Dear Client: This Book Will Teach You How to Get What You Want from Creative People by designer/activist Bonnie Siegler contains industry best practices and insights for clients who want to foster better relationships with designers, leading to more successful projects. 

Two things:

To ensure a smooth and successful collaboration, I respectfully require that clients do two things to begin, informed by this expertise:

1. Watch Bonnie Siegler’s Adobe MAX talk - or if time is especially short, my shortened version with particularly key tips, and

2. Read the Best Practices below, which will be included in the basic contract that clients sign. Ask questions!

Best Practices:

Starting Out:

• Be clear upfront. Being open about budgets, timelines, priorities, and any internal roadblocks helps me give you the best result possible. If anything changes mid-project—like a delay—just let me know. Disappearing without notice can be really disruptive, especially if I’ve blocked time specifically for your project.

• A quick note on editability. Most designers work in Adobe programs because they produce polished, flexible results. However, client-side editing is usually limited. If that’s a concern, it’s something we should talk about early so we can find the best solution for your needs.

• No two projects are the same. Instead of asking whether I’ve done something exactly like this before, it’s more useful to look at how I approach different types of challenges. A thoughtful process translates across all kinds of work.

• Get clear on priorities. If everything is equally important, it’s hard to make strong design decisions. Knowing the top 1–3 goals helps us focus and deliver something truly effective.

Decision Makers:

• One point person makes everything smoother. Great outcomes happen when there’s a clear lead who understands the goals and has the trust of everyone involved. Trying to serve the individual needs of multiple committee members is a recipe for disaster.

• Outside opinions can muddy the waters. Friends, family, and followers usually haven’t seen the full context but love to weigh in and often will expect to do so again. Steer clear! If someone’s input seems helpful, bring it into the conversation in your own words within the context of what we’ve been working on.

Assessing Concepts:

• Don’t worry if something feels unexpected. That’s often a sign that it’s strong and original.

• The closer you are to a project, the harder it is to see it objectively. Please remember that the needs of the audience must take priority over the preferences of the client - and even the designer.

• Love something immediately? That’s great. Celebrate it, share what’s working, and let’s keep going.

• Avoid mixing and matching concepts. Instead of blending elements from different directions, let me know what resonated (and what didn’t) so I can build a clearer, stronger next version.

• Small changes aren’t always small. Design decisions are connected—changing one element (like a font) may shift tone, hierarchy, or readability. I’ll always let you know what’s feasible without compromising clarity.

• Whitespace isn’t wasted space. A crowded layout makes it harder to process and remember information. Think of it like catching tennis balls—if too many come at once, people stop trying.

Giving Input:

• Bundle your feedback. It’s much more helpful to receive fully consolidated input—even if it takes a little longer to send—than a string of piecemeal edits.

• Focus on the “what,” not the “how.” You know what needs to be communicated. I bring the expertise on how to do that visually. The best results happen when we each stay in our lane, but stay in close conversation.

• Respect the creative process. Requests like “this will just take a sec” or offers of “exposure” instead of payment may seem harmless, but they devalue the work and can strain the relationship, even when we assume good intent!

  Thanks! Let’s do amazing work together!