Conduct a Designer Review
A freelance graphic designer is a valuable resource when work demands are high and deadlines are tight. Hiring one can help with staff morale by reducing the burden of having too many projects and too little time. It keeps your internal clients happy by delivering projects on time and it helps the bottom line by fulfilling your marketing needs without taking on more personnel. If you’re new to hiring freelancers or have tried and been burned before, you should do a designer review.
A “designer review” (#designer review) is much like a job interview during which you meet the individual, review his or her portfolio, and get a feel for how it might be to work with them. Taking the time upfront for this process is important and will save time in the long run. You’ll meet several designers and see a variety of aesthetic styles. The conversation will establish rapport and demonstrate expertise and savvy. This can help you choose someone who becomes a reliable partner. You may be so lucky to find a few to choose from.
Follow these guidelines for conducting a “designer review”
- Establish a review board or committee. At least one other person can help you. Two others are ideal. They should understand marketing in general, the projects at hand, and have a stake in the outcome. If you have a designer or writer on staff and you’re adding a freelancer they are likely to work with, it’s good form to include them at some point in the review process, too.
- Create a scope of work document. Outline the intent of the project or contract. Be specific and be consistent in the details or lack of them. You can even share this document with the designers you invite prior to the meeting.
- Create a list of questions. Questions and scenarios for the candidates to respond to during the interview will help you find out if they will be an asset to your team. Consider if they are easy to communicate with and how they fit with your organization’s work style. Use the same questions with each candidate. This will helps you assess their answers consistently.
- Invite the designers. You can find designers here on LinkedIN, by searching the Web, and by word of mouth. Invite the freelancers to present their book of work in 10- to 15-minute presentations. In-person presentations are ideal, but they can also be conducted via electronic conferencing. The designers may present electronic formats and actual samples. And if printed collateral is in your marketing mix, ask them to show physical printed samples, if possible. For your e-conference candidates, consider having them send samples prior to the interview. (Make sure to return them if requested.)
- Interview the candidates. At the interview, discuss the scope of work you provided initially. Have a conversation about it. The designer may ask some questions to clarify their understanding and should be able to give concrete examples of similar work and a range of time and expense for the undertaking. Hopefully, they included similar samples in their portfolio. If not, they may still be quite capable and be an excellent choice to work with.
- Evaluate. Evaluate the designers based on the common criteria and if needed, call for a second round of interviews. If there is a clear stand out already go straight to the next step. If you need a second round, ask the finalists for estimates and references and use that to inform your decision.
- Make your selection. Remember when you select a design partner you want someone with strategic skills who understands your business and wants to see your organization succeed. Of course, you need to think about aesthetics but not at the expense of practicality, clarity of message, or brand alignment. Don’t choose style over function. There should be a good synthesis of the two. When you’re ready, award the project and agree to terms.
That’s it! Conduct a designer review and find a valuable strategic partner. It will pay dividends in project management, workflow, and creative output. You’ll be glad you did.
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