5 Signs Your Designs Suck And How To Avoid It
Being a freelance designer has a lot of challenges in store for you. You will have to deal with different people, be humble, open to change, work hard and so on. In the end it’s all about the design and what the clients think of it. If you’re doing a great job you’ll probably know it by getting a lot of positive feedback from clients, fellow designers and so on. But how do you know if they’re not good at all?
Picture by Maare Liiv
In this article we’ll have a look at 5 signs to look for in order to get an idea that you probably need to work harder or change some of your routines. We’ll also give a few easy suggestions on how you can avoid getting in these situations.
Unhappy client
The most important one in this whole equation is the client. If he’s not happy with the outcome, it doesn’t matter how spectacular the design is. It doesn’t help to make a design that is colorful, innovative and that you LOVE yourself if the client is unhappy. An important part of being a good designer is being able to see what is the best solution for each project. To get happy clients there are many things you need to do; be polite, be humble, get their feedback regularly and don’t give up until they’re happy.
YOU don’t like it
Picture by Felix Atsoram
Making a design you’re unhappy usually is a very bad sign. An important thing for many designers is to be able to make designs that are liked by both the clients and themselves. If you find yourself making designs that you would not want to put in your portfolio you should reconsider what you’re doing. Read up on current trends, polish your skills (courses, tutorials, reading) and work with the feedback you’re getting. Put some work into getting your own style and only deliver designs that you stand completely behind.
The client’s customers don’t like it
If your clients give you the feedback of their logo/website design being misunderstood or getting a lot of negative comments, it’s often a sign that it’s either poorly executed or aimed at the wrong crowd. This is one of the reasons why you need to know a thing or two about which market your clients operate in. Different customers like different designs. Use a set of questions for every client in order to completely understand their products and markets.
You never hear anything more
Picture by Robert Red2000
Not all clients are comfortable telling you that they think your design is bad. In some cases they get what they’ve ordered, pay you and you never see them again. Giving the clients good design usually opens up to some sort of collaboration or re-buys in the future. If a client says nothing it’s likely they’re unhappy. Good communication is extremely important. Remember that your current clients can be great referrals in the future. And who doesn’t want happy clients?
It gets replaced within short time
Your design can be really good right there and then, but if it’s very “in” right now it could have to be replaced within only a year or two. Depending on the project of course, you should try to get a look that will stay fresh for years to come. Have a look at other designs that stood the test of time and look for what to do and not to do.
Conclusion
Picture by Ayhan Yildiz
Designing something for a client is usually a bit more complex than just drawing and delivering. To be a good designer that succeeds you need to have several abilities. One of the more important things is to have good communication with your client and to be able to listen to all sorts of feedback. Practice makes perfect so remember to always take previous mistakes and use them in a way that will make you better.
Good luck! 
