Background

 

RGD Virtual Communities bring together Members working in similar areas and/or who face a particular set of challenges to share knowledge, discuss experiences, propose solutions and support each other. The RGD Solo Designers Community is composed of freelance and independent designers and meets virtually every two months. The group is led by Noah Ortmann RGD and Nicole Duncan RGD

 

 

 

A design project gone bad can be especially difficult for solo designers, as they often take full responsibility for maintaining, organizing or sometimes ending client relationships. At our last virtual meeting, our group discussed strategies to prevent projects from going bad and how to better cope when they do.

 

 

Clients are busy, their priorities can change and they get lots of emails. It’s important to remember this when a project stalls or your client disappears for a while. Rather than get frustrated and assume the client is no longer interested, remember that you’re the project manager — you’ve got to keep the project moving. One Member recommended sending a friendly reminder of the project status with a copy of your last communication to ensure you’re both on the same page. While a design project may be a top priority for the designer, it might be one of several other priorities for the client. 

 

 

Contracts are essential to have in place before a project begins. They set expectations for both sides. Ideally the contract is a backup when all else fails — it isn’t a substitution for a good client relationship. One Member likes to reference the RGD’s Code of Ethics in her contract as a “professional guidance” clause. This helps to ensure they are not forced to do anything that breaks industry standards.

 

In terms of payment, a Member reminded the group to always get a deposit up front before starting a project. When you’re chasing a payment, be persistent — especially if there has been a personnel change within your clients’ organization. 

 

 

When you’re a solo designer working with a big client, you can sometimes be the last line of defense in maintaining brand consistency. There are many voices in a large organization that can come with different interpretations of their own brand guidelines. Our group discussed ways to steer a large client away from going rogue.

 

 

The brand is the client’s story to tell. Helping them remember that every piece of design is part of a bigger story can keep them on track. Off-brand designs can be less recognizable to stakeholders or customers and the design may not present the client as a global leader in their field.

 

In cases where the client has insisted on their ideas being implemented, one of our Members created two versions of the design for review — one off-brand and one following brand guidelines. Having the two versions in front of the client, possibly in context with other on-brand company materials, is a good way to reiterate the importance of consistency. In addition, explaining to the client that multiple design versions or revisions equals more time and more money can be a strong deterrent from playing around with brand standards.

 

Asking the client why they wanted to go off-brand or what they were trying to achieve are great questions to get at the underlying reasons behind a client’s push to not follow their own company’s brand standards. Once you get at those reasons, there’s likely other ways to solve those problems while remaining on-brand.

 

Get Involved

 

Virtual Communities are open to Certified RGDs, Provisional RGDs and Affiliate Members who meet the criteria for the specific group. To express your interest in this Program, identify preferences and/or volunteer to be a Community Leader, fill out this form. Details on becoming a leader of a new RGD Virtual Community here. 

 

Questions? Email RGD's Membership Coordinator Director, Zaria Pucknell at .

 

Read: 

Members share experiences in RGD Virtual Community for Firm Owners

Members share Management Tips & Tools in RGD Virtual Community for In-House Design Managers