They're not really commandments, more like suggestions.

Here's what normally happens when most designers get asked to design just about anything: The person who needs the work done, otherwise known as the client, doesn't really understand what it takes to get the work done - - how much time, what the going rate is for design work or the physical limitations of what we're working with.

So, if you're in need of having me or another designer do any kind of work for you, or if you're a designer who needs help communicating to a client the basics of what you do and how you do it, check this out.





Commandment #10: Thou Shalt Always Sign A Contract

Notice it's Thou Shalt Always Sign a Contract. Not Sometimes or When It's Convenient To Sign A Contract, but Always. Even for a small, $100 job. Even if it's for a friend. Actually, especially when it's for a friend. If something is unclear during the course of the project, you don't want it to turn into a major debacle that could possibly ruin your friendship or a business relationship. That's why, if there's ever a trade of money for goods/services, a contract must be signed by both parties regardless of time, money, relationship, or whether or not one member of the party wants to.

If anyone ever has a problem signing a contract, it would be wise to work with someone who will. Seriously, what are some reasons why people don't want to use a contract? #1. They don't want to be held accountable to their end of the deal. #2. They either can't deliver what they promised or are unsure of when they'll be able to do so. #3. They know you don't have a legal leg to stand on after they screw you.


Click the pic to find some good contracts.

Designers can't stand it when clients say things like, "I'll pay you when I can," or "I think we agreed on [X]." The purpose of a contract is a legally binding agreement between two people that states clearly what is to be done, who is to perform what action in the process, when it is to be completed and how much compensation is required. It's something to fall back on when one member of the party is unsure about the details of the project.

Now, if one member decides that they've changed their mind at any point during the project, then you've got a problem. Two things can happen: #1. Both parties can withhold what they promised, part ways and never speak to each other again (in which case, it would be a good idea for the designer to ask for a percentage of the total up front before any work begins in order to make up for the lost time invested in the project). #2. The contract can be re-written, agreed upon and signed by both parties. You come to an agreement and hopefully everybody's happy - the same as any other business.


Here are some more good contracts.

If you took your car in to a mechanic, and he gave you a quote for the service, most times, you'd okay it, he'd do the work, you'd pay it and be on your merry way with your car. It's the same thing with any kind of design work. The designer explains why it will cost [X] amount, the client pays it and they use whatever was created to, most times, benefit their business and make more money. There is a difference between what a mechanic does and what a designer does. The mechanic will most likely perform more actual, physical manual labor than designers do. They dig around in the engine and take stuff apart and replace parts and all sorts of things. But here's the thing about that: They know where everything is and how it works and why it works. The same goes for designers. We spend time in our computer applications, using our tools to create, modify, change, rework, build, revamp, add, subtract, and polish a piece and explain why it works graphically. But, some clients just can't get past the fact that the manual labor part is missing, so they don't want to compensate the designer as much because of that.

It's the designers job to explain everything they plan to do and when each phase will be completed in the contract. The more you implement them, the easier they are to explain and work with. Besides, if both parties are honest, trustworthy people, they'll want the whole thing to flow seamlessly to get what they want quickly and effortlessly. And if it all works out, it'll make the next transaction all the more enjoyable.





Commandment #9: Know Thy Role

Designers aren't clients and clients aren't designers. Just because someone has a pirated version of Photoshop, it doesn't give them the knowledge and understanding to do things like this.

It's all about what you know. For example, I used to be in construction. I know a little about a lot of construction-type things like pouring concrete, framing, installing sheet rock, tape and texture, painting, installing carpet or vinyl, some electrical, appliance installation and a ton of other things. But if I wanted a house built, I'd probably call someone else and have them do it because they've been doing all that stuff a lot longer than I have. They know what they're doing better than I do. The same goes for the client-designer relationship. Clients tell designers things like, "I could do what you're doing," or "Your job is easy - you're just pushing buttons on a computer. It shouldn't take that long."

Let me give a clear example of exactly what defines a designer: They understand and can adequately implement many aspects of design in various forms. They don't necessarily need to have a degree, but it helps. I have studied the history of print, design elements (color, shape, line, texture, placement, etc.), typography, page layout, logos and brand identities, packaging design, animation, web design and layout, CSS, Javascript, jQuery, Actionscript 2 and 3, and I've been working with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Flash, etc) for a number of years. Most clients couldn't do what I'm doing. If they could, they wouldn't ask me to do the job in the first place. Much like I couldn't build a whole house by myself.

