Client's guide to design

8/14/2019 Client's guide to design

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A Clients Guide to Design:

How to Get the Most Out

of the Process

AIGA | the professional association for design

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AIGA | the professional association for design164 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010

212 807 1990, www.aiga.org

AIGA Board: Bill Grant, president;

Shel Perkins, secretary-treasurer;

Richard Gref, executive director;

James Ales, Connie Birdsall,

Laurie Churchman, Moira Cullen,

David Gibson, Steve Hartman,

Marcia Lausen, Debbie Millman,

Marty Neumeier, Bennett Peji,

Hank Richardson, Mark Randall and

Bonnie Siegler; Michael Hodgson,

presidents council representative

Publisher: Richard Gref, AIGAEditorial content: Joanne Stone,

The Writer, Spicewood, Texas, and Lana

Rigsby, Rigsby Design, Houston

Design: Grant Design Collaborative, Atlanta

Paper: Domtar EarthChoice, Solutions

Pineapple Smooth, 80 lb. cover and Solutions

Recycled White Smooth, 80 lb. text

Printing: Peake DeLancey Printers, LLC

Fonts: Interstate and Filosofia

Copyright: AIGA 2007. The first edition

was published in 2001.

Printing Sponsor for the AIGA

Design Business and Ethics series:

Paper Sponsor for the AIGA


Presenting Sponsor for the AIGA


www.adobe.com

www.domtarearthchoice.com

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of the Process

Getting the most outof the process 3

Finding the right designer 7

The design brief 15

Budgeting and managingthe process 17

AIGA standards ofprofessional practice 20

Business expectations forthe professional designer 24


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of the Process

If you represent a corporation, institution,

advertising agency, investor or public

relations firm, or are an individual in need

of graphic design, youve landed exactly

where you need to be. Welcome.


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Unlike so much in todays businessworld, graphic design is not acommodity. It is the highlyindividualized result of peoplecoming together to do somethingthey couldnt do alone. Whenthe collaboration is creative,the results usually are too. Thisbrochure is about how to getcreative results. Developedby AIGA, the discussion that follows

will give you realistic, usefulinformation about the designprocessfrom selecting a designfirm to providing a clear under-standing of objectives, evaluatingcost and guiding a project to adesired end. It is a kind of bestpractices guide based upon thebest thinking of many differentdesigners with very different spe-cializations and points of view, as

well as clients of design who have along history of using it successfullyfor their companies. The funda-mental premise here is thatanything worth doing is worth

doing well, but if its to be donewell, it must first be valued.

The value positionDesigngood designis notcheap. You would be betterserved to spend your moneyon something else if you dontplace a high value on what itcan achieve. Theres a view inBuddhism that theres no goodkarma and nobad karma,theres just karma. The samecant be said for design. Karma isa universal condition. Designis a human act (which often affects

conditions) and, therefore,subject to many variables. Whenthe word design is used here,it is always in the context ofgood design.

A lot of famous people havewritten many famous bookson the importance of design andcreativity. The subject matterranges from using design andcreativity to gain a strategicadvantage or make the worlda more livable placeand more.Much more. The focus here ison how to make the process ofdesign work in the businessenvironment so that the endproduct lives up to its potential.


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We live in a time of sensoryassault. Competing for eyeballswhich is to say, customersis more than just an Internetphenomenon. The challenge forcompanies everywhere is toattract consumers to their productsand services and keep them inthe face of fickle markets.

The answer to this challengestarts with each companyspeople, products and services,but it doesnt end there. Howcompanies communicate to theirmarkets and constituencies isbecoming the primary means ofdifferentiation today. Never, infact, has effective communicationbeen more important in business.

And it has increased the pressurewithin companies to establishenvironments and attitudes thatsupport the success of creativeendeavors, internally andexternally. More often than not,companies that value design

lead the pack.

