I have absolute faith in you, reader; I know that you have assessed your own skills, scouted your pro bono project, met with and agreed on contracts, and created something incredible. And while your pro bono website, or advertising copy, or printed piece is beautiful, functional and delivered on time to the joy of all concerned, there is no time to rest. Now comes the hardest (and simplest) part of your work: making your creation work for you.

I know, I know — it sounds very confusing. I’m sure you’re wondering why you shouldn’t just take your samples and webshots, stuff them in your portfolio and walk away. But why should your work - a living, breathing, workable item - be sentenced to suffocate inside your zippered binder under a veneer of plastic sheeting? Don’t leave your future to chance; market your success ASAP.

Imagine if you will, two equally matched creatives in an interview. Both have good portfolios, both possess the skills necessary, both are capable. But when your potential boss says “tell me about your work,” and you can say “Well, I’ve been featured in three publications and was nominated (or won!) an award for my pro bono project,” then you’re hired! It’s not just about design, folks; it’s about whether you can bring honor to your work and your workplace. Marketing yourself will not only get your work seen and your style known - it will also get you a job.

Why is this hard? Because artists and creatives are often the last people to consider their work worthy of note or award. Admit it — where others see something of beauty, you can only point out the flaws, or the missteps, or the “oh, if only I had…” thoughts that pervade your head. My advice? GET OVER IT. Get over your own doubts and get to work.

First and foremost, make absolutely sure you’ve secured several copies of your pro-bono work. The source files alone aren’t going to cut it. You need tangible evidence. If it’s a website, you’re a bit luckier — you can take screenshots or place online links from your website. Grab as many copies of printwork, video, flash files and any copy you’ve written for your own benefit. And once you’ve gathered your work, it’s time to start.

Now it’s time write and submit a press release about your work. Some of you will leap at the chance to write something, and others will cringe. Don’t fret! Writing a press release is not about genius or writing prowess. If it were, newspapers would be staffed with novelists. Your press release should be neat and concise. It should consist of what every basic Journalism class refers to as “the five W’s”:

• Who: This is always going to be you. Yes! It’s all about you! Finally!

• What: This is all about your project. A website for non-profit basket weavers! Illustration for a major children’s hospital! Printed brochures about non-profit basket weavers weaving hats for kids in hospitals!
• When: When did this happen? When will it happen? When will it end?
• Where: Is this on the web? Is it available for download or mailing? Can people visit a place and get a copy?
• Why: Why was this project needed? Why did you take it on? Why did you do it for free?

Now, let me be very clear about the aforementioned five W’s: This is not a WAY to write a press release. This is an ORDER. If it were a way to write them, press releases would sound like caveman speech: “Sally Smith make ad for public library Monday, to make kids happy. Go to library and get one. Need to market library.”

There are literally hundreds of websites out there featuring hundreds of ways to write press releases, and I won’t go into them here. Any way that you may write them, from simple to complex, your next move is to submit them to as many news sources that you can find. I recommend starting in your area and working your way outwards. Research your local newspapers and business journals for methods of submission (many of them accept online submissions now, but nothing replaces the old fashioned phone call to make sure that you’re sending it to the right person.) If your pro bono work is website based, I’d recommend hitting up the tech-section of your local press. If your work is about re-branding, look for the business editors. Remember; the more interesting you can make your work, the greater chance of being published.

After you’ve sent out releases to the local market, you need to widen your circle to include design publications and online resources. For that, I’ve enlisted the help of self-professed “media ‘ho’” Calvin Lee, owner of Mayhem Studios. More than just a talented designer across multiple mediums, Lee is a master at getting noticed. In a recent interview with Freelanceswitch.com, , Cal gave an excellent response to the question of why self-promotion is such a necessity:

If you’re a freelancer, self-promotion is a must. How else do you expect a potential client to know about you? Most new designers—even some pros—don’t view self-promotion as an option. Many frown upon self-promoting, as it’s bragging and name-dropping. In a way, it’s bragging but to me it’s more about letting people know who I am and what I can do to help them.”

Quoted from Freelanceswitch.com,

Cal’s list is a wealth of resources; some require a fee and others do not, but if you’ve got a little investment capital it’s worth the investment. Enjoy these links.

For self-marketing, I post to many online press release web sites. PRWeb and PRLeap are the big boys of on-line press releases news wire. They used to be free but they are a little too expensive now. They start at around $80 and up.

Plus all the traditional ways of sending your press releases: local/national news papers and industry related news papers/magazines.

A few free press release web site you can post to.

+ PR Compass
+ Free Press Release
+ 24/7 Press Release
+ PR Log
+ 1888 Press Release
+ Click Press
+ Free News Release
+ I-Newswire
+ PR
+ PR 9

Portfolio, design, and social networking sites that have an option to post your news.

+ Create Magazine
+ Design Related
+ Area of Design
+ Dexigner
+ Facebook
+ Myspace
+ Meetup

Then there are Social Bookmarking sites that can drive a lot of traffic to your site.

+ Digg
+ Del.icio.us
+ Stumble Upon
+ Technorati
+ Furl
+ Ma.gnolia

A few other ways

+ Blogging - Will bring traffic to your site
+ E-newsletters - You can send e-newsletters to your current contact list and clients you want to work with.
+ Forums - Tooting on forums can bring great returns. Like getting into books, articles, interviews, clients, etc. Just look at me!

Many thanks to Cal for all his work and generosity in sharing!

In closing, just a few more tiny bits of advice:

• Work on your self-promotion just as hard as you do your creative work. It will pay off, trust me!

• Make sure you get some official boilerplate from the organization you worked for. This will save you a little time and a lot of grief when writing.
• Remember when I said you should have some scans and copies of your work? You can submit high rez JPGs and TIFFs with your release if you’d like. (this is especially useful for billboards and high-end promotional items, and especially nice with online publications) Not all places will accept them, but it never hurts to ask.
• Do NOT send your release and then forget about it. Marketing is about give and take; you need to follow up with an email or a phone call when possible. If you feel uncomfortable calling people to promote yourself, this is a great opportunity to learn how to do it. Remember - these people want a good story — they NEED a good story. You’re trying to help them find one!
• On the same note, don’t stalk the media. If they didn’t run your story about writing fortune cookie notes for the local Catholic Bake Sale, don’t call and ask why they don’t love you. Believe me when I tell you that media-stalkers who call or email nonstop, are pushy and aggressive, and make life hard for the press will be blacklisted. Be friendly, courteous and honest; and they’ll return the favor.
• When your media releases get published, make sure you collect and file them in your portfolio.

Marketing yourself is a great tool to polish your writing and sales skills, and it adds that extra dash of credibility to your portfolio. Like I said at the very top of this article, your self-promotion is the cherry atop your mound of yummy design skills. And the best part is, you can talk about yourself all day long! What could be better than that?

Up next: A walk down memory lane: a rehash of the Working Pro Bono Series. Join me as we bring a chapter to a close and open a few new doors for you to peek through!

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

When I started out as a freelance designer, it was based on personal need; I’d been unceremoniously canned from a job after I taught a bubbly marketing co-worker how to use Illustrator. My boss had said “You should teach her everything you know, and in return she can teach you everything she knows!” I probably should have known something was up when I realized that she wasn’t teaching me any marketing skills, but I was young and stupid. The moment she learned the rudimentary bones of the design software, I was sailed off the back steps. There were official reasons, of course, and in the end I found myself walking out of the building, box of personal items in hand and a slightly dazed look of bewilderment on my face.

So, I took two things with me from that job; a complete list of business contacts in the area and a severance check that bought me the Adobe Design Suite for my newly purchased iMac. The business of self-employment and self-promotion I learned along the way. I made some horrible choices and some excellent ones, landed some regular customers, occasional freelance jobs, random contracts, and eventually worked my way back into mainstream jobs with non-profits or low-profits. I took the long way around and have the scars to prove it.

Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to read the rest of this post with the absolute comfort that each of the following scenarios has occurred to me, and I made equal amounts of craptastic choices and good conscientious ones. In short, I’m not telling you anything theoretical. All of these things happened to me. Listen and learn.

Pitfall One: Being afraid
I set up the meeting, showed the portfolio, got the appropriate wows and was asked to build a series of web graphics. Ecstatic that I was actually working, I drafted up a quickie contract and bid and shipped it off. They called and said “well, sounds about right.” They didn’t sign the contract, but I was afraid that if I pressed the issue they wouldn’t hire me. The web graphics job started at four graphics, bloated to eight, then ten, then sprouted rollovers, animated buttons, revisions, and a complete scrap and redesign. All along the way I was frightened to say “we need to talk about the price” because I thought they’d refuse to pay for the work, or worse - not use my graphics. In the end, I got paid 200 dollars for 40 hours of work (the real number of hours was closer to 80). The website ran for four years, generating close to a million dollars in revenue.

Lesson learned? Fear is a useless commodity. If you undertake a pro bono project, you are offering your skills for temporary usage. Don’t be tempted to pad the project out of fear of rejection or your own feelings of inadequacy, and especially don’t give in to those “camel in the tent” situations. If you feel manipulated, threatened or just plain worried that they won’t like you, then you’re thinking about them a lot more than they’re thinking about you. This story also involves failure to sign a contract; I might as well have handed them the keys to my house. Your pro bono contract is your shield and sword, and will keep you from fear, apprehension and project creep.

Pitfall Two: The Jesus Complex
I was hired as a theatre director for a kids group in my early dewy youth. When I was introduced to the board of directors, it was as a shining beacon of hope, cradling between my hands some renewed sense of purpose for all; a mighty rock by which they could strengthen the world. They had lost two other people before me, both of which promised to do great things and failed miserably. According to them, I was the solution to their woes. In the span of a year, I went from saviour to the source of all evil, mainly because I was unable to bring in enough money to keep the place afloat. Never mind that I was literally given a zero budget, no resources and a group of kids so jaded they knew I was being fired before I did. I had been placed so high on the pedestal that the fall proved fatal, and I basically had to pack my bags and leave town as yet another failed promise.

Lesson learned? If you take a project and are heralded as the ultimate solution to the woes of an organization, take rapid stock of the situation and decide if you wish to continue. Any group that will hang its entire hope on a new logo or new website is an organization looking for the next person to blame for their failure to thrive. Be very clear that your efforts will enhance their business, but not save it. I’ve said this before: any organization that clutches at you will eventually drag you under as well.

Pitfall Three: Stupid choices yield poor results
This is pretty broad, but it’s important. I was referred to a very small job: designing a small 200×70 pixel graphic for a very small website. It was just one little graphic, but the man running the site was pretty well-connected within the business community and I thought it was an excellent way to showcase my work to a broader audience. So I wrote up a bid and a tiny contract saying I’d generate three or four ideas for him.

About ten minutes after that email went out, I received a phone call from the client. “C’mon,” the guy said “I’m not gonna sign a contract for something like this…it’s just a quick graphic.” It was my second or third freelance gig and I was more concerned about getting a good reputation as an easy to work with designer. So I let it slide. A few days later I sent him four samples, each with the word “SAMPLE” across the front.

The phone rings again. “C’mon, now… I can’t tell if I like them with that big word across the front, and I need to see how it looks on the website.” Once again, I helpfully took the security off my files and mailed them back. Magically he stopped returning my calls, and, equally mysterious in nature, all four of my images showed up on his website. When I finally heard from him, his email reply was “I feel like 65 dollars for a single graphic is too much, so I am paying you 45 dollars and keeping all the files. Thank you.”

Lesson here? Pretty self-explanatory, but the first is to follow protocol, which includes signing a contract, securing your files and not bending to anyone who finds your complex desire for contracts and design plans absurd. If an organization which you intend to do pro bono work with laughs at your contract, politely and positively discuss why a contract is beneficial to all involved. If the laughter turns into refusal, then say “Thank you for the time you’ve given me, and I wish your company the very best,” then pick up your things and depart the building. If they demand that you give them source files, multiple samples, non-protected imagery or fonts, then point them to the contract and ask them if they wish to continue or not. Keep in mind that you’re offering a service, and if you don’t value it, nobody else will, either.

Pitfall Four: Death by Committee
This one is pretty long, but it’s vital. Remember the story of my firing at the very beginning of this page? It was my first experience working with a committee-style work environment. It sounds ludicrous, but it’s dead truth; I found myself with six supervisors. Any design, any brochure, any logo was to be approved by all six of these people. I literally found myself running around the building with a sign-off sheet begging for people to approve the latest revision, which would then return to the big boss, who would axe the edits made by the other six people, and then demand that I send it back around. It was a hell mercifully cut short by my firing (remember how I said that there were official reasons? One of them was “inability to produce materials in a timely fashion.”) Since then, I’ve learned quite a bit about swimming the shark-infested waters of design-by-committee.

Lesson learned? If the organization you’re working for has 14 people on their “Design Committee,” then don’t work with the committee. If this sounds absurdly simple, remember your contract, which states that they should provide a single point of contact for you to work through. Let them wrangle and finagle meetings of 14 people without you. This serves two purposes: they will have to come to a consensus before they deal with you, saving a lot of time on drafts and revisions, and it also keeps you from being considered an employee. You’re a guest at this table; don’t become such a familiar face that they ask you to bring the donuts and coffee.

That being said, you will have to meet all of the committee members, and usually at the very first meeting about the project. Be kind; realize that many non-profit (and some for-profit) employees are terrified of making decisions alone for fear of being blamed if things go sour, and be merciful. Rescue these folks from themselves. Don’t ask if they want to “throw out ideas” or if they’d like to “make suggestions before we start.” This is like tossing chickens into a pit of alligators. You’ll never get out of the room alive.

Instead, say something like “Has this committee discussed the website/logo/design item?” Nine times out of ten they will all look at each other uncomfortably; nobody expected homework. When you see this look, you can say “Well - I’ve created a questionnaire -” and hand a single copy to your Point of Contact. “And if you all work together, I’ll have a clear idea of your opinions and ideas.” Spend the remainder of this first meeting giving a project overview, a timeline and due dates. Don’t take more than 20 minutes. At the close of this meeting, make it clear that you will only need to meet with a few select staff at the next meeting (or even just the point of contact). Save the next full committee meeting for your in-person concept presentation.

These are the four major pitfalls of working - either for free or for pay - that I’ve had the joy and shame of experiencing myself. There are a host of smaller ones I’ve picked up through the years, like never taking more than three copies of a design, regardless of how many people are in the room; using designspeak in a roomful of nondesigners; treating yourself like a subordinate through self-deprecating humor; always remembering to dress like the people you’re working with at any meeting you may have.

I invite you to chime in with your “lessons learned.” Let your painful experiences light the way for some newbie, folks…because it is only through sharing our trials that we can avoid the pitfalls we’d never see on our own.

That’s it for me. Thanks for listening and feel free to share your stories. I look forward to them.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

Invisible necktie? What’s an invisible necktie? The invisible necktie separates you from the crowd of speculative designers, designers just having fun, and pimply teens wielding a copy of Photoshop Elements with a song in their heart. The invisible necktie is the professional attitude that takes you from the corner of your dorm room or attic-corner flat, to a steel-and-glass office space with a window. Or, if you prefer, a flat overlooking the Thames.

The Invisible necktie is a mindset and a process. A professional process. And it’s doubly important with a pro bono client.

Many designers tend to approach their process only from the design point-of-view - sketch out some roughs, whip up a comp, do the production and “bill ‘em, Dan-O”. They may have even been taught this method in school. But, truth be told, it’s a bit myopic. The business part is being separated from the design part, when, in reality, they’re both part of the project. Also in that mix is how you work with other professionals. Quoted from Neil Tortorella’s Power of the Process

Okay, I’ve meandered long enough on the importance of the invisible necktie. Let’s find out how to tie one on.