Being a designer is not just pushing buttons on a computer. The computer is not a magic box that spits out awesome design. It's a tool that's used just like any other to accomplish a specific task. Much like the arsenal of tools on a construction site. Anyone can swing a hammer, but seasoned pro can hit the nail on the head.

So, what do I mean by "Know Thy Role?" Designers should be the ones who create, not the clients. If a client asks a designer to create a logo, but then dictates the minute details of how they go about that, the designer ceases to be a designer. They just turn into one of those people who pushes buttons on a computer; a Photoshop Jockey.

But, that's not to say a client doesn't know what they want. Their businesses have company colors, a style and a feel which they should communicate to a designer. It's up to the person with the creative mind to use the key words and indentity of the business or individual and transform them into a visual graphic; an image which best represents the person or company it's for.

Both parties in a business relationship have a job. And if those parties stay on task and don't cross the boundaries of their job descriptions, the project will remain fluid, goals will be achieved and both groups of people come out the other side satisfied.





Commandment #8: Honor Thy Boundaries

Have you ever ridden public transportation and someone sits next to you a little too closely? Especially when there's 19 other seats available, but they have to sit right next to you? Uncomfortable, isn't it? Sometimes I wish I had an invisible force field that's 4 feet in radius around me at all times - - a nice bubble that provides a personal boundary line others can't cross. Most times, the majority of people respect that and give you your space. But, there are others that aren't familiar with this unspoken rule, in either the physical or social sense. I refer to these people as the Space Invaders.


The other kind of Space Invaders.

Nobody likes to work with a Space Invader. They either communicate at inappropriate times or ask you to do things that have nothing to do with your business dealings. "Uh, hi. Look, I know it's 2:30 in the morning, but could I get a ride home? I've got a flat tire, and..." Stuff like this is clearly stepping inside that social boundary.

Back in the days of pagers, I once gave my pager number to a 55 year old lady who worked at a business that my company made deliveries to. I'm not making this one up: She paged me on a Saturday afternoon and when I called her, she asked me what time I'd be delivering that day. I politely explained to her that I don't work on Saturdays and our company has never delivered on Saturdays, which she had known for years, but I added the suggestion that if she would like contact me in the future for dinner and drinks, I'd welcome that anytime (I was kidding, of course). She never paged me again.


Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon

Here's my theory on Space Invaders: They think that because you're involved in a business relationship, that automatically makes you good friends. Well, I see the client-designer relationship the same as my relationship with Walmart. Here's how my Walmart trips go: I have money, I go into Walmart, I get TP, a Dale Earnhardt t-shirt, the latest Tyler Perry DVD and a package of Ring Ding's, then I'm outta there. I'm not gonna invite the 16 year old checkout girl with the Mars Blackmon glasses and eyelid piercing to tea. She's just there offering a service and a product, which I am purchasing. Much like what happens when a client goes to a designer for the services they offer. The client has money, pays a designer to complete a project, and that's it – end of story. You see what I'm getting at here?

I haven't heard of too many designers committing the social faux pas of being a Space Invader, but I have heard of clients doing it. I really don't know why this is, but more awkward phone calls, emails and conversations have been initiated by clients. Now, I'm not here to point the finger. I'm just saying that it seems to be an issue that can be resolved fairly easily. Here is a message to both parties involved in any sort of business relationship: Keep it strictly business. Each party has a job that they're responsible for. They both have a part of a game plan that they've promised to execute. So, do it, be done with it and move on with your life. Of course, there's something to be said about working well together, having a cheerful disposition and not being a jerk, but after the whole project is said and done, are both groups of people really going to be hanging out on a regular basis? Or do you just want to enjoy your Max ride in a peaceful, 4 foot bubble?





Commandment #7: Whatsoever a Man Soweth, That Shall He Also Reap

If you haven't heard the old phrase, "You get what you pay for," or don't understand it, let me explain: Most times, if something is cheap, it's cheaply made. I once bought a pair of slippers for $5.97 and they fell apart within a few months. I paid a little, I got a little. Most times, quality items are gonna cost more. I paid over 2 grand for my Mac, but I got the best laptop on the planet. I put a lot of money into it so I could get a lot out of it.