Books designers read: 6 Chapters in Design, Saul Bass

AIGA: Professional Practices inGraphic Design,AIGA

Blur: The Speed of Change in theConnected Economy, Stan Davis& Christopher Meyer

Bradbury Thompson:The Art of Graphic Design,Bradbury Thompson

The Cluetrain Manifesto:The End of Business as Usual,

Christopher Locke

The Death of Distance,Francis Cairncross

Jamming: The Art and Disciplineof Corporate Creativity, John Kao

The Lexus and the Olive Tree,Thomas L. Fiedman

Looking Closer: Classical Writingson Graphic Design,ed. Michael Bierut

New Rules for the New Economy,

Kevin Kelly Orbiting the Giant Hairball:

A Corporate Fools Guide toSurviving With Grace,Gordon MacKenzie

Thoughts on Design, Paul Rand


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What design is and isntDesign often has the propertiesof good looks, which perhaps is

why its often confused with style.But design is about the underlyingstructure of communicatingthe idea, not merely the surfacequalities. The late, great designerSaul Bass called this idea nuditymessages that stand on theirunadorned own. Certainly, itspossible for a good idea to bepoorly executed. But bad ideas

cant be rescued. When, forexample, a global fashion houseput verses from the Koran on theback pockets of its designer jeansfor all the world to sit on, that

was a bad idea before it was everdesigned and produced. And theoutcry of indignant Muslims

worldwide loudly attested to this.Using a different color or typestyle wouldnt have changedthe outcome.

Ideas give design its weight, itsability to influence audiencespositively, negatively or not at all.

The objects of designDesign is about the whole, notthe parts. If you wear your$2,500 Armani suit with the

wrong pair of shoes, you are aptto be remembered for the shoesand not the suit. Inconsistencyraises doubt and doubt makespeople wary. This might notmatter much if customers didnthave alternatives, but customersdo. And they know it.

So?

So, it isnt enough for a companyto have a great logo if the commu-nications effort isnt carried outacross the full spectrum of thecompanys interaction with itsmarketplaces from how thetelephone is answered to corporateidentity; branding; packaging;print materials; advertising;Internet, intranet, interactivemultimedia and web-relatedcommunications; and environ-mental graphics. The swooshdidnt make Nike a successfulcompany. Nike made theswooshan iconic reflection of a carefullyorchestrated approach to themarketplace. (For better or worse,the marketplace is now deluged

with swoosh-like shapes,identifying companies rangingfrom sportswear to software.Its the frame of reference for whatmany think of when visualizingthe word mark.) Its unlikely

the swoosh would be somemorable had it stayed confinedto, say, hangtags on shoes.


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Finding the right designer

People with a great deal of experienceboth as

designers and as clientswill tell you that if you really

do your homework in the selection process, the

chances are excellent that what follows will bring

about the hopedfor results.


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Where to lookThere are more than 19,000members of AIGA, and there arehundreds, if not thousands, ofother businesses providing graphicdesign that arent members. Thereare also other graphic designassociations with their ownmemberships. And this is just theUnited States Its a big communityand, as with all businesses,design is increasingly global.

Where do you start?

The membership lists of AIGAand other design organizationsare available to the public.They are a good place to begin,especially if youre starting fromground zero. You will find thelists arranged by city and state,so that if location is an issue for

you, you can define your searchgeographically. Start with AIGAsonline membership directoryat www.aiga.org/membership.

Design industry publications areanother source. They are bothnumerous and accessible. Notonly do they publish the work ofdesigners on a regular basis,many also publish design annualsthat display what the publications

judge to be the best design in avariety of categories. Thesepublications will not only show

you what designers are capableof producing, but also howcompanies of all sizes and from

every sector of industry are usingdesign to communicate effectively.

Reviewing them is a fairly easyway to see a lot of work quickly.Doing so may also tell you some-thing about where your owndesign comfort zone lies. And

while your personal comfortzone isnt necessarily the right

yardstick for making a selection,knowing it will help you in thebriefing process (more onthis shortly).

Still another way to find designersis to look around at what othercompanies are doing; call thecompanies whose efforts youadmire and ask for their recom-mendations. Companies that aredoing a good job of communicatingare companies who care about it,and theyre typically willing todiscuss the subject. Furthermore,if theyre doing good work, itusually means they are goodclients. Find out from them whatmakes a design client a good client.

