Unresponsive design

I am a designer with more than five years of experience both as an office worker and as a free freelancer. I would be happy to share some of my experience and approach to working with managers or clients. The fact is that design is always subjective. The same design can cause admiration and rejection. Often it creates a lot of difficulties for a designer working on a project in which the number of people whose opinion needs to be taken into account exceeds one person. I will try to explain why, as well as talk about some techniques and techniques that can make the work of the designer less intense and more positive.


Each person has his own beliefs, preferences (prejudices) and self. The stronger and more a person has an ego developed, the more difficult it is to convince a person of something, even if he is fundamentally wrong. The hardest thing to work with people who either tried to do something in Photoshop or, worse, went through some kind of computer graphics course, but for some reason could not find a job in the field of design, but became managers and now all the designs pass through them and they can make any amendments. They always have some special idea of ​​what should be the design and they are 100% sure that this is exactly the way it should be, although in 7 out of 10 cases, the changes made worsen the design and the final result takes 10 times longer and one cannot say that it is better (and sometimes vice versa) than the first one created in a relatively short time. Of course there are exceptions, but they are extremely rare.

The fact is that it assesses you as an employee, it is that manager / client, and not someone else. A client can be sent and lost earnings, and the manager can be said that he is an idiot and hell does not fumble at all, but this will hurt him and he will give a bad assessment to you and your work, and this in turn will affect salary and promotion. A successful designer should be able to please any client / manager, even the most stupid and uneducated with all possible moves. And ideally, teach him the basic principles and make it so that he could rely on you. It takes some time, but it is worth it.
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Therefore, the designer should be as tolerant and a little tricky as possible; it is important to learn how to manipulate people's opinions using small tricks, tricks, and tips that will be discussed:

Of course, not all managers / clients once dreamed of becoming designers, it’s easier, faster and more efficient to work with those who think as follows. “I do not understand anything in design, this is not my work. Just muddied something crazy. ”Here! This is the most effective formula (in case you are a good experienced designer who knows his business well). Below we will talk mostly about working with problem managers / clients who consider themselves designers, but they are not.

1. Sketches

It is better to call all sent designs as sketches, sketches. Needless to say, this is the final version, it will protect you from unpleasant situations, if suddenly someone just doesn’t like the design (according to merit or due to a bad mood) and is criticized for nothing, you can always say that it’s all just sketch and save face. At the same time, it is better not to send too raw sketches, the sketch should have a completely finished look. Unfortunately, most non-designers (or people who imagine themselves as great designers) have a hard time imagining how it will look at the end and they will say that everything is wrong, and you need something completely different and have to be redone. In fact, I usually send a 95% finished design and say that this is a sketch, it is often taken as it is without a lot of corrections.

2. Do not do it quickly

Everyone knows that good quality things are not done quickly. And if after 2-3 hours after receiving the assignment, send the finished sketch for consideration, then most likely they will require a fucking cloud of amendments and a request for a large number of additional options, even if the proposed design was good as it is. Therefore, do not rush. Relax. Carefully work through every detail, make several options for yourself, meticulously inspect the design, show it to someone, think over all the details and only then go to the review.

3. Send your design after dinner

Before dinner, while waiting for a meal, many people become somewhat nervous and irritable, and after lunch and a cup of coffee, people are much more satisfied and much easier to negotiate with him.

4. Nothing is impossible

Never say you can’t do this, even if asked to draw a Mona Lisa in peinte. Say better that it can take a very large amount of time and will be very expensive, suggest another more appropriate option.

5. Be open to ideas and try to avoid disputes.

Be open to any ideas, even the most absurd at first glance. Do not forget for a second that the design is subjective, and that you are also a person, and you have your EGO and a certain number of beliefs, which sometimes interfere with objective assessment. Instead, to immediately dismiss the proposed amendment and say that it will look ugly for one reason or another, do not be lazy to create a quick sketch, show it to the manager / client and give your reasons. In some cases, it may turn out that the idea adopted by you at the beginning of your bayonets will not be so bad. Of course, in most cases, the manager will have to agree with your point of view and this will only strengthen your reputation as a designer.

It also happens that, at the request of a manager, the design was disfigured and approved by him, but some third person, perhaps the head of the manager himself, will ask you what this sucks. In this case, you can safely "hand over" your manager, who neglected your recommendations and show the original designs. Just do not forget to express your opinion. A phrase in the spirit of “As a designer, I don’t like what happened for such and such reasons, but if you think this is beautiful and will work, then so be it :)”

6. Show character

Theoretically, such a situation is possible, that the manager may demand to make some changes that disfigure the design, to create a shit design by the hands of a designer and say that you are a shit designer. I did not come across this, but I think it is possible. It also happens that the manager likes shit design, but you don't. In such cases, it is better to try to be objective, ask the opinions of third parties and when you are 100% sure that the design is shit, then openly state this. Emphasizing the fact that you are just a performer and you think this design is unsuccessful, in some cases you can show character and go a little beyond official politeness.

7. Feel free to admit that you rolled up the design and show from where

Often, customers do not follow the trends, they are frightened by flat buttons, long shadows, side menus, or whatever it is, just show them the new iOS, android kitkat, the apple website, microsoft, or something solid and cool that uses similar technology or an interface solution.

8. Thoughts wide

Do not do the job clearly for the brief, the wireframe, always try to understand what exactly you are doing, what is the ultimate goal of the product, ask a lot of questions. Maybe it will be a little annoying at first, but in the end it will save a lot of time and effort, you and your customer. Naturally, all within reasonable limits.

9. Don't be arrogant

Never get into a pose - I'm a super cool designer with a lot of experience, I spent a hell of a lot of money and 5 years on education and now I know everything, but you miserable mortals don't think anything, how dare you tell me what color and size should be buttons on page ... well, etc. Be open, do not be afraid to admit mistakes, thoughts together with the customer, clearly explain each element of your design, how and why it was done in precisely that way.

10. Discuss in advance the number of sketches, circles of corrections and amendments.

There are such situations when a client will suck the whole soul out of you, demanding more sketches, endless contradictory corrections, and at the last moment he will say that this is not at all what you need to start over.

To avoid such a situation is not so difficult, it is enough to discuss in advance, and it is better to state in the contract the number of sketches and correction circles provided in direct dependence on the project budget. If the number of edits or sketches exceeds the pre-agreed amount, the customer will have to pay more. This will significantly reduce the level of perfectionism in the blood of customers who do not appreciate the designer’s work.

Unfortunately with managers this will not work, for them a little other techniques described above are good. In case this happens to you, just remember that design is a process and not always this process runs smoothly.

11. There are no unimportant and boring projects that can be done by dropping the sleeves.

Try to ensure that each element that comes out from under your hand has been worked out at 100% percent, done as well as possible, even in the most boring task you can add a zest. Do not mess around, try to do better and better then they will certainly notice you after a dozen boring gray projects - they will be interesting, and after a few well-done interesting projects - they will turn to other people with boring low-budget projects.

Here, in general, and all, I wish adequate customers and interesting well-paid projects! If you have any other tips or techniques, then I would be very interested to read.