Clients, Listen Up : Learn to Kickstart Your Project by Giving Great Design References

The Right Design References

Before pen meets paper on most design jobs I lead my clients through the Brand Discovery process – a time when I really get to know the business and its mission. We'll have fluid conversations about what the business does, its history, its future, where the client finds inspiration, etc., but often the most effective way for me to reach a deep understanding is for that client to compile a set of references to share with me. These references can be anything from a favorite song to a website that just "feels right", a childhood photo, or an eye-catching big name marketing campaign – anything, really.

Better Notes

Now, the materials themselves are a good start, but to really get the most out of them I need guiding comments. Instead of just sending a link to a painting, a comment could say, "The body language of the woman in this painting is really curious and beautiful. I see a lot of movement in her posture and I love that." Without that comment, I wouldn't know what the eye or heart was drawn to, and I'd just be making my best guess as to why it was included in the references. With the guidance, however, I can really pinpoint the elements that inspire and allow them to inform my design work.

Below are some examples of references with great, informative notes that would help me (or any designer!) better understand where a brand or business:

Graphics, Artwork & Photography

“Nice use of drop-shadow on the Text”
“Love how the teal logo contrasts with the dark brown behind it”
“Their use of squares is awesome…we love the repetition of shape”
"There's something mysterious and beautiful about the faded mountains in the background."

Websites & Apps

“This is a really unique calendar system. I love seeing one full week at a time.”
“Seamless Facebook login would be great”
“Really elegant slideshow at the top. I especially like the transparent black gradient where the caption sits”
“I like the rollover animation effect on their nav menu”
"On my phone I noticed they add a search bar at the top. Seems really convenient"

Music

"That ripping guitar line just gives me shivers every time I hear it in the chorus!"
“The whole track is just 32 minutes of train sounds. The rhythm of it all SPEAKS to me”
"It's the lyrics, really. We live in a world where people can't seem to ever mentally check out of the office and Rihanna just puts it out there."

Are you a designer or have you hired one before? Horror story or piece of advice? I'd love to hear about it