Designers themselves are alsogood sources. Ask them whomthey respect within their field.Theres nothing wrong withgetting them to name theircompetition. While it might makechoosing tougher, when you makethe final selection from amongdesigners who are peers, youusually come out better than

when you dont. (And if therelationship doesnt work, well, youhave some future contenders you

already know something about.)


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What to look forLocating designers to interview isa fairly uncomplicated proposition.

What to look for among thepotential candidateswhat makesone or the other the right firm for

youis more complex. Its not abeauty contest. Seeing work that

you like is important and altogetherappropriate as a point of departure.But its not enough to warrant amarriage proposal.

The nature and technology ofwhat is designed today is changingand expanding, and so is thediscipline of design. As withmany businesses and professionstoday, theres more to know andthe knowledge itself has a shrink-ing shelf life. Some design firmshave organized themselves to doeverything, adding new capabilitiesas the demand warrants. Othersdo related things, such ascorporate identity and annualreports. And still others do onethinginteractive multimedia,for example.

If you have a retail packagingproject, a firm that designs onlyenvironmental graphics mightnot be your best choice. Why?

Well, the reasons have less to dowith design than with technicalrequirements, vendor knowledge,pricing and scheduling. Thedesigner who knows how paintand materials hold up in weatheror how signage is viewed froma moving vehicle may not knowa thing about seam wraps andhow products are treated onretail shelves.

Still, there is no litmus test tosay one firm can do the job andthe other cant, or that a firm

without a certain kind of experi-ence cant learn. In fact, somecompanies see a real benefit inhiring a design firm that bringsneither prior experience norpreconceptions to their project.If youve identified a firm

youd like to work with and are

comfortable making a leap offaith, you probably should.


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The discovery process is whereyou can make that determination.And the more thorough you are,the more likely you are to find afirm with whom you can achievegreatwho knows, perhapseven spectacularresults. Soask questions. Lots of them.

Whats the design firm like towork with? What is its culture andhow does that match up with yourcompanys? How flexible is it?Does it want lots of direction?Or lots of latitude? And how muchof either are you prepared to give?

Who are its clients? And howdid it get them? Does it have athorough understanding of theirbusinesses? What kind of workingrelationships does it have withthem? And with its vendors from writers to photographers,printers, web consultants andfabricators? Is it a specialist? Orgeneralist? Does it have the man-power and technical capabilities

to do what you need? How does itarrive at design solutions?

And dont stop here.

How effective has the designfirms work been from projectto project? Does it even know?

And does it know why? Can thefirm demonstrate that it has done

what it promised in terms ofbudgets and schedules? Are youtalking with the people who willdo the work for you? Are they theones who did the work you liked?If not, have you seen their work?Does the firm share the creditgood and badfor its work? Doesit exhibit a good grasp of busi-ness and does the condition ofthe company reflect this? Do youfeel that you will enjoy working

with the people youve met?


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Some of these questions aresubjective, intuitive. Most haveconcrete answers. If, for example,a firm cant tell you what itsclients were trying to achieveor how it arrived at its solutions,chances are it doesnt deal inideas. If it isnt adept at runningits own business, it probably

wont be good at running yourproject. If it talks only aboutitself, it may not be a good listener.

To get your answers, go first tothe design firms you are consid-ering. Then check out externalreferences, especially clientsand not just the referencesprovided. Get comfortable withthe honesty of the firms you aretalking to. Find out if their expe-riences and those of their clientsgel. Trust is essential when youare handing over your wallet and

your image to someone else.

If you find yourself wondering

whether all of this is reallynecessary, ask yourself howseriously you want to competein the marketplace. Because thatis exactly what a good designer

will help you do.

Top 10 questions1. How does the firm like

to work?

2. Who are its clients?

3. How knowledgeable is itabout them?

4. How is it viewed by them?By its peers?

5. What is its design process?

6. What kind of designexperience does it have?

7. What kind of results hasit achieved?

8. Who will work onyour project?

9. Does the firm understandthe business?

Do you like the peopleyouve met?

10.


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What about design competitionsand spec work?

