The big question about nice work verses client needs
Dear Studio,
How do you maintain a high standard of work throughout your portfolio? The reason why I ask is because a lot of my designs are driven by the client and committees, who have no experience in design. I am always told to ‘give what the client wants’, even though I know it will end with poor results. What can I do as a junior graphic designer to improve the situation?
Kindest regards,
Vincent
It is not often we are asked questions like the following.
While we ponder over the answer, we want to follow up this question with another question, and ask what our readers they think is the answer to finding balance the of making quality communication and addressing the commercial needs of the client:
How do you maintain a high standard of work throughout a portfolio while maintaining a list of clients confident that what you (the studio) produce work that does what it is meant to – generate awareness, sell tickets, grow market share…?
If any one out there has a comment we would be happy to post the differing points of view.
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Hi Andrew,
Interesting question. One Ive spent a long time debating over the last 12-18 months… Ive come to the conclusion (not saying its THE answer, just my current thinking) that clients get the work they deserve!
Sometimes a client fits with the designers or studio ethos and a great relationship of trust and energy evolves which always outputs interesting, successful and engaging design.
Other times that relationship never develops, and for me that means electing not to continue working with that client. This is often a tough choice because running a studio requires certain financial obligations be met, but banging your head against a wall to achieve good design outcomes when the clients objectives are different is not something that makes for happy designers….
My two cents,
Soren
Hi Soren,
Thanks for your response. It is funny how many similar chats I have had with designers who produce interesting work.
They all seem to share the same points as you have – that is is about finding clients who align with the way one works and these clients want to use this output to communicate their enterprises or projects.
The trap that many emerging designers fall into is that the process in the early days is about producing folio work first (to build up folio), rather than looking out for what the client’s needs are first and making work which communicates these needs – as one’s experience grows so does the folio, so after 20 years there is plenty of choice.
We have been lucky enough to have a diverse body of work behind us and the thought of folio rarely comes into play. Some jobs turn out well, while others are sound communication pieces that have been documented in previous works, I suppose there is a fear of being repetitive in this situation.
When the folio is thin it is critical for find those clients that understand your process who have faith that you will produce a compelling result.
The other approach is to work in a studio that does the work you admire, and spend a good chunk of time working there (7 to 15 years) and become very senior and experienced. After a good slab of time a few things happen:
– clients start to know and respect you like they respect the studio owners,
– you have a good body of work and experience behind you,
– your own contacts and friends will too be in senior positions and they start commissioning work)
– your boss may negotiate a different working arrangement (associate, partner, maybe owner)
The doing your time and paying dues process rewards the patient, as they make their mistakes on someone else’s ticket, their work and experience has depth and there is potential to start a studio with a mature client base, or acquire equity in the studio that employs you.
When I look back at my ten years at Precinct, and three years working for other studios it was an apprenticeship of sorts that made the move to establishing Studio Pip and Co a little easier, and I stress a little easier.
I think the thing I took for granted some twenty years ago when I had dreams of a studio, is that a studio is a business, and good design work requires a good business to present this ability in its best light. Having a good studio and business takes a lot drive, knowledge, experience, effort and time to make it work. Having the passion for design is one factor of a complex process. Knowing this makes me admire the established designers out there that have made this happen for sometime, like: (and I am only quoting Melbourne people I know of) Cato, Emery, Sadgrove, Lancashire, Roach, Allnut, Blenhiem, Pidge, Cornwell, Hoyne, Watts, Davidson, Cowan and there are many others (sorry if I have left out your names)… all credit to you.
Thanks again Soren