explain it through an email or text message. Be timely with your comments and edits to save time for both parties. Easy.
If there’s something you think doesn’t fit or simply don’t like, then focus on describing why. Hesitation and ‘I just don’t know’ shortly disappear after recounting the reasons, and lead to better solutions.
Before hiring a web designer, be sure to check his or her resume and portfolio. Their portfolio can give you the most explicit image of their capabilities, style and if their talent fits with your ideas.
An impressive portfolio isn’t enough to hire someone. Be sure to ask for references from previous project leaders or bosses. There are desirable aspects tied to personality, and work ethics you need to concern yourself with. Check for referrals; they are the best source to collect and evaluate such information.
One thing is supervising and being detail-oriented; another thing is obsessing with control. Micromanagement has proven to do more harm than good. A few failed proposals don’t necessarily mean you made it wrong when choosing a designer. Have faith in yourself by having faith in your designer.
The best way to guarantee the best output from your designing efforts is by keeping high standards. Successful web design needs them to create authentic pieces of art in functional frames.
In the end, web design is all about transmitting well-achieved messages. However talented, content writing in its most strict sense usually isn’t among the required abilities for a designer. Make sure the entire content and design team gets to know each other directly, for better results and communication.
Having a mobile version of your website in the most popular operating systems and even an app for your products and services are a must nowadays. Make sure your designer understands this from day one and remind him or her to focus on this requirement as the project progresses.
Same as in fashion, taste in design evolves and changes fastly. What six months earlier was le dernier cri, today doesn’t look that good anymore. Look for inspiration in Pinterest and similar. Make sure you are on top of the new web design trends.
After reading all these productivity tips to improve your workflow with graphic designers, soon you realize that communication is the cornerstone of everything we have described here.
There’s nothing hidden or particularly challenging to achieve as quickly as we recognize it.
Yes, your graphic designer should be intuitive, but please do expect it to be to the point of reading your mind. Show him or her the best way to start, be open to listening and learning, let sit his or her ideas in a blueprint, and see what happens.
As per our experience, this is what usually comes next: They surprise you with a mind-blowing design that never would have come to you in a million years. Allow yourself to be impressed by talented collaborators working along in a fluid team with clear rules and open lines of communication.
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