The same goes for a client purchasing design work. If a client comes to me with $100 and asks for a logo, I'll whip something up in a couple hours and call it good. It may not be the most clever logo in the world, but it's something. But, if the client understands the value of their logo, that it needs to be eye-catching upon first glance, with the appropriate colors used, with the right typography, with the right pictograph or icon, the fact that it will represent the company on business cards, letterhead, website, vehicle decals, billboards and needs to be functional at all those size variations, then it might be beneficial for their company if I spent a little more time not just performing the physical action of clicking a mouse to achieve pixel perfection, but thinking about it and exploring a multitude of options before deciding on the perfect one. Why can't I do all that for $100? Because time is money.

If you read the previous "commandments," you'd have seen some points made about compensation for labor and being a Photoshop Jockey. Well, even though my job could be related to a construction worker, auto mechanic, or Walmart associate, it's actually got a lot more responsibility tied to it. And that's part of what I'm compensated for. I alone am the creative director, project manager, accountant, scheduler, researcher, intellectual property coordinator, laborer and administrative associate. It takes time to wear all those different hats.

Money is always a big issue for everyone nowadays. The economy sucks, people are scrambling for every dollar and looking for the best deals. They'll do just about anything to get something for free – haggling, sweet-talking, even guilt tripping. But, you can't always expect a small bill for a big job.

It all boils down to this: If you don't have the money, don't have the work done. Really. I mean, I don't want to be harsh, but that's the black and white of it. Sure, brick and mortar stores accept credit cards and do layaway, but freelance designers are individuals – we don't work that way.

There are 3 aspects to a project: time, money and quality. People always want work done in the shortest amount of time, for the lowest cost, at the best possible quality. Well, I'm sorry, but you can only get two out of the three. Ask anybody. That's just the way it works. If you don't have the money for your project, it may take some time to achieve the proper quality. If you need the work to be done quickly, it will cost more for the quality to be high. But, if you don't really care about the quality of the finished product, it won't cost you very much, and I can get it done pretty quickly.

So, here's a little advice to those getting design work done: Don't be cheap, don't try to scam the designer by pulling out every trick in the book to lessen your bill - - know in advance that it's not how much you spend, but what you're getting for the money. And what you're getting is something that's going to enhance the appearance of your company, and, in turn, make you more money because of it. It's like putting new tires on your car to take you farther. And the better quality the tires, the more ground you'll cover.





Commandment #6: Thou Shalt Be Of Sound Mind

Sometimes, throughout the course of life, we encounter people that are a little weird. They behave or believe differently than you do, and that's fine because we're all different and it's those differences that makes interaction with others more interesting. But, then you have the people that are just downright crazy.

The word "crazy," gets tossed around a lot. Almost as much as the word "amazing," but that's another story. You'll hear people say things like "Dude, the last level on that video game was so freakin' crazy!" or, "Traffic was backed up for miles – it was just crazy." I don't really think these people know what crazy means. Check this out:




crazy |ˈkrāzē| informal
adjective ( -zier , -ziest )
1 mentally deranged, esp. as manifested in a wild or aggressive way : Stella went crazy and assaulted a visitor | a crazy grin.
• extremely annoyed or angry : the noise they made was driving me crazy.
• foolish : it was crazy to hope that good might come out of this mess.
2 extremely enthusiastic : I'm crazy about Cindy | a football-crazy bunch of boys.
3 (of an angle) appearing absurdly out of place or in an unlikely position : the monument leaned at a crazy angle.

So, what I'm focusing on, here, is the deranged, foolish, and absurd form of crazy. I mean, like, bat-scat, off your rocker, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest crazy. But, who specifically am I referring to, you ask? Not any one person. There are times when both parties in a business relationship can act in an idiotic and senseless manner.

On one hand, the designer can be a brainless nincompoop if he/she offers the client all three objectives of the Project Trifecta (time, money, quality). If a designer ever tells you that they can do a job for super cheap, super fast, with super high quality, they're either being really nice, really dishonest, or really stupid. And, in some cases, all three.

On the other hand, the client can be a real dumb-ass if they expect the designer to wave his/her hand over the computer and use "The Force" to instantly manipulate the cellular structure of the pixels on the screen. Kinda like this:

Client: "We have this great idea to do an animation for a children educational television show for kids with autism so that kids and parents know how to properly deal with the behavior. We need you to do the pitch animation for us to show PBS. Once we get the green light, we want you to start working on six 25 minute episodes. You think you can get some of your friends to help out and do one episode per week?"
Me: "An episode per week?! That's impossible. I done research how long an animated TV show takes and one episode of Family Guy or The Simpsons takes about 4-6 months."
Client: "What? No. That's not right. If it takes them that long to do one episode, they wouldn't be on air."
Me: "Well, I'm telling you as an animator, one week is impossible."
Client: "Well once we get the money, anything is possible."
Me: "…"

Or, how about this?

