Learning the Design Process
The MK Digital Media 10–Step Program
So, what actually happens when you want a design project started, big or small? Read below to find out.
Making Contact: When you call, email or use my online quote form, it is important to get the basics included in the communication. You may be so entrenched in your project, the basic details get lost.
For instance, if you need website work done, let me know if you have an existing site and what the address is. If you want a new site, let me know the nature of the site: e-commerce, non-profit, gaming, message board, etc.
Setting up a Meeting: After I get your inital communication, I will want to set up a time we can talk over the phone or in person to review the details you want and offer suggestions.
Most likely, I will want to get a design worksheet filled out so what you want is written down on paper. If you want to see what the worksheet looks like, go to the Graphic Design Page or the Web Design Page. It's available in Word or as a .pdf.
What you want might seem like a simple concept, but everybody has their own ideas of what a simple concept is! Getting all of your information on paper will give me points of reference during my different work stages. a.k.a I won't be calling you and emailing you 10 times a day.
The Proposal: Once all of the details are in order and I have some idea of a budget, I will create a proposal outlining the work to be done, suggestions and prices.
The proposal is the step that requires the most attention because this is what will eventually go into the contract. So if you want any changes to the work say it now so there will be no extra costs later on.
The Contract: When we have all of the pieces of the puzzle figured out, I'll send a contract over to you so we can legally clarify that the pieces are in the right place. If you have any changes or questions about the contract, now is the time to say so! If you aren't happy with any aspect of the contract, speak up.
If you would like to work out payment arrangements instead of paying everything at once, now is the time for that as well. I want to work with you to get you what you need, so I am fine with payment arrangements!
Payment: For most projects that are over a few hundred dollars I require a down payment to start the work. The signed contract and payment are a sure sign that you are serious about this project!
Starting the Work: Wow! It's step 6 and we're just getting into the juice. This step is a breeze! For me, anyway. Everything is already planned out and if all went well in the previous 5 steps, I just have to fill in the blanks.
If there is anything I need from you, this is where your work begins. If we are building you a new website you will need to provide me with all of the content for each page, provided that we agreed to those terms.
Monitoring the Work: I like getting things done, so I will update you on the progess of the project as soon as a new level is completed. If we are working on a new site, I will have it available online for you to check throughout the process. If you are not happy with any aspect of the project, stop me now!
Making Changes: Some work inherently has changes throughout the process, like logos and advertisement design. The limits on changes, if any, will be explicitly laid out in the contract. If we agreed on a certain design — cut and dry, that's it — you are going to kick yourself now if you didn't like something about it and now we need to change it. This is when extra charges start showing up.
Project Completion: Everything went well: you did your work, I did my work. Now we celebrate! Sometimes, even afer a project is "completed" it isn't over yet. For instance, you need an advertisement designed, I get it done and send it directly to the newspaper, magazine, website, whatever. They may need something extra from me, so I may contact you about it.
If I am building you a website, I may need to publish the site first and then test out the different components before you announce to the world that you are online. So take my lead, and everything will work out.
Feedback: I love hearing back from clients about their experiences or the reaction to the completed project. So if you want to reward me for a job well done, let me know how it's working out for you!
Do you still want to work with me?
If so, I would love to hear from you. Go to my Contact page to email me or use my quote form.