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'Artists want to be original… They don't want to be asked to design "rip-off's" of other people's work. Artists can be easily offended if asked to "improve" upo

'Artists want to be original… They don't want to be asked to design "rip-off's" of other people's work. Artists can be easily offended if asked to "improve" upon someone else's work.' It would be hard for me to hire someone like this. If one wants to work, a client's requirements supplant everything. If one is difficult, one is unlikely to be hired again, and word of it will circulate too. Her own words sum it up. It's like she prefers to cathartically vent her suppressed contempt for client work via blog posts, replete with egregiously deployed scare quotes rather than make a living. Vis-à-vis lack of communication with a client, I feel that it is the designer's place as a professional to set communication expectations. Clients are not nearly as familiar with the design process as a professional designer, they are unaware of the creative process, and what is required/expected of them. On the same token, if I'm paying for a designer's services I don't expect to be holding hands all day.

aditya42 16y ago
Sounds like you're a little confused. If a client requires a copy of another site, then no, his requirements don't supplant everything. If you know exactly what you want, you don't need a designer, and hiring one will just piss both of you off. A 'designer' by definition is someone who designs — comes up with a plan — not someone who implements (which is completely secondary). And frankly, the designer is the expert here, not the client. So all a client should do is fill the brief, and give specific feedback when asked (not say things like "I like that logo because it looks fresh"). That's it. The client should trust the designer to make the right decisions based on his requirements. And going on the same note, a good designer will ask the right questions and pull a client's requirements out of him. This, you're right about, yes. But clients WANT to guide the designer, so YOU might not want to hold hands all day, but most clients do, and that's why we reach the situation in the first paragraph : http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell This post is from the point-of-view of a designer, so the client is (obviously) the bad guy. I'm not defending either; just stating why your comment is wrong.
- sjtgraham 16y ago
  I don't think I am. Consider the case where one lacks the time or technical facility to execute, and only needs someone purely to 'implement.' Designers invariably are given a lot latitude, but sometimes the brief is 'Give me something like this.' One is unlikely to be required to completely rip off another designers work, those types of clients don't like spending the type of money required to engage a real designer, more likely they will engage a peon with no design aptitude and a cracked copy of Adobe Creative Suite, because their fee will be more in line with their expectations. So when a client requires something, one delivers it. If in one's professional opinion one believes something else would serve the client's goals better, one runs it by the client. Usually they will be ecstatic with the designer's insight, as we both agree that designers are the enlightened experts here. However, sometimes the client will not like the idea, so one just knuckles down and gets on with it. So it seems that it is you who is actually confused on this point. However when you graduate from Lancaster University, pass over from the world of academic pontification, and into the world of commercial reality, I am sure you will experience lucidity.
  - aditya42 16y ago
    Oh snap! Nice try with the University line, except for the fact that I am a designer and have been designing for 6 years now. I've seen all kinds of clients, so I know what I'm talking about. I'm not going to argue further though, because apparently you're incapable of arguing your point without condescending remarks.
    - sjtgraham 16y ago
      non sequitur
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
alsomike 16y ago
You sound like Dilbert's boss.

aditya42 16y ago

Sounds like you're a little confused. If a client requires a copy of another site, then no, his requirements don't supplant everything. If you know exactly what you want, you don't need a designer, and hiring one will just piss both of you off. A 'designer' by definition is someone who designs — comes up with a plan — not someone who implements (which is completely secondary). And frankly, the designer is the expert here, not the client. So all a client should do is fill the brief, and give specific feedback when asked (not say things like "I like that logo because it looks fresh"). That's it. The client should trust the designer to make the right decisions based on his requirements. And going on the same note, a good designer will ask the right questions and pull a client's requirements out of him. This, you're right about, yes. But clients WANT to guide the designer, so YOU might not want to hold hands all day, but most clients do, and that's why we reach the situation in the first paragraph : http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell http://theoatmeal.com/comics/design_hell This post is from the point-of-view of a designer, so the client is (obviously) the bad guy. I'm not defending either; just stating why your comment is wrong.

sjtgraham 16y ago
I don't think I am. Consider the case where one lacks the time or technical facility to execute, and only needs someone purely to 'implement.' Designers invariably are given a lot latitude, but sometimes the brief is 'Give me something like this.' One is unlikely to be required to completely rip off another designers work, those types of clients don't like spending the type of money required to engage a real designer, more likely they will engage a peon with no design aptitude and a cracked copy of Adobe Creative Suite, because their fee will be more in line with their expectations. So when a client requires something, one delivers it. If in one's professional opinion one believes something else would serve the client's goals better, one runs it by the client. Usually they will be ecstatic with the designer's insight, as we both agree that designers are the enlightened experts here. However, sometimes the client will not like the idea, so one just knuckles down and gets on with it. So it seems that it is you who is actually confused on this point. However when you graduate from Lancaster University, pass over from the world of academic pontification, and into the world of commercial reality, I am sure you will experience lucidity.
- aditya42 16y ago
  Oh snap! Nice try with the University line, except for the fact that I am a designer and have been designing for 6 years now. I've seen all kinds of clients, so I know what I'm talking about. I'm not going to argue further though, because apparently you're incapable of arguing your point without condescending remarks.
  - sjtgraham 16y ago
    non sequitur
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]

alsomike 16y ago

You sound like Dilbert's boss.