I was just reading another blog from another graphic designer who described a ‘difficult client’ as one who didn’t agree with/like a logo design concept presented to them and wanted to suggest changes, improvements or even to simply say ‘I don’t like that concept and don’t feel you have understood my brief fully’.

Now in my book, that’s not a difficult client, that’s a communicative client who quite rightly wants to influence their logo design and quite rightly believes they have some sort of insight into what is right for their business.

If a client says there is something about a design that they don’t like, it is of course the designers role to point out the rationale behind the concept, and explain why they feel this particular part of the design is important/relevant to attracting their target market. However any designer without their head up their own behind can also take into consideration the shocking possibility that maybe the client has some good feedback that could actually improve the design!

NEWSFLASH: Clients aren’t completely stupid, they do often have some sort of eye for good design when they see it, and can yes provide feedback that could make your work even better than it was on first presentation of your concept.

Many times over a client has made a suggestion, I’ve tried it out along with giving my own feedback on their suggestions (whether it is to agree with them or not I give my honest feedback) and sometimes the change has made the design much better. Of course sometimes it hasn’t and I have know that before even showing them, but it’s important to show the client and explain in detail why their idea doesn’t work.

I don’t feel its condusive to good design however, to suggest that any change a client may want to make is going to be ‘wrong’ simply because their opinion may differ to your own and that they are ‘not a designer’, or because you are so arrogant you refuse to accept the possibility that maybe you didn’t understand their brief fully.

A designer that is accused of not understanding the brief fully should revisit it and re-discuss it with the client to refine it and make sure all points are better clarified so as to ensure the ‘right design’ for the next concept.

A good designer should not need to present a client with 10 concepts or more until they get it right, good communication between designer and client, and the designers proper and considered understanding of the design brief, should ensure that any logo design project for instance, should easily be complete within a maximum of three different concepts.

More information about design briefs can be found in the blog before this one or at our main website.

Happy communicating!

PS. I’m writing blogs this evening in bed on my laptop….my goodness I’m IN LOVE with Wifi!!

Amanda
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