Arrange an initial meeting: You gathered a good chunk of info from your initial research; now it’s time to get the inside scoop. Set aside anywhere between thirty minutes to an hour to meet with your pro bono client. In the initial meeting you’ll clarify information about the client’s background, what they’re trying to accomplish, the scope of their project and their overall goals. Use this time to gather additional information about their current audience and the audiences they’d like to capture, the names of their competition, any and all available resources, budgeting and timetable for completion.

BoDo has a list of project worksheets available here, and you can also find good resources at Creative Latitude and Creative Business.

It is at this initial meeting that you should discuss how (and how often) you plan to communicate with your clients. This is a chance for you to set your comfort levels and take control over your own accessibility. That’s right, at the first meeting. Often, in a feel good situation such as a pro bono, your first impulse is to hand over your telephone number and say “Call me when you need me!” Seriously, take a step back and ask yourself if you want your clients to call you at 6 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and midnight just because they wanted to add one more thing.

Ever hear of the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt?” If you make yourself constantly available, your pro bono client will mistake you for a tool instead of a craftsperson. Suddenly, that questionnaire you introduced doesn’t need to be filled out, because they can get it to you tomorrow. That vital information for the website? It can wait…you’re gonna be there tomorrow – right? Don’t make this error, or you’ll be chasing and wasting your own precious time. Budgeting your availability makes you a more valuable resource, and it reinforces the importance of deadlines for required materials. Here’s a sample layout that has worked for me:

• Three in-person meetings.
• One scheduled phone call per week (maybe two, depending on the scope of the project.
• A weekly email update to confirm your progress, and
• availability via email with a guaranteed response of some kind, perhaps even saying “You’ll always hear something back from me by the next working day.”

2. Conducting preliminary competitive and audience research for the proposal. This is the hardest part for newly minted creatives. Sometimes you just want to strap on your helmet and make a rush for the finish line, ideas flying from your head. Once again, you need to take some time and find out who your client is. This is also a chance to educate your client on the value of preliminary research gathering. Whip up a questionnaire that’s not too long, not too short, and then ask your client to fill it out to the best of their abilities. Sample questions might include the following:

• What is the current attitude towards your existing website/logo/promotional materials from the outside world?
• What do your employees think of your materials? Not just the administrators and managers, but all levels of employees.
• Name some of your favorite creative websites/promo ideas and provide samples or web addresses.
• What do you want to keep the same or have to keep the same?

Again, check out the forms on http://www.businessofdesignonline.com/downloads-forms/, Creative Latitude and Creative Business for ideas.

While you’re waiting for them to return the questionnaire, you should fill out one of your own. Look around at similar organizations that appeal to you and to others. Do footwork and gather materials of your own.

3. Find out who your team is. If you’re lucky, you won’t be alone in this project. Most not for profit organizations have marketing or public relations people who like nothing more than to help. They’re usually the same people who wait years for the higher-ups to approve changes to their existing logos, written materials or websites. Seek them out and become their compatriots in this endeavor. It will help you tremendously in the long run.

If your client doesn’t have a team formed, explain to your contact that even though the project is not yet underway, the formation of a team is vital to gathering information needed to create an informed proposal. Here’s the list:

Team Leader: Responsible for gathering answers to the questionnaires, serves as a first point of contact for all questions about the overall project. The best team leader is someone you can call on, when the project needs a kick in the pants.

Technical Support: If you’re designing a website, you want a well-informed IT member willing to sit in and outline the capabilities of the organization. The best IT person is someone who can translate tech speak for all those involved.

Quality Control: Usually a PR or marketing person that makes sure the information you’re receiving is accurate and in tune with the needs of the organization. The best person here is someone willing to review everything before it gets to you, not after you’ve printed it.

Budget and Finance: This is usually a silent teammate, but make sure someone is available to provide a clear and constant reminder that money is not infinite. Nothing’s worse than having a team leader ask you for a 30-foot billboard only to find out they can only afford a homeless guy with a cardboard sign.

Your side of the table is a lot more fluid. That’s a very pretty way of saying that you may end up being the only person there. But if you’re fortunate and your nonprofit client has the resources, you should prepare and submit requests for quotes from project associates such as photographers, writers, printers, that are willing to get involved. If you’re lucky enough to have a team ready to help out, it will bolster your client’s confidence in the project as well as create a network of people that will benefit from your involvement. Suddenly your friend the photographer has equal access to the publicity and potential clients, and they’ll return the favor one day.

4. Preparing your proposal and agreement: By this time you should have your questionnaires from your client, your own research and your invisible tie ready to go. Sit down and draft out your plan for the project. Proposals should be like a lady’s skirt; long enough to cover the important bits and short enough to garner some interest. Don’t use the words ‘revolutionize,’ ‘maximize,’ ‘energize,’ ‘revitalize’ or any words that end in -ize. Don’t talk down about the existing materials…chances are somebody in the room approved all that information once upon a time. Be brief and clear. If you’re designing a new logo, don’t “seek to maximize the potential of the client by pioneering a new identity to propel their goods and services into the future.” Try saying something like “Create an identity that is in tune with the new goals of the organization.” Create a timetable that works for you as well as your client, with enough wiggle room to either save you when the project drags or make you look like a hero for getting the project done early.

When you’re done, check with your potential client to make sure you’ve got all the necessary information and that you’re on the right track, then make a dozen copies, stuff’em in your briefcase with the rest of your research and go to step 5.

5. Arrange for your proposal presentation meeting. By this time, you should have your questionnaires gathered. Call up your point of contact or team leader and say. “I’m ready for the proposal presentation. When can you see me?” And you know what the best thing is? You will be. So cinch up that invisible necktie and walk through the front doors. Make your presentation. Once again, remember our lady’s skirt analogy; don’t bog them down in tech-speak. Bring samples but don’t explode your research all over the table. Outline what you’ve discovered and recap what your client has given you. Allow time for questions and answer them as well as you can.

Quick tip: If you don’t have an answer during this meeting, don’t lie. Example: a company I worked for hosted two proposals for a project. The first contractor’s reply to any question he didn’t have an answer for was “We can do that.” Imagine our surprise when “we can do that,” actually meant “We can do that, but we’ll charge you twice as much and it may not actually work.” The second contractor was a little less flashy, a little more cautious, and unafraid of saying “I don’t have a ready answer for that, but I can find you one.” That honesty that won him the contract.

After you finish this meeting, don’t be afraid if you don’t hear an answer right away. All projects are risky, and your client will want a chance to hear feedback from their team without you. Shake hands, say thank you, ask when you might expect a response, then head home and recap what worked, what didn’t and what was unexpected. Get answers to those questions that you didn’t expect and send them on to your contact person with a thank you note (by email or in print is best - that way the information can be shared.)

At this point, you’ll be surprised to know that your work is done. You have done just as much work and put forth just as much effort as any marketing/branding/advertising/design firm in the world on any project. If they pass on your offer, you’ve lost nothing but fifty sheets of paper and a little gas money. You can ask them to provide some feedback on why the project wasn’t picked up, but don’t press the issue; you’ve already gained immense knowledge in how to create a proposal. In the end, you are your own best judge. Pick up your newfound skills and find another pro bono project.

But if you DO get the call saying “we’d like to start immediately,” then you’re in for an equally wild ride. Strap yourself in and go to step 6, which is…

6. Sign your contract. Wait a minute…you don’t have a contract? Well…well, I never… *sigh* Now I’m going to have to write a whole column about why you need a contract for pro bono work…you better be lucky that I like y’all as much as I do. Stay tuned for the epic story of The Camel in the Tent: or Why You Need a Contract for Pro Bono work.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro bono

If you’re like me, you’re probably a busy person. Between that cup of vaguely foul coffee in the morning to the evening glass of water, wine or fudge ripple ice cream, your day is rife with strife.