There are differing views on thesetwo closely related subjects. Somedesigners are absolutely opposedto design competitions andspeculative work. Period. Othersare open to them, provided theyare compensated fairly for their

work (i.e., according to themarket value of the work).

The design competitions being

discussed here are those thatrequire design firms to do originalwork for a company in an effortto get that companys businessnot the kind held by nonprofitprofessional organizations,such as AIGA, for the purpose ofrecognizing design excellence.

Consider this real-world scenario:A multibillion-dollar, publiclyheld global corporation with hugebrand awareness surveys the workof several dozen graphic designfirms for the purpose of selectingone to design its annual report.

After narrowing the field to ahalf-dozen candidates, thecompany offers each design firm$25,000 to provide it with a mockdesign of the report, issuing

well-defined design parameters.Assuming the compensationreflects the effort required (itdid), this isnt an unreasonable

way to approach the selectionprocess. And many designers

would opt to participate. Yes,speculation is involved, but sois reciprocal valueup front.Real though it is, however, thisscenario isnt the norm. Therearent that many multibillion-dollar companies, for one thing.For another, few companies castsuch a wide net in search of

design. The more commonspeculative scenario includesnoncompensated competitionsand work thats commissionedbut paid for only upon approval.In either case, the situationis the same: little or no valueis placed upon the designer asa professional, as someone

whose purpose is to give trustedadvice on matters significantto the company.


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Egalitarian or just too eager?A typical design competition canbe drawn from experience with theInternational Olympic Committee,the United States governmentor even business enterprise, and itusually goes something like this:

A competition is announced fora new logo and identity. No creativebrief outlines the communicationchallenges or objectives from theperspective of the client. A jury

will select the winner and a prize

may be given (recent examplesinclude a color TV and stipends of$15 and $2,000). Often the clientindicates one of the rewards

will be the use of the design by theclienti.e. exposure. The rulesof competition include grantingthe client ownership of theselected entries. (In one recentcompetition, the client asked forownership even of designs that

were not selected.) Once a designis chosen, development of it mayor may not involve the designer.

A competition like this preventsthe client from having the benefitof professional consultation inframing and solving a communi-cation problem. The client receivesartwork at a cost below market

value, owns the intellectual orcreative property and can exploitthe work without involvementfrom its creator. Who loses?

The designer, the client and theprofession. The designer gives upcreative property without a fairlevel of control or compensation.The client fails to get the fullbenefit of the designers talentand guidance. The professionis misrepresented, indeedcompromised, by speculativecommercial art.

Unpaid design presentations arefraught with economic riskriskthat is absorbed entirely by thedesigner. Why, then, do somedesign firms agree to participate?

Sometimes a new firm or a firmwithout strong design abilitieswill offer the excuse that this isthe only way for it to get work orexposure. A slump in businessmight make a designer more

willing to gamble. Whatever thereason given, this short-termapproach to hiring a design firmis not in the best interests of

either party.

But the issues go beyondeconomics. The financial burdenborne by the design teamtranslates into risk for the client.To protect their investment ina design competition, competingfirms often play it safe, providingsolutions that dont offer fresh,new ideasin which case, the


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client gets what it paid for.You wouldnt ask a law firm ormanagement consultant to pro-

vide you with recommendationsprior to hiring them. A designfirm, no less than a law firm ormanagement consultant, has toknow its client thoroughly if itsto give valid advice. This takestime and commitment from bothsides. Design competitionsevenpaid onesjust dont allow forthis level of participation.

Comparisons sometimes aremade with design competitionsheld for the purpose of selectingarchitects or advertising agencies.

Where these analogies fall shortis in the initial effort required

versus future potential. Architectsand advertising agencies typicallypresent design alternatives inorder to win assignments thatrepresent substantial futurebillings and ongoing consulting

services to the client. The prod-uctcomes at the end of a longengagement (in the case ofarchitecture) or is the cumulativeeffect of a long engagement (asin advertising campaigns). Either

way, initial design representsonly a small part of the projectstotal value to both client andarchitect or agency. Not so withgraphic design. The designapproach represents the real

value offered by the design firm,and the bulk of the work may wellbe completed at the front endof a project.


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The design brief

A design brief is a written explanation given by the

client to the designer at the outset of a project.