These and other ridiculous stories found at:

Clients From Hell

Me: "I will create a login box on your website. Once someone registers and logs in, the website will recognize who the user is and provide relevant content."

Client: "That sounds great. However, instead of a login box I'd like to use biometrics to identify the user."
Me: "Not sure what you mean."
Client: "When someone visits the website, I want them to be able to put their hand on the monitor. The monitor will then scan their hand to confirm who they are. I think that would be a lot more engaging. How much extra would that functionality cost?"
Me: "Several hundred million dollars."
Client: Why are you being a wiseass? Can you do it or not?
Me: "No. Sorry. That's a little too advanced."
Client: "Fine. I'll try another web designer."

Cypress Hill

Cypress Hill: Insane in the brain.

So, why do I insinuate these people are insane? Because they clearly don't understand the physical limitations of time and space. They must believe they're living in a Wonderland where nothing is impossible. Well, that's all fine and dandy if you're one of those extremely positive, over-achieving go-getters that's gone plumb loco from hanging out with the hooka-smoking caterpillar.

See, there's this place called reality. The majority of us live there. This is a land where we know what's possible and what's not. A land that fully grasps the laws of nature and the ultimate truth that lies therein. As designers, there's only so much we can do. We can only push ourselves so hard and our computers can only perform a limited series of actions. Kinda like this:

It was a friday afternoon, ten minutes before quitting time, when the account team raced into the studio of a major ad agency—they ran right to my desk and dropped a handful of paintings and photos in front of me. "We need your help—but we promise it'll only take an hour." I understand about advertising deadlines and I was the "go to" guy when jobs were on the line. "Sure," I said, "whatcha got?"
They showed me a completed illustration: a painting of a man in a rowboat on a lake, with the wake of the boat spelling out the name of their product. The also showed me some photos torn from magazines which were probably reference pix for the painting. Lakes, man in boats, that sort of thing.
"We commissioned this illustration," they explained, "and we decided we want to give the client another choice, but we have to ship the ad to the printer and we have no more time. We want you to reconstruct the illustration from these magazine pictures, but it has to be ready to release, so you have to make it really polished—and make it sharper and hi-rez."
"You realize, if I can do this, it'll take about 12 hours, and no guarrantee I can make it look like a real photo," I advised them.
"Yes, you can. You have Photoshop!" The art director screamed. Meanwhile, one of the account guys brought my boss over, who corroborated everything I said.
"Listen," I said, "you have a finished illo, but if you really want me to do this I will, but I can't have it done before tomorrow, and that's if I stay all night. your illustration will still look better."
The art director blew his stack "LOOK—THIS WON'T TAKE MORE THAN TWO HOURS!!" And then he added "I'D DO IT MYSELF IF I KNEW HOW TO USE PHOTOSHOP!!"

The confrontation happens when one person believes the ultimate truth of the situation is one thing and the other person believes it's something else. Sort of like the majority of the world knowing and understanding the earth is round and rotates around the sun, whereas others believe that we're all living on the shell of a giant turtle. See? Crazy.

So, what do we do about it? How do the rational, sane people and the stark raving mad come together to accomplish the task at hand? What do both parties need to do in order to maintain a healthy, continual working relationship with one another?

Trust.

The designer needs to trust the client to communicate exactly what they want effectively, fulfill their obligations and responsibilities, keep the relationship strictly business and be held accountable to these things via the contract they should have signed at the very beginning.

The client needs to trust the designer to know what they're talking about and communicate the limitations of their job without being rude or offensive. The client also needs to trust that the designer is coming through with their end of the deal – charging the correct amount, meeting the deadline and completing excellent work with superior craftsmanship.

I think trust and truth go hand in hand. When people are honest, sincere, reliable, ethical, upstanding and reputable, they communicate, interact, and perform their duties the same way. They're people that are trustworthy, sensible, faithful and virtuous. When both parties reflect these ideals, it makes for a very pleasurable transaction and everybody walks away happy.

Conducting business any other way is just plain crazy.

Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici




Commandment #5: Thou Shalt Not Develop Absurd Assumptions