Get up, get cleaned, shave whatever your society dictates should be smooth, jump in the car/grab the bus/get on the camel/in the canoe, combat traffic (are there camel-jams? I’m sure there are) struggle through work/school/daytime stress, make that mad fervent dash for lunch, try to schedule some bathroom time, fight the good fight for the cheap buck and do it all in reverse after the noon hour.

So, in honor of those who already work themselves ragged and still say “sure, I’ll do some pro bono…where can I find some?” Here’s your resource list.

Volunteer Organizations

This is a no-brainer. Remember the volunteer vs. pro bono conversation? While they’re not the same thing, they’re good bedfellows. A little advice though: the larger the organization, the more likely they’ve got their own design resources. In other words, don’t call up your local Red Cross and offer to redesign their logo.

You could spend days searching for the right group to work for; fortunately there are plenty of design industry groups on the web that have done a lot of the footwork for you.

Design Industry Specific Volunteer Groups:

• CreateAthon® A 24-hour, work-around the clock creative blitz during which local advertising agencies generate advertising services for local nonprofits that have little or no marketing budget.
• Designers Without Borders Founded in Kampala, Uganda in 2001 in response to the need for assistance at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts. DWB continues to deliver technology, instruction, and design consulting to schools and select non-profits in Africa.
• Design for the World An international humanitarian organization whose objective is to match the skills and commitment of volunteer designers with the needs expressed by disadvantaged populations and the organizations that serve them worldwide.
• Grassroots.org Provides nonprofit organizations with free valuable technologies and resources to increase their efficiency and productivity, and spreads important social information via a network of socially-focused websites.
• ICT Hub Suppliers Directory ICT connects voluntary and community sector organizations in England with suppliers of ICT products and services.
• iT4Communities Introduces volunteer IT professionals to charities needing IT help.
• Project M Founded by John Bielenberg, this group works to inspire young graphic designers, writers, photographers and other creative people that their work can have a positive and significant impact on the world. Their projects have taken them across America and the world.
• The Designers Accord A coalition of design and innovation firms focused on working together to create positive environmental and social impact.
• The Taproot Foundation Taproot asks volunteers to donate 3-5 hours per week on a 6-month pro bono project; most work is done virtually, with a weekly conference call with your team and one in-person meeting per month with your nonprofit client.
• WonderRoot An Atlanta-based non-profit organization committed to uniting artists and community to inspire positive social change.
• Worldstudio Foundation Guided by the belief that creativity holds enormous power for social change, Worldstudio Foundation offers both scholarships and mentoring for young creatives.

Volunteer Directories:

• energizeinc.com Websites for Volunteer Opportunities.
• Non-Profit Career Network: directory of Professional Services This directory contains a list of nonprofit organizations and their contact information in an easy access directory.
• The Australian Directory of Not for Profit Organisations Pro Bono Australia’s Directory of Not for Profit Organisations is designed to be used as a national guide to giving. It’s available online and as a booklet.
• The Global Directory Randy Tyler’s Global Directory of web sites that list online volunteer opportunities is organized by country of origin.

Volunteer Organizations:

• CoolPeopleCare A site that lists meaningful events in nearly every American city, including 5k runs, volunteer opportunities, lectures and fund-raising dinners.
• 1-800-Volunteer.org A national (US) database of volunteer opportunities powered by a volunteer management system for non-profits.
• idealist.org Idealist is a project of Action Without Borders, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with offices in the United States and Argentina. Idealist is an interactive site for people and organizations to exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a world where all people can lead free and dignified lives.
• NetAid Educating, inspiring and empowering young people to fight global poverty. NetAid is an initiative of Mercy Corps.
• Online Volunteering Opportunities Provides an opportunity for the general community to participate in meaningful volunteer roles to enhance agency programs and services.
• Pro Bono Australia Volunteer Match is Pro Bono Australia’s specialized service matching skilled professional volunteers and not-for-profit organizations. (Check out their Australian Directory of Not for Profit Organisations).
• Media Trust Media Trust is a dynamic, innovative charity bringing together the media industry and charities.
• UNV Online Volunteering The Online Volunteering service connects development organizations and volunteers over the Internet and supports their effective online collaboration.
• Volunteering England Volunteering England’s mission is to support an increase in the quality, quantity, impact and accessibility of volunteering throughout England.
• VolunteerMatch: Pretty much defined by their name, VolunteerMatch is a U.S. - based site that brings people and volunteer opportunities together.
• Volunteer Match - Pro Bono Australia A specialized service matching Skilled Professional Volunteers and not-for-profit organisations in Australia.
• Volunteer NOW! Volunteering New Zealand.

Tip: Before you agree to donate time to a non-profit organization, make sure to do a little research at Charity Watchdog.

And if the shoe doesn’t fit in any of these categories…

…then head out on your own. No design organization in your area? Why don’t you start one with some classmates or fellow designers? Pool your resources and create a pro bono organization dedicated to serving local nonprofits and volunteer groups. The possibilities are there if you reach for them. It’s a great way to get experience in both networking and leadership skills, both of which look great on your resume.

Tip: If you don’t know where to start, Care2 supports an Action Alerts list.

Designer-Generated Projects:

• Beyond Graphic Are you beyond graphic?
• Blog Action Day One issue. One Day. Thousands of Voices.
• Building Letters Launched in 2003 by Jim Richardson, the group has donated profits from the sales of their 36-page magazine on African design to support two African orphanages for children with AIDS.
• Design Can Change Graphic designers unite to address climate change.
• ROSA LOVES ♥ Designed For Good A group of friends with a vision who want to make a real impact in this world.
• veggiebrands.com The first branding resource dedicated to those who own or work for vegetarian organizations, products, services and causes.

Funding for Designer-Generated Projects:

• Audi Design Foundation Seeks to encourage and empower designers by supporting and promoting designs that create a positive change in people’s lives.
• Sappi Limited - Initiatives | Sappi Ideas that Matter ‘Ideas that Matter’ is a program from the paper product giant that supports design for the public good. Monetary grants are available for designers throughout the world to create and implement projects that serve the causes that are closest to their hearts. In their words: “We want to encourage ideas that have the potential to change our lives, our communities, and our world.”

Design Organisations

Today I got an email from a printer with some color questions about a logo I designed. I asked her how she got the gig; she found it on her local design chapter job forum after a 30-second search! If you have a strong local or national design organisation that’s active in your area, you have access to a wealth of paid and pro bono opportunities.

Now there’s a caveat to this advice: Don’t EVER offer to do a paid job listed on these sites for free. That’s called “taking food out of someone’s mouth,” and if you try to pull that kind of stunt you’ll have to change your name and leave town in the middle of the night.

To find a design organisation in your area: Icograda (International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is a good place to start, as is your local design school. Again, head for google and your local yellow pages.

Art Schools

I’m lucky enough to live in a region that’s chock full of universities, colleges and art schools. And these schools receive hundreds of requests for design or creative help every year. Google your community and find out where these schools are. Go have a look at their community announcement boards. Not everything is on the web, and the things that are posted on the Net receive exponentially more inquiries. Remember; you’re looking to help someone who needs to move beyond the photocopied flyer. An added bonus for those of you still in college: you might be able to take one of these jobs as an independent study for college credit.

Community Groups

I can’t say it enough: your local chamber of commerce is a source of good information for many industries in your area. Get in there (in person), grab a fistful of newsletters(new and old), and read up about your community. You’ll find events to promote, names to know and people to see. Find out when they have their next meeting. Become a member or just be a groupie. Take some business cards with you.

To find your local chamber: Googling’s a good start, but you can also use ChamberFind.com, or look in your local yellow pages.

Business and Social Networking Sites:

Finding a decent pro bono project will take networking to some degree (but you already knew that, right?). Businesses and business owners who frequent networking sites are your business target market, so it makes sense to go where they go, right? Put the word out that you are looking for a pro bono project and be clear exactly what that means. Plenty of networking sites are inundated with “special deals” that turn out to be spoofs or scams; word your intentions clearly so people know you’re one of the good guys.