As the client, you are spelling out your objectives and

expectations and defining a scope of work when you

issue one. Youre also committing to a concrete

expression that can be revisited as a project moves

forward. Its an honest way to keep everyone honest.

If the brief raises questions, all the better. Questions

early are better than questions late.


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Why provide a design brief?

The purpose of the brief is to geteveryone started with a commonunderstanding of whats to beaccomplished. It gives directionand serves as a benchmarkagainst which to test concepts andexecution as you move through aproject. Some designers provideclients with their own set ofquestions. Even so, the ultimateresponsibility for defining goalsand objectives and identifying

audience and context lies withthe client.

Another benefit of the designbrief is the clarity it provides youas the client about why youreembarking on a project. If youdont know why, you cant possiblyhope to achieve anything worth-

while. Nor are you likely to getyour company behind yourproject. A brief can be as valuableinternally as it is externally.If you present it to the people

within the company most directlyaffected by whatever is beingproduced, you not only elicit

valuable input, but also pave theway for their buy-in.

When you think about it, the lastthing you want is for your projectto be a test of the designers skills.

Your responsibility is to help thedesign firm do the best work it can.Thats why you hired the firm.

And why you give it a brief.

How to write oneA brief is not a blueprint. Itshouldnt tell the designer howto do the work. Its a statement ofpurpose, a concise declaration ofa clients expectations of what thedesign should accomplish. And

while briefs will differ dependingupon the project, there are somegeneral guidelines to direct theprocess. Among them:

Provide a clear statementof objectives, with priorities

Relate the objectives to overallcompany positioning

Indicate if and how youllmeasure achievement of

your goals

Define, characterize andprioritize your audiences

Define budgets andtime frames

Explain the internalapproval process

Be clear about proceduralrequirements (e.g., if morethan one bid is needed fromfabricators, or if theres aminimum acceptable level ofdetail for design presentations).

In the final analysis, designbriefs are about paving the wayfor a successful design effort thatreflects well on everyone involved.


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Budgeting and managing

the process

If the briefing effort is thorough, budgeting and

managing a project is easier. It takes two to budget

and manage a design project: the client and

the designer. The most successful collaborations

are always those where all the information

is on the table and expectations are in the open

from the outset.

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Design costs moneyAs one very seasoned and gifteddesigner says,There is always abudget, whether it is revealed tothe design team or not. Clientsoften are hesitant to announcehow much they have to spend forfear that if they do, the designer

will design to that number whena different solution for less moneymight otherwise have beenreached. This is a reasonableconcern and yet, its as risky to

design in a budgetary vacuum asit is to design without a goal. Ifyour utility vehicle budget stopsat four cylinders, four gearsand a radio, theres no point inlooking at Range Rovers.

If you have $100,000 to spendand youd really like to dedicate$15,000 of it to something else,giving the design team thatknowledge helps everyone.Then you wont get somethingthat costs $110,000 that you wantbut cannot pay for. The trustfactor is the 800-pound gorillain the budgeting phase. Withouttrust, there isnt a basis for

working together.

The ideal approach is to bring inyour designer as early as you can.The design team can then help youarrive at realistic cost parametersthat relate to your objectives inlieu of an arbitrary budget figure.

At this stage it is quite feasible toput together a budget range basedupon a broad scope of a project orprogram. Individual estimates canbe provided, for example, for designconcepts, design developmentand production, photography,illustration, copywriting andprinting for a print piece (or,in the case of a website, estimatesfor programming, proprietarysoftware and equipment).

The more informed you are asa client about what things cost,the more effective you can bein guiding a project. You shouldknow, for instance, that if yourdesign firm hires outside talentsuch as writers, photographersand illustrators and pays them,

it is standard policy to markup(generally, 20 percent) the feescharged by these professionals.

You can choose to pay thesecontributors directly to avoidthe markup, but this should beaddressed at the time theyrehired. Printing, historically,has been treated the same way.


