Reflection #1

I recently had my first full start to finish design project in semi “professional” context. Being given full carte blanche is an odd experience when you’re used to a structured learning environment, and was a bit heady. However, being a relatively organized person I responded by repeatedly harassing my client to give me something more than a business name and a rough idea of what they might be selling. Having extracted perhaps less information than ideal, I had quite the journey designing their logo, site, typographical choices, and general branding package.

For the record, I don’t recommend that anyone handle all of those things for a client who also employs you to do other work (ie, someone who treats you as an employee vs someone who views you as an equal providing a service). This confounded my ability to make decisions and led to constant second guessing. Beyond this confusing client relationship, it was further made complicated by the fact that I was designing all of this for a business that existed only as an idea, with no tangible product or service yet determined. From start to finish, it was a process of begging my client for more information. The other side of all this, is that I had huge latitude in my ability to make decisions about the overall design and feel of the brand.

All in all, I would recommend that anyone who wants to be a designer also find themselves, at one point or another, in a position where they must manage a project and or other individuals. Its a revealing experience about the reality that designing is only a small part of the overall battle between a “creative” personality, and one that demands a concrete service.