If you want to increase your opportunities, consider joining one of the networks listed here. Mingle with like-minded professionals and find your perfect pro bono project. Who knows? You might accidentally end up with a paid job instead!

• Biznik Business Networking that Doesn’t Suck.
• Ecademy Free membership and guarantee of privacy makes Ecademy a good networking site
• Facebook I’ve just suggested a ‘Pro bono Designers’ network on FB and I’m waiting to see if they agree …
• Fast Pitch bills itself as “a one-stop shop to network and market your business.”
• Konnects Business Networking, Professional Network, Online communities.
• Linkedin An excellent site that allows you to connect with anyone you know, plus the opportunity to be introduced to those you don’t.
• Ryze business networking Ryze allows for business and social networking on one convenient site.
• Viadeo The business network chosen by Over 2 million professionals online. Available in Dutch, English, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portugese
• ZaaBiz One of Australia’s leading networking platforms.
• Wikipedia List of social networking websites.

Finally, and most important to any pro bono enterprise, is to go where your heart takes you. Maybe you’ve got a child with a medical condition, or an illness of your own that needs more public awareness. Perhaps your neighborhood needs less crime and more playgrounds. Charity starts at home, and volunteerism leads to pro bono work. Lead from your heart, with your head in the right place, and you can’t lose.

Next up, Working With a Pro bono Client: Part One.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro bono

In the previous post of the Designers Working With Writers series, our guest writers shared their feelings about working with designers. Two or more creatives clashing on a project can be a recipe for disaster. However, if we understand how each works within their own expertise, then the door is open to finding a solution.

With this in mind, the next question we asked our Writers was:

How do you work?

Liz

I guess you would say that I’m an undisciplined, disciplined writer. This much I know for sure. I’m not a prototype, an archetype, or even regular, but then I’m not sure that I know a writer who is.

I work in a variety of ways to suit the kind of writing that I’m doing and my background has led me to write for every age from preschool through professors of engineering and in every imaginable genre from fiction, poetry, copywriting, how-to, technical, inspirational, and self-help, which could be the result of having written all of the rest.

When I write the “softer” genres, I often hope to work at night or early in the morning. I Like quiet with time for reflecting to do some serious introspection. I think slowly and often listen to music before I begin to let my thoughts come together. When I have a point of view and message, I write as if I’m on a journey from beginning to end. I might edit a bit as I go, but mostly I get the message out. Then I let the piece sit for a short while. When I return to it, I change all of the clumsy words and take out all of the words that I realize don’t need to be there. It’s really quite fun to edit out the unnecessary words and details. And I’m quite lethal.

When I write the “more structured” genres — things that require research, detail, and accuracy — I’m a top down writer. I plan my work in pieces or sections, the way a designer might storyboard a multi-piece design. I define my ending point — that closing conclusion that I want to be the end that satisfies the reader. Then I determine what would be the corresponding beginning to echo or reflect that ending. Usually I’m doing this first, because the middle is the hardest part for me.

If I have a sense of the beginning and the ending, then I can map out what goes in between. First I do that with the broadest brush strokes and quickly. Then I go back to fill in the details. Each time I return to read it, I challenge the details a little harder to make sure that I’ve not left something out.

For that kind of writing I’m highly focused. I often walk around to find the words and to read what I wrote. I rehearse sentences in my head before I write them, because I find putting the words on paper in such detail visually distracts me from what the words mean. So I get the meaning and the words together before I commit them to the text on screen or paper.

Two things are true of every writer, we have to use both ego and self-doubt to write anything worth writing. And no one can help us write. In those ways, writers are like designers.

ME (Liz) Strauss | Writer | Career coach | Strategic planner
Successful Blog | Letting Liz Be | Liz Strauss.com | The Blog Herald | Performancing.com | Write With ME

Roy

For me, writing is a process, a set of rational steps: the search for an idea; the collection of important stuff; working toward a focus; finding a structure; creating an early draft; revising. I want to involve collaborators as early in the process as possible. I want them to be able to plan and rehearse.

Roy Peter Clark | America’s writing coach
Poynter Online - Writing Tools | Book: Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

Tom

Some days more slowly than others.

Tom Chandler | copywriting : online/blogging : marketing plans
Chandler Writes. You Profit. | The Copywriter Underground

tom

Depends on the project. Mostly I work remote, via iSight, to concept/present. I’ll collaborate w/designers, art directors, or I’ll work alone. It just depends on the scope of the assignment.

tom mullen | writer & proprietor
EXIT3A.com | ANONYMOUS, JR

Following the set format for the DWW series, next up will be How to Choose a Writer.

until the next
Designers WW,
jay, taking over from cat for this post

Have you Been BoDo’d?

Welcome to our first Been BoDo’d. So, what’s this ‘Been BoDo’d? In a nutshell, it’s where we select a noted veteran or up-and-coming designer to share thoughts, insights and experiences about the business side of design. You can see more of an explanation in our sidebar under Being BoDo’d.

For our first You’ve Been BoDo’d, we went in search of someone experienced in design, business and more. With Andy Budd (popular author, blogger, web guy), we got the ‘and more’.

A bit about Andy

Andy Budd is the Creative Director at Clearleft, a noted team of web design and interaction consultants. He’s also an internationally known user experience designer, web standards expert, frequent speaker at major design conferences and beer drinker extraordinaire.

Tapping into Andy’s design experience and knowledge, he is often requested to judge various web design awards. He also sits on the advisory board for .Net magazine, the UK’s leading web development periodical.

Andy is also the author of CSS Mastery: Advanced Web Standards Solutions, where he shares his years of experience in creating attractive, standards compliant websites. I have a copy, and even though my CSS skill are cacca (not the books fault as I cheat by yelling for Jay), as a fan of CSS Mastery, I highly recommend it for your CSS library.

I’m also a long time fan of Blogography, Andy’s blog. Years before I knew anything about blogs, Blogography was one of the first I kept going back to. And still do.

A bit about the Designers Working With Series

Last month we started the Designers Working With Series (DWW) to get real people advice about running a design company. Starting with designers, the DWW series focuses on how designers work, and how other professionals (writers, photographers, marketeers, printers and pre press specialists, etc) work with designers.

Andy participated in the first round, the designers round. It’s where we asked seven questions with a design industry bend. Below are Andy’s answers, all in a row.

As a professional designer, what are the main points that you’d expect / want clients to know before contacting you about a project?

Ideally the client will have done some preparatory work and have a rough idea of the project goals, budget and the type of design services they are looking for. However as a professional consultancy, it is our job to guide clients through the process no matter how prepared or experienced they are.

When working with clients, what do you see as the top problem areas?

The two main client issues I see occurring on a regular basis are unrealistic or inflated expectations, and the tendency to offer solutions rather than outline problems.

The majority of clients have little or no experience in building a website which is why they come to design professionals for help. There is a popular misconception that web design is easy, and this is something that has been propagated by tools manufacturers and educators over the years. Because of this, many clients have unrealistic expectations when it comes to budget, timeframe and features.

As web professionals, it is our job to manage our clients’ expectations and make sure they understand exactly what they will be getting as a result of the design process. Unfortunately in the rush to sell services and win pitches, agencies often over promise and under deliver. This may win clients in the short term, but in the long term they will be left feeling short changed. I think it is much wiser to under promise and over deliver. That way clients will always be delighted with the work you produce.

Good communication at the start of the project is vital as it allows you to manage client expectations. It is also an opportunity to set some ground rules and explain to clients exactly how the design process will work.

