[Jeewhizz]

That would suffice for most people. As it's a new business, there's no existing customer base we can look at, so it goes solely on your research.

Remember, you aren't paying just for a logo to be made - you're paying for the creative juices that flow from the designer into making something that works

[sally]

Hmmm, flowing creative juices ...... I can think of something really naughty and rather distasteful to say now ...... but I won't.

[Calibre Designs]

New businesses or start ups give that kind of description. Colin is right about that. You just have to fill in some of the holes

Our much larger clients fill out a brief questionnaire.

[Pixels Ink]

With most start-ups you have to hand hold through the design process as it is very new to them, bigger businesses have more of an idea of what to expect to be asked and are prepared (most of the time!).

[tommy]

Originally Posted by sally

Thanks for the answers but still not getting it, although I love the questionnaire idea as it gives direction to the newbie.

Let's say I wanted to start a business selling my fancy new pogo-sticks and want a logo designed. Would I just say "I want something fresh to appeal to the 12-16 age range, maybe using citrus colours obviously with a pogo stick included"? Is that enough info for you to get started?

Thats enough for me to get started with a design, it gives me all the major details required.

Then from that I work with the client to achieve exactly what they want.

[RedEvo]

One piece of advice I would offer new starts is to trust the professionals you hire. Designers study design - usually for three or four years at university - to understand what works, what doesn't etc. Too many people confuse an ability to use Illustrator with design skills. Design is a highly skilled profession.

By the way, no, I'm not a designer but I value their skills a great deal

d

[Lasting Designs]

Originally Posted by RedEvo

One piece of advice I would offer new starts is to trust the professionals you hire. Designers study design - usually for three or four years at university - to understand what works, what doesn't etc. Too many people confuse an ability to use Illustrator with design skills. Design is a highly skilled profession.

By the way, no, I'm not a designer but I value their skills a great deal

d

Good advice there RedEvo, hit the nail on the head.

That said, some people have a flair for it without going the education route.

However, having invested in studying, having had an appreciation of good design before hand, the years of studying gave me far more resources to call upon when the occasion demands. And its this that can make or break a project or campaign.

[Calibre Designs]

Originally Posted by RedEvo

One piece of advice I would offer new starts is to trust the professionals you hire. Designers study design - usually for three or four years at university - to understand what works, what doesn't etc. Too many people confuse an ability to use Illustrator with design skills. Design is a highly skilled profession.

By the way, no, I'm not a designer but I value their skills a great deal

d

Thanks D

If only people would trust their designer on matters concerning good design. Lots of people prefer to take control and most of the time we have to convince them that certain things are just a no no. A client's input is important though.

What they teach you at University is very limited. Experience and creativity is what counts. Coming up to 9 years of commercial experience on top of the years spent at Univeristy, its not a long amount of time but we brush up quite well I think

Kay

[admagic]

Originally Posted by sally

Question for designers which I thought may help newbies starting out.

As it says on the tin, how do you write a design brief, what information is most helpful to you?

Is it easier to get creative with a written brief? By that I mean if you receive a scribbled design for a logo or product on the back of a fag packet does that make it more difficult for you to be creative?

I try to avoid doing websites for people.!

But on the rare occasions I get bullied into it
.
The question I ask is....

Go hunt around the competition. Tell me 5 websites you like and
WHAT YOU LIKE about them

(obviously theres thena marketing discussion..... who are you trying to target etc ...leave that out for this.)

But on the design front I would have thought that is a reasonable way to communicate to a designer what you like and what you dont.

Easier than beginning with a blank sheet of paper! and if you saw my "fag packet drawings" you wouldnt have a clue whatthey meant

[sally]

That sounds a reasonable way to approach it.

The brief I sent off had links to a couple of sites with "I like this but not the colour and this font is nice" type comments in the hope to give some indication of what I like.