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You should also be aware thatphotographers, illustrators andwriters are generally paid a killfeeif a project is cancelled after

work has started. Thats becausetalent is in constant demandand accepting one project oftenmeans turning other work away.In the case of photography,expect to pay when a photo shootis cancelled. And remember thatunless you stipulate otherwise,

you are buying one-time usage ofthe photographsnot the workitselfand that copyright laws arein force the moment the shuttertrips. If you want unlimited use,

you will have to negotiate andpay for it.

Who leads? Who follow?

It is the clients responsibility tolead a project and the designersto design and manage the designprocess. Dont confuse leadership

with involvement. As the personrepresenting the client, you might

want a great deal of involvement,or very little. If you provideleadership, your participationcan be whatever you want it to be.

The first responsibility ofa leader is to define reality.The last is to say thank you.

Max DePree, CEO, HermanMiller, Inc., Leadershipas an Art

There are countless volumes onthe subject of leadership, so wewont presume to give leadershiplessons here. The same generalprinciples apply. In a designproject, leadership requires that

you give clear direction at theoutset. You must be available

when needed by the design teamand ready to make decisionsin a timely manner. You shouldunderstand how the designsupports your objectives (so youcan sell it). And youll need tomonitor major delivery pointsand be prepared to get thenecessary approvals. On this lastpoint, some designers are excellentpresenters, and, in fact, like topresent their work to the finalauthority. But while they can bepersuasive, they are not the onesto get the final sign-off. As theleader of the team, you are thedeal-maker, the closer.

If you identify and articulate your

objectives, establish your processearly, see that the design teamhas access to what it needs from

you, have a detailed budget andschedule to measure progress

with, and lead the process frombeginning to end, there is noreason that you wont be able toenjoy the design process as muchas the end product.

At least, thats how many of ourmembers and their clients see it.


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Standards of

professional practice

A professional designer adheres to

principles of integrity that demonstrate

respect for the profession, for colleagues,

for clients, for audiences or consumers,

and for society as a whole.

These standards define the expectations

of a professional designer and represent

the distinction of an AIGA member in the

practice of design.

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The designers responsibilityto clients

A professional designer shallacquaint himself or herself with aclients business and design stan-dards and shall act in the clientsbest interest within the limitsof professional responsibility.

A professional designer shall notwork simultaneously on assign-ments that create a conflict ofinterest without agreement of the

clients or employers concerned,except in specific cases where it isthe convention of a particulartrade for a designer to work at thesame time for various competitors.

A professional designer shalltreat all work in progress prior tothe completion of a project andall knowledge of a clients inten-tions, production methods andbusiness organization as confiden-tial and shall not divulge suchinformation in any manner what-soever without the consent ofthe client. It is the designersresponsibility to ensure that allstaff members act accordingly.

A professional designer whoaccepts instructions from a clientor employer that involve violationof the designers ethical stan-dards should be corrected by thedesigner, or the designer shouldrefuse the assignment.

The designers responsibilityto other designers

Designers in pursuit of businessopportunities should support fairand open competition.

A professional designer shall notknowingly accept any profession-al assignment on which anotherdesigner has been or is working

without notifying the otherdesigner or until he or she issatisfied that any previous

appointments have been properlyterminated and that all materialsrelevant to the continuation ofthe project are the clear propertyof the client.

A professional designer must notattempt, directly or indirectly, tosupplant or compete with anotherdesigner by means of unethicalinducements.

A professional designer shall beobjective and balanced in criti-cizing another designers workand shall not denigrate the workor reputation of a fellow designer.

A professional designer shall notaccept instructions from a clientthat involve infringement ofanother persons property rights

without permission, or con-sciously act in any mannerinvolving any such infringement.

A professional designer working

in a country other than his or herown shall observe the relevantCode of Conduct of the nationalsociety concerned.


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Fees

A professional designer shall workonly for a fee, a royalty, salaryor other agreed-upon form ofcompensation. A professionaldesigner shall not retain anykickbacks, hidden discounts,commission, allowances orpayment in kind from contractorsor suppliers. Clients should bemade aware of mark-ups.

A reasonable handling and

administration charge may beadded, with the knowledge andunderstanding of the client, as apercentage to all reimbursableitems, billable to a client, that passthrough the designers account.