Design is all about creative problem solving. In an ideal world your clients will define the problems they are facing, and then you will come up with the best solution to solve those problems. However people are naturally helpful and clients really enjoy getting involved with design projects. As such, rather than coming to you with a problem to fix, clients will often come to you with one of several possible solutions and ask you to implement them. Examples of this could be anything from a client suggesting that a button needs to be made bigger, through to recommending functionality like a blog or a forum. In these situations, it is important to understand that the client recommendation is just one possible solution to a much deeper problem, and it is your job to examine what that problem is, look at all of the available solutions, and then suggest the best one for the job.

To avoid these situations, it is important to explain the design process up front and make sure your client is explaining what the problems are rather than simply offering one of several solutions. That way your client will get the most out of your design knowledge and the project has a much higher chance of success.

How do you work?

At Clearleft we employ a relatively flexible process that can be scaled up or down depending on the needs of the project. This flexibility is vital as every client and every project is different, so what works for one may not necessarily work for another.

Where time and budget allow we like to start our projects with some initial stakeholder research. This could be anything from a few quick user interviews through to a more structured program of contextual inquiry. This information is then used to create a series of personas, scenarios and user tasks that guide the rest of the process. If we were dealing with an existing site we would normally perform a content inventory, whereas with a new site we ‘would run a competitive analysis so see what the marketplace was doing.

Using this information we would normally arrange a series of planning workshops with the key project stakeholders. We would use these workshops to uncover the required site functionality and content, and then create a content plan, features list and site map. Once the client approves the proposed functionality, we create a series of wireframes that are tested on real users. Once everybody is happy with the overall user experience, the user interface is designed and page templates are developed. These are then integrated into the back-end system, tested and deployed.

We don’t have dedicated project managers so each team member is responsible for their own part of the project. This means that our clients have direct access to the people working on their projects and requirements don’t get lost in translation. We use Basecamp to manage our written communications and make liberal use of Skype and IM throughout the process. We like to build relationships with our clients so face-to-face meetings are good. However with around half of our clients coming from overseas, it’s not always possible or practical. An average project will take around 4 months and we usually have several on at any one time. We are in fairly high demand at the moment as there aren’t many agencies offering the range or depth of service that we do. As such, we usually need a couple of months notice before scheduling new projects.

How should a company or individual in your profession be chosen?

If you are looking to commission a design partner, you should spend a reasonable amount of time researching possible candidates. Look at the problems you are trying to solve and the skills you require, and then try to find a good match. For instance, if your main concern is branding, then you probably need to find an agency that specializes in visual design, whereas if you have a lot of information you need organizing, you’ll want an agency that that focuses on information architecture. If you are building a content oriented site, your partners will need a good understanding of content management. However if you are building a web application, interaction design and user experience will be key.

With so many agencies out there specializing in different ways, it often makes sense to commission different companies for different parts of the project. So you may want to hire a design and interaction specialist to design the user experience, and then a development company to program the application.

The best way to select an agency is to ask for recommendations from your colleagues or other web developers. If somebody you know has worked with an agency before or has heard good things about them, they are already pre-qualified. Look at sites in a similar field to yours. If any are particularly good, find out who designed them and add them to your list of possible partners. I also recommend looking at design galleries and noting any sites that are a similar size, quality and style to the one you are trying to produce. Create a shortlist of 3-5 agencies, send them a detailed brief and then base your decision on the result. Remember that you’ll have to work with this agency for several months, so choose a company that’s a good fit and you get on with.

At what point should your profession be brought into a project?

The sooner you can get a professional consultancy involved the better. A good way to start is to commission an initial discovery phase. This gives the designer an opportunity to learn about your company and the problems you’re facing, and come up with some initial recommendations. It also gives the client an opportunity to work with the designer on a smaller project to see how they get on. If both parties are happy with the outcome, you can then move forward with the main project confident that it will be a success.

How do you charge?

Like most professional services, we charge based on the time spent on a project. We will estimate how long each stage of the project will take in order to calculate the headline figure. We’ve been doing this for a while now, so our estimates are generally very accurate. However all projects are different and have their own unique set of influences. As such we always recommend building in a refundable contingency to cover unexpected expenses or additional functionality.

As the project progresses, we’ll track how much time we spend on the various components and keep our clients up to date with how the budget is being allocated. For fixed cost projects we will normally break functionality down into core, desired and deferred components. We promise to deliver all of the core functionality and as much of the desired functionality as the remaining time will allow. This lets clients to see exactly where their budget is being spent and allows them to make much better financial decisions.

How can a designer improve their skills?

You can continuously improve your skills by reading books, going to conferences and learning from your peers. Every project you take on should be an opportunity to face new challenges and learn new skills. If you are not getting this challenge at work, I highly recommend taking on a personal project to stretch your creative muscles.

Andy Budd | Managing Director | Web Designer | Author
Andy Budd::Blogography | CSS Mastery

Thanks Andy!

until the next
You’ve Been BoDo’d
cat

This is sometimes hit and miss with clients and even with some designers in the position of hiring those needed. Do you contact those involved in the early stages of a design project to give professional advice? Or do you wait until their part of the project needs to be done? Inquiring minds need to know … so I asked the question “At what point should your profession be brought into a project?”

Andy

The sooner you can get a professional consultancy involved the better. A good way to start is to commission an initial discovery phase. This gives the designer an opportunity to learn about your company and the problems you’re facing, and come up with some initial recommendations. It also gives the client an opportunity to work with the designer on a smaller project to see how they get on. If both parties are happy with the outcome, you can then move forward with the main project confident that it will be a success.

Andy Budd | Managing Director | Web Designer | Author
Andy Budd::Blogography | CSS Mastery

Anna

This is fairly subjective. We like to be brought in early, but after the client has thought through the project enough to know what they are looking for. We definitely don’t like to be brought in a week before the project has to launch - giving your design professional ample time to work through the design is essential. A rushed job never looks as good as it could have.

Anna Corpron & Sean Auyeung | Interdisciplinary Design Practice
Sub-Studio | sub-studio design blog

Brian

When the idea is first discussed, so that the designer’s input and expertise can influence the scope and objectives of the project.

Brian Sooy | Design Consultant
Brian Sooy & Co | Altered Ego Fonts

Chris

I think contributing designers should be brought in when the scale/scope of the project demands their presence. In starting any project the person setting out goals and milestones should have a clear understanding when certain things will occur. For instance, let’s say a company is designing a very elaborate catalog/brochure that requires a lot of photos of products and those products are crucial in the layout. I think this would be a point where a PM would want to determine if the copywriter or their layout professional is needed more.

Chris Tomlinson | Communication Designer | Printer
Gonink | Gonink blog

Dag

I hate to say “depends on the situation” all the time, but it seems to be the case. Not all projects are equal. Although I would hate to bat clean up there are times when someone didn’t provide the design services they were hired to do and someone fresh is brought in to fix/complete the job at nearly deadline. I dislike those situations because they tend to be tricky and stressful. And often you’ll find yourself building upon someone else’s existing framework and working with testy people. If the changes are to a mild degree that’s not a biggie, typesetters (retouchers, etc.) for example do it all the time, but extensive redesigns begs the question of who gets credit for the final output. If it’s a work for hire arrangement the question is relatively moot. If you’re taking over a project from a previously terminated arrangement on the other hand that’s where credit could potentially end up getting a bit iffy at some juncture.

I should also mention that normally typesetters and retouchers are brought in after the initial designs are made, to refine the work. Because of the massive myriad of dimensions in magazine ads for example, many firms outsource approved design layouts to press bureaus who have a design department themselves onhand to clean up and refine the piece. Although many are trained designers in their own right, they often do the majority of retouching and typesetting for all the ads it will end up in, a LOT of work. So in this instance, I would say that a typesetter/retoucher would ideally be introduced once the initial layout is done, to polish the layout (which can include changes to the elements), preflight it and often await for the final approval before sending it along to press. The initial designer of the layout has by this point moved on to other projects.

