A Client’s Guide To Working with a Designer
Not all clients are created equally; neither are designers for that matter. This handy guide from London-based studio We Are Goat is both poignant and resourceful from the eyes of both client, and designer. While the title may imply a snarky attitude toward work, there are some fundamental guidelines that help clients understand the initial process involved before approaching said designer.
More often than not, two worlds collide when collaborating and trying to convey very simple ideas. Perhaps there is a certain level of intimidation on what language to use when it comes to technical project details? Maybe the scope of project hasn’t fully materialized or there are missing details required for designer to provide a quote? Regardless, designers are responsible for a lot of research & discovery before taking on any project where the industry may be of foreign territory. In my experience, a lot of time is spent educating clients on best practices, industry standards, user experience, etc. I believe clients should try and alleviate frustrations by trying to delve into the world of design; at least with this crash-course!
While the guide is not all ‘web-related’, some of the same design principles apply in communicating between both parties.
To all clients and designers – please read this book – it’s not as harsh as it sounds. Really good insight into the workings of both sides of a designer-client relationship. A mutual understanding of each other’s experience can immensely improve the end result…
~ Ben Lancaster
$90 per hour is out of bounds. The average employed salary for a web designer and developer in the Tampa market is between $13 and $15 per hour with some salaries approaching $20 and $25 per hour for select jobs. This is confirmed by indeed.com. For an independent provider of service, $20 per hour is more realistic with some of the best designers perhaps in some cases being worth $30 per hour. Some clients may pay your advertised rate because they are simply fed up with the entire freelancing market but $90 per hour reflects more of a New York labor rate.
I work outside of Tampa and state of FL often – generally northeast so take a median rate for only clients who are serious about the work that goes into a full-proof solution. Most that need simple web brochure-type websites vs. e-commerce often use Elance or other international services that offer discount rates.