A professional designer who hasa financial interest in any suppliers

who may benefit from a recom-mendation made by the designerin the course of a project willinform the client or employer of

this fact in advance of the recom-mendation.

A professional designer who isasked to advise on the selection ofdesigners or the consultants shallnot base such advice in the receiptof payment from the designeror consultants recommended.

Publicity

Any self-promotion, advertising orpublicity must not contain deliber-

ate misstatements of competence,experience or professionalcapabilities. It must be fair both toclients and other designers.

A professional designer may allowa client to use his or her namefor the promotion of work designedor services provided in a mannerthat is appropriate to the status ofthe profession.

Authorship

A professional designer shallnot claim sole credit for adesign on which other designershave collaborated.

When not the sole author of adesign, it is incumbent upona professional designer to clearlyidentify his or her specificresponsibilities or involvement

with the design. Examples of suchwork may not be used for publicity,display or portfolio samples

without clear identification ofprecise areas of authorship.

The designers responsibility

to the public

A professional designer shallavoid projects that will result inharm to the public.

A professional designer shallcommunicate the truth in allsituations and at all times; his orher work shall not make falseclaims nor knowingly misinform.

A professional designer shall rep-resent messages in a clear mannerin all forms of communicationdesign and avoid false, misleading

and deceptive promotion.


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A professional designer shallrespect the dignity of all audiencesand shall value individual differ-ences even as they avoid depictingor stereotyping people or groupsof people in a negative or de-humanizing way. A professionaldesigner shall strive to be sensitiveto cultural values and beliefsand engages in fair and balancedcommunication design thatfosters and encourages mutualunderstanding.

The designers responsibility to

society and the environment

A professional designer, whileengaged in the practice or instruc-tion of design, shall not knowinglydo or fail to do anything thatconstitutes a deliberate or recklessdisregard for the health and safetyof the communities in whichhe or she lives and practices or theprivacy of the individuals andbusinesses therein. A professionaldesigner shall take a responsiblerole in the visual portrayal ofpeople, the consumption of naturalresources, and the protectionof animals and the environment.

A professional designer shallnot knowingly accept instructionsfrom a client or employer thatinvolve infringement of anotherpersons or groups humanrights or property rights withoutpermission of such other personor group, or consciously act

in any manner involving anysuch infringement.

A professional designer shall notknowingly make use of goods orservices offered by manufacturers,suppliers or contractors that areaccompanied by an obligation thatis substantively detrimental tothe best interests of his or herclient, society or the environment.

A professional designer shallrefuse to engage in or countenancediscrimination on the basis of race,sex, age, religion, national origin,sexual orientation or disability.

A professional designer shallstrive to understand and supportthe principles of free speech,freedom of assembly, and accessto an open marketplace of ideasand shall act accordingly.


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Business expectations for

a professional designer

In todays information-saturated world,

where an organizations success is

determined by the power of its brand,

professional designers become even more

important in ensuring that companies

communicate effectivelyan imperative

with bottom-line impact. Furthermore, a

professional designers ability to execute

communications projects efficiently and

economically is more critical than ever.

When a client invests in the services of a

professional designer, he or she hires an

individual who aspires to the highest level

of strategic design, ensuring a higher

return on investment. If a designer meets

the following criteria, he or she will

demonstrate the integrity and honor of

the professional designer.

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Experience and knowledgeA professional designer is qualifiedby education, experience andpractice to assist organizations

with strategic communicationdesign. A professional designerhas mastered a broad range ofconceptual, formal and techno-logical skills.

A professional designer applieshis or her knowledge about phys-ical, cognitive, social and cultural

human factors to communicationplanning and the creation of anappropriate form that interprets,informs, instructs or persuades.

Strategic process

A professional designer combinescreative criteria with soundproblem-solving strategy tocreate and implement effectivecommunication design.

A professional designer solvescommunication problems

with effective and impactfulinformation architecture.

A professional designer becomesacquainted with the necessaryelements of a clients businessand design standards.

A professional designer conductsthe necessary research and analy-sis to create sound communica-

tion design with clearly statedgoals and objectives.