In the best possible situation, a designer would hope to be introduced/involved during the inception of the marketing and branding stages of the project. Sitting in, taking notes and being creatively inspired by the direction that the company wants to take with the project and product concepts. Branding and design go hand in hand, don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. To help effectively market the brand the design has to at the very least appeal to the target audience, after all. An effective design should have it’s beat on the pulse of the market whether it’s pandering off of existing styles or exploring a direction that the audience would find fresh and stimulating, based on their research.

Dagmar Jeffrey | Principal Arche-tech
NO!SPEC Brainstorming Team Member | Arche-BLogGER

Daniel

Naturally as early as possible–sometimes even before they have decided “what” they are doing. They may think they’re going to launch a new product or service, but a designer can bring in a fresh POV, from outside their corporate and political structure, and help them refine their offering even before it goes to marketing.

I do a lot of what I call “Design Therapy,” where I help the clients be more focused on what they offer and who they are offering it too. It’s surprising how many companies aren’t really clear on what makes them different and unique.

Daniel Will-Harris | Communication Designer
Will-Harris House | Schmoozeletter

Dan

As early as possible which will help manage expectations (on both sides).

Dan Sturdivant | Communication Designer | Editor
TexasDesign.com

Leslie

Earlier is better than later. Creatives aren’t worker-bees who churn out product–they are most valuable as concept-creators and so can bring ideas to brainstorming sessions you never even would have vaguely considered.

Leslie Burns-Dell’Acqua | Creative/Marketing Consultant & Coach
Burns Auto Parts–Consultants | Burns Auto Parts blog | Podcast | Book

Metin

Whenever there’s need for a visual addition to any project, such as an illustration that will strengthen a message.

Metin Seven | Communication Designer
Seven’s Heaven - design and illustration

Neil

As early as possible. Bringing a designer on early can avoid problems later and the designer can usually make suggesstions at the beginning that will help develop a successful project.

Neil (nt) Tortorella | Marketing Manager
Tortorella Design | The Marketing Mind | Creative Latitude | BoDo Team | Marketing Minute

Roger

Designers should be brought into a project as soon as the project’s goals and objectives are defined. Waiting until too late results in “deadline madness” and expensive, wasted effort.

Designers who position themselves solely from an aesthetic point of view may be doing their careers a disservice. If a designer can only make something more attractive, or easier to read, their value proposition is not as strong as another designer who can help clients identify their strategic objectives and help them come up with a plan to achieve them.

Roger C Parker | Designer | Writer | Marketing Consultant
Design To Sell Online | Roger C. Parker Design to Sell Blog | Design to Sell

Scott

A designer’s eye can be an invaluable resource at nearly any point of a project, but it depends on the nature of the project. For web sites or applications, having a designer and a usability expert on hand early on can help mediate decisions that are difficult to reverse later and can bring new ideas to the table earlier on in the process.

Design isn’t just something you slap onto a project, or at least it shouldn’t be. Design needs time to settle in and get the lay of the land. Design is about listening, understanding, and communicating. Rushing it is an easy way to lead to mistakes or a bad end result. For myself, being somewhat technically inclined as well, I like to get in on the ground floor of projects so I can provide input as early on as necessary to make sure that my job as a designer isn’t made any more complicated then it needs to be.

Scott Boms | Communication Designer
Wishingline DS

Summary

It seems everyone is pretty much in agreement - bring in designers as soon as the scope of the project has been determined (if needed, sometime sooner).

Next up is the age old question, How do you charge?

until the next
Designers WW,
cat

So far we’ve concentrated on clients - what our clients should know before making contact, a wishful client’s guide to conduct, and a shared range of problems that crop up with the client / designer relationship.

As this series is about designers working with the surrounding industries, it’s important to first lay out how designers work - the process.

Andy’s into research, planning and relationship building where possible

At Clearleft we employ a relatively flexible process that can be scaled up or down depending on the needs of the project. This flexibility is vital as every client and every project is different, so what works for one may not necessarily work for another.

Where time and budget allow we like to start our projects with some initial stakeholder research. This could be anything from a few quick user interviews through to a more structured program of contextual inquiry. This information is then used to create a series of personas, scenarios and user tasks that guide the rest of the process. If we were dealing with an existing site we would normally perform a content inventory, whereas with a new site we would run a competitive analysis so see what the marketplace was doing.

Using this information we would normally arrange a series of planning workshops with the key project stakeholders. We would use these workshops to uncover the required site functionality and content, and then create a content plan, features list and site map. Once the client approves the proposed functionality, we create a series of wireframes that are tested on real users. Once everybody is happy with the overall user experience, the user interface is designed and page templates are developed. These are then integrated into the back-end system, tested and deployed.

We don’t have dedicated project managers so each team member is responsible for their own part of the project. This means that our clients have direct access to the people working on their projects and requirements don’t get lost in translation. We use Basecamp to manage our written communications and make liberal use of Skype and IM throughout the process. We like to build relationships with our clients so face-to-face meetings are good. However with around half of our clients coming from overseas, it’s not always possible or practical. An average project will take around 4 months and we usually have several on at any one time. We are in fairly high demand at the moment as there aren’t many agencies offering the range or depth of service that we do. As such, we usually need a couple of months notice before scheduling new projects.

Andy Budd | Managing Director | Web Designer | Author
Andy Budd::Blogography | CSS Mastery

Ann makes sure needs are met

We typically begin with a face to face meeting with our clients where we discuss their needs and desires. We describe our design & production process to them and try to communicate what they can expect from working with us. We then come back to them with a proposal (fees, scope of work, and a timeline) based on the conversation we had at our first meeting. Once the contract has been signed and the retainer has been paid, we begin work. Since most of our work can be communicated via email (website development, design proofs via email), how often we meet with the client after this point depends on the needs of that client. Some people want to meet once a week, others we might not meet up with again until the product is launched.

We never give out our home phone number, but we are available 9-6 Mon - Fri and always via email. We try to be as prompt in answering clients’ questions and concerns as possible, so that they feel they are being taken care of. How soon we take on a project just depends on our availability at the time. If we have the time we can take a project on immediately, if we are busier, it could be a few weeks before we are able to begin. Regardless, we work with the client to make sure that everyone’s needs are met.

Anna Corpron & Sean Auyeung | Interdisciplinary Design Practice
Sub-Studio | sub-studio design blog

Brian believes in “no uncompensated thinking”

Initial client contact is handled by the firm principal, who then continues with relationship building. Ongoing interfacing is handled by the designers who work on the project, and our coordinator.

As the firm principal, I am not involved in design as much as client strategy and client management, and of course running the firm!

The best contacts come from referrals, without exception. A first meeting generally involves a portfolio review and a capabilities overview.

If we’re asked to bid on a project, we prepare a general proposal for costs, but without any conceptual work (ideas or concepts or specifications). Proposals are kept as general as possible, without any specifics.

If a client wants a detailed specification for a project, or does not have a design brief, we offer to create one for them on a fee basis, in order to then provide them an accurate proposal. The idea is “no uncompensated thinking.”

See this for some eye-opening mantras: New Years Resolutions for Designers (check out Win Without Pitching).

We have many remote clients. We meet face-to-face when appropriate. I’m keenly aware that managing client expectations and leading them well gives me the freedom to suggest that a requested in-person visit may be better suited to a conference call.

If a designers’ phone system doesn’t handle conference calls, it’s simple to set up a conf call at www.freeconferencecall.com.

We don’t share home phone, but occasionally mobile phone numbers.

We’re closed on the weekends, and our clients respect that. We also close from the last business week of the year, and have for 11 years with no negative impact on client relationships.

In general, new projects will take from 3 days to two weeks to work into the schedule, based on existing workload. There are always last-minute projects that require quick turnaround, the key is to charge more of a premium for those type of projects (when possible) to compensate for having to meet the client’s short-term deadlines.

We combine proposals with contracts: legal language with general project specifications.

Business affairs are run from a home office; staff and myself work from a main office in another part of town. Actually I work at a home office and our main office, and anywhere I can open my laptop.

