How can you evaluate someone’s work and approach when you come from a completely different field or industry? This is an important question because you need to trust them with your business and want to make sure the designer you are working with is the best provider you can get. So, if you are coming from the construction industry or are an optician for example, how can you tell if the designer you are working with is a high-quality one?
Listening skills
You do not have to be an expert in the field to be able to tell if someone’s listening skills are good or poor. So, start by looking at your designer as a person and potential partner or colleague you will be working together with on a project. Are they listening? Do they understand the requirements? When they answer your question, is it really answered or does their response leave you confused? Whatever you are working on, if you are surrounded by people with good listening skills, you are one step closer to having a project smoothly delivered.
Clear communication
With good listening skills comes clear communication. If you need an explanation that is slightly more technical than you can actually understand, a good designer will be able to offer a good answer and explanation. So, try to evaluate their communication skills both in terms of simple things and more complicated ones such as certain design and technical terms.
Portfolio
A designer’s portfolio reflects the quality of their work indeed, but do not look just for beautiful designs! Try to understand how functional their design is an could be, look for variety. It does not really matter if they have not designed a website for a company coming from the same industry as you. If their portfolio is diverse, beautiful and functional at the same time, it could be a sign that you are working with a great designer.
Creativity and Imagination
A good portfolio plus creativity and imagination is a winning combination and you are very likely to get exactly what you need. Why? Designer’s portfolio is a testimony to the quality of their previous work. Their creativity and imagination are a promise that they will think out of the box and come up with something new and functional just for you!
Clear process
Design process is crucial for clarity and smooth project delivery. With clearly outlined processes and milestones, you will know exactly what to expect and when. This is important for setting your expectations as a client. But do not forget that you, as a client, play an important role in the smooth project delivery. So, ensure timely and proactive feedback to help your designer deliver what you need.
Tools and Resources
Does your designer use the right and enough resources in terms of people, communication and design tools? Can they plan the work properly with these resources and make sure they comply with the deadlines? The right tools and resources reduce the risk of any delays and you can find out if you are working with a designer who does use the right tools and resources in a very early phase. So, do not be shy to ask the right questions!
With over 10 years in business and a variety of clients, we have learned how to use a tailored approach for each individual client we work with. We are proud of our bespoke designs for a major masterbatch manufacturer & supplier – Abbey Masterbatch Ltd, a leading Building & Construction Company based in Newcastle Upon Tyne – J3 Building Solutions Limited and many others.
However, if we realize that clients are on a tighter budget, we are happy to recommend our sister company, 16 Design Ltd, specializing in template websites. They have built websites for a number of clients and one of them is Connect Insolvency Limited, a bespoke insolvency practice based in Newcastle upon Tyne.