A professional designer willsubmit an initial communicationstrategy to an organizationsmanagement for approval andmeet with a client as oftenas necessary to define ongoingprocesses and strategy.

Compensation and

financial practices

A professional designer providesthe client with a working agree-ment or estimate for all projects.

A professional designer will notincur any expenses in excessof the budget without the clientsadvance approval.

A professional designer mayapply reasonable handlingand administrative charges toreimbursable items that passthrough the designers account

with the knowledge and

understanding of the client.

A professional designer does notundertake speculative work orproposals (spec work) in which aclient requests work without pro-

viding compensation and withoutdeveloping a professional rela-tionship that permits the design-er sufficient access to the client toprovide a responsible recom-mendation.


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Ethical standardsA professional designer does notwork on assignments that createpotential conflicts of interest

without a clients prior consent.A professional designer treats allwork and knowledge of a clientsbusiness as confidential.

A professional designer providesrealistic design and productionschedules for all projects and

will notify the client when

unforeseen circumstances mayalter those schedules.

A professional designer will clearlyoutline all intellectual propertyownership and usage rights in aproject proposal or estimate.

Clients can expect AIGA membersto live up to these business and

ethical standards for professionaldesigners. Through consistentlyprofessional work, AIGA members

have documented s ubstantialbottom-line contributions to

corporations and organizations.For more information and case

studies about how professionaldesigners have produced excellentbusiness results, visit www.aiga.org


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Notes


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About AIGA

AIGA, the professional associationfor design, is the oldest and largestmembership association for designprofessionals engaged in thediscipline, practice and culture ofdesigning. Its mission is to advancedesigning as a professional craft,strategic tool and vital cultural force.

The organization was founded as theAmerican Institute of Graphic Artsin 1914. Since then, it has become

the preeminent professional associ-ation for communication designers,broadly defined. In the past decade,designers have increasingly beeninvolved in creating value for clients(whether public or business)through applying design thinkingto complex problems, even whenthe outcomes may be more strategic,multidimensional and conceptualthan what most would considertraditional communication design.

AIGA now represents more than19,000 designers of all disciplinesthrough national activities and localprograms developed by more than55 chapters and 200 student groups.

AIGA supports the interests ofprofessionals, educators and studentswho are engaged in the process ofdesigning. The association is com-mitted to stimulating thinkingabout design, demonstrating the

value of design, and empoweringsuccess for designers throughoutthe arc of their careers.

Through conferences, competitions,exhibitions, publications and

websites, AIGA inspires, educatesand informs designers, helpingthem to realize their talents and toadvocate the value of design amongthe media, the business community,governments and the public.


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Adobe Systems, Inc. is the Official AIGA

Sponsor for Design Solutions and is proud

to be the Presenting Sponsor of the

AIGA Design Business and Ethics series.

Together with AIGA, Adobe is creating

innovative programs that give members

a voice, nurture young designers and

actively engage the creative community

in dialogues about the important issues in

the fields of design and technology.

The alliance between AIGA and Adobe is

a long-term partnership dedicated to

advancing design and the use of technology

across creative industries as well as under-

standing and highlighting the impact

of design on the economy and society.

Adobe has been an active participant in the

design community over the past 25 years and

looks forward to an ongoing conversation

and dialogue listening closely to designers

and their needs.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe revolutionizes how the world engageswith ideas and information.

The companys award-winning technologies

and software have redefined business,

entertainment, and personal communica-

tions by setting new standards for producing

and delivering content that engages

people anywhere at anytime and through

any medium.

For more information, visit

www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/

A Clients Guide to Design: How

to Get the Most Out of the Process

is one topic in the AIGA Design

Business and Ethics series, a range

of publications dealing with ethical

standards and practices for designers

and their clients. New topics will

be added to the series periodically.

Additional copies can be down-

loaded from www.aiga.org. For

more information on solving

communications design problems

or hiring a professional designer,

visit www.aiga.org.

To join AIGA or to review the

purpose and benefits of AIGA,visit www.aiga.org.
http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/


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AIGA | the professional association for design164 Fifth Avenue

New York, NY 10010www.aiga.org 1

Documents

Client's guide to design