Brian Sooy | Design Consultant
Brian Sooy & Co | Altered Ego Fonts

Chris is informal, flexible and professional

I prefer to start off with a face-to-face meeting with my client if at all possible. We will sit down and just chit-chat to get to know one another and our business(s). I then start an informal and random questionnaire to help me understand their business even more, their goals and their aspirations about the project. Because my company is me, myself and I, I bend over backwards for clients (to an extent) in offering meeting times, calls, etc,. But not a single client I meet with gets anything before a contract is signed and agreed upon. And as far as payment goes, the contract is flexible. Sometimes it’s paid as certain parts are accomplished and others are 50% up front and the remaining when the project is finished.

Chris Tomlinson | Communication Designer | Printer
Gonink | Gonink blog

Dag works under pressure

As the song goes, “Under Pressure” ^_^ Actually, I divide my time. Sometimes I work on site, that is, as an independently contracted work for hire. Other times I’m contracted for a project and will work on site at a client’s studio, or I will work on a project in my home studio then present it to the client at a pre-arranged meeting place (either their office or set up a “power brunch” at a quiet enough spot where we can pull out our work and pow-wow).

Dagmar Jeffrey | Principal Arche-tech
NO!SPEC Brainstorming Team Member | Arche-BLogGER

Daniel rarely has a face to face

I always start out with emails, to make sure everyone is taking the time to clearly put their thoughts and requirements in writing. Quite often e-mail is the only contact I have with clients. Some clients prefer to use the phone, which I’m happy to do if they request it. I rarely have face to face meetings but can do it in the SF bay area, or if a client pays travel expenses. I am waiting for a client in Fiji or Venice who wants to do this :)

For international clients I often use Skype because it allows for discussion, and for sending ideas and revisions to them instantly.

I don’t give out my home phone number, but I do check my office VM at home and return calls.

If I client needs a job done fast I can get it done on almost no notice. I actually love very short deadlines. I had a client come to me on Friday afternoon needing a web design by Monday morning. I gave them three comps, let them select, made revisions and delivered the polished design before 8am Monday.

I use proposals and contracts. Most often clients come to me after seeing the work on my site, so proposals are unnecessary. Usually, instead of a formal proposal, we email back and forth until I know what they need, then I write up a contract to match. The only time I create proposals are if the client is talking to several designers and wants to see what I offer in terms of experience, process, time and cost. In that case, a proposal is a kind of sales pitch.

Daniel Will-Harris | Communication Designer
Will-Harris House | Schmoozeletter

Dan uses a process

We use a 4-d development process:

1. Define
2. Design
3. Develop
4. Deploy

Initially I like to meet the client in person (where possible). We then meet throughout the project, as well as email and telephone calls along the way. For after hours contact, although I don’t share my home phone number, if around, I do field calls, but they may or may not be answered or replied to. For contracts and proposals, most jobs I work on require a proposal, followed by a contract.

Dan Sturdivant | Communication Designer | Editor
TexasDesign.com

Distance is not an issue with Roger

Most of my clients come to me through my educational website, www.designtosellonline.com, online events like Microsoft webinars, and word of mouth referrals. Education–like my blog and Design to Sell PDF newsletter–earns a prospect’s trust long before our first conversation.

Training often plays a role in converting prospects into clients. I present an ongoing cycle of teleconferences and webinars. These give distant clients a chance to get to know me in a “safe,” non-threatening, environment, before they bring up the issue of work.

Distance is not an issue. Given the realities of today’s traffic-clogged cities and suburban sprawl, a client’s location five or six miles away is not necessarily an advantage. I would rather work with someone thousands of miles away–by phone and www.gotomeeting.com shared-screen technology, than spend forty-five minutes in traffic, or circling a crowded parking lot in a suburban office park.

Roger C Parker | Designer | Writer | Marketing Consultant
Design To Sell Online | Roger C. Parker Design to Sell Blog | Design to Sell

Scott’s into research

As part of any project, before I design anything, I spend time doing research. I’ll look into the client’s industry, their business, find out who their customers are, who they’re trying to target, who their competition is and what their strengths and weaknesses are, etc. I’ll amass a folder full of notes, images, and relevant documents. From there I’ll start to assemble some initial ideas on what the nature of the problem is and then go about coming up with starting points on a solution to the “problem”. From there I’ll likely start with pencil and paper and begin working on visual ideas or some basic copywriting, all depending on the particular project. I try to avoid getting right into comps on the computer until I have a few solid ideas worth fleshing out so that I don’t waste too much time on the computer. It’s just easier to start with old school methods. There are cases where I may know exactly what I’m going to do and I’ll go right to the computer, but that’s rare.

Scott Boms | Communication Designer
Wishingline DS

Stefan believes in relationship building

Our design process is an ever evolving entity. Generally it starts with the first introductory meeting with the client where we go through a process of discovery to determine the goals and objectives of their project. On occasion we will walk our clients through a branding discussion in order to determine if there are some brand issues that need to be solidified before continuing on with the project at hand. (There’s nothing more aggravating than working with a client whose brand isn’t performing and functioning efficiently.)

Once we have determined that all of the pieces are in place and have a firm understanding of their project scope, our design team will get together to discuss and begin brainstorming in order to get an accurate picture of the breadth and scope from our side of the table.

We then prepare a proposal that reiterates all of the project goals and objectives and an outline for timeline and pricing. Once the proposal is complete, we generally email it to the client, unless we have some other reason to deliver it in person.

We then answer any questions/concerns regarding the proposal, shore up any loose ends and begin designing. Generally here is where we would handle any contractual issues the client may have regarding property rights etc., but most of our clients do not require any formal contract.

After the project has gone through the initial design phase, we will internally critique it, make necessary changes and then make a formal presentation to our client. We prefer to deliver the initial designs in person so we can get immediate feedback and give a full report on the decisions we made. On occasion, we will send the designs via email to a client that may be halfway around the world, but in general, if we can get them to meet with us, we feel we are able to understand their needs, should there be changes to make or new ideas blossom during the meeting.

After meeting with the client, we will then take the discussion and make the necessary changes to make another presentation before the client signs off. Upon client approval, we will send the project to print or, in the case of web design, launch the site.

Once all bills associated with the project have arrived, we will bill the client per our initial estimate. From that point on, we are maintaining contact with them to find out how well the project has been received by their audience as well as to follow up regarding any other needs they may have.

Our primary concern is to build relationships. The more face time we have with a client, the more comfortable they become with us, the more trust they have in our process and the more likely they are to become a long term client.

Because we are a small firm, we rarely need to do much project management. Occasionally I will walk around the office to see how critical projects are going, making sure they are on task, but our designers are very reliable and very aware of the timelines. (We have never missed one in our 20 years.)

We believe that in building relationships with our clients, that they are like good friends. They should have access to us any time they may need us. So, we want them to call us after hours, on the weekends, etc. That dedication to the relationship is what proves to your client that you are serious.

We generally allow projects to come in at any point, no matter how tight the deadline, however, we do try to maintain that the more lead time we have, the better the final product will be. Our clients have been very good about honoring that rule. Why would they want to sacrifice better design?

Stefan Bean | President/Creative Director
Pulse Creative Partners, Inc. | BoDo Author | Bean’s Biz

Summary

Last year, Michael Bierut (Design Observer) penned a wonderful article, This is My Process.

The basics: Listen carefully, research, use firsthand experience where possible, wait for an idea to come, figure out strategic justification for the idea, then add other ideas if necessary. And lastly, depend on the client’s trust.

Michael stated in the beginning, “What would happen, I wonder, if I actually told the truth about what happens in a design process?” But if you compare, his stripped down design process is the same as what others are saying, only without the promise of magic.

A given, when aiming to capture a client’s trust, throwing an element of magic into the process wouldn’t sell all that well. Or would it?

Sans magic, but filled with needed information, next up is Neil Tortorella’s The Power of Process. It’s where he details a designers process, all the way to phase three. Enjoy.

until the next
Designers WW,
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