The top 5 things to consider before starting a project

Most people shy away from setting boundaries. After all, It can sometimes come across as slightly demanding when someone is adamant on a rigid schedule, or inflexible when they insist on a set way of working. But the opposite of this is that anything goes – costs get ambiguous and deadlines are pushed back at the risk of missing them.

There is an importance in giving clear expectations, and this not only applies for the project manager, but the person carrying out the tasks. It is not simply a case of a project manager giving strong instruction – it is a two-way process of communication that needs to continue throughout the task.

Since working independently I have changed many of my work processes, stemmed from the fact that expectations are easily blurred. Often expectations may seem clear but unexpected curveballs arise, leaving both parties trying to find the best way to accommodate them without compromising the work. So, below are some of the most helpful boundaries you can put in place when commissioning a project, in order to help you establish better working relationships and make sure that projects run smoothly.

1. Establish clear timescales

Can I have that ASAP/I'll get that to you ASAP?

What is that? As soon as possible? As soon as I can possibly do it? Or now? The problem with asking for things as soon as possible is that there are no clear boundaries. Many people will ask for things as soon as possible because they want it now, but the problem with this is that, to the person doing the project, ASAP could be anything from a few hours to a year. In my case, if someone asks for something ASAP I presume that, although the clients wants it quickly, there is no specific deadline, and therefore I will work to my 'urgent' deadlines first and put the ASAP at the bottom of the pile. What needs to be done on both sides of the party is clarification. But having one end goal often isn’t enough to ensure the project runs smoothly – bigger projects need to be broken down into manageble chunks, such as when initial roughs can be delivered or when feedback needs to be supplied by. This also means there is regular communication and ensures the end result isn’t something that is not what the client had in mind. Timescales need to be kept to by both parties – if feedback is not given on time this means the designer has less time to work on the project and may need to reschedule other projects.

2. Establish clear costings

Costings can easily get blurred when starting a project. Some designers charge by the hour, whereas others work to a set project cost. Day rates can be helpful if you suspect projects may run on or if deliverables may change, but on the whole clients are paying for you to complete an outcome within budget, so more often than not it’s helpful to have a project fee so that costs don’t keep mounting. The reality is that only the designer will know exactly how long something will take them and so it’s much better for both parties to establish a figure, or at least an estimate, at the start of a project so that costs don’t run over. Nobody wants to establish a seemingly reasonable day rate to find it’s taken triple the time expected. Most illustrators quote based on value rather than solely time, which means the cost is dependant on commercial use and longevity. Costs need to be clear and written out at the start of every project, including any deposits and payment schedules.

**3. Establish what the client is getting for the cost**

Before now, I've quoted a project and then been asked to take part in various meetings to discuss the developments of the project. In theory, I did no more design work than I had costed for, but I was asked to several meetings in the process, which cost me hours of my time for a job I was earning very little on. This was, in part, down to my lack of clarity with what the client could have for what I'd charged – the boundaries had become unclear. It is important to make clear how many stages of developments are included and how many meetings are included if they are necessary, or how much extra a client can expect to pay for additional meetings or stages of work. For bigger jobs it may help to establish communication times each week so that email threads and phonecalls don’t eat into other project time. There may also be specific terms for use of bespoke illustration, such as agreeing to what the work will to be used on and making sure it can’t be re-licensed to other companies or re-used outside of the original commission.

4. Establishing clear work processes

What is vital when starting a project is making sure that communication is held throughout the process, not just at the beginning and end. Clients need to feel that the person undertaking the tasks can be trusted to complete the project with good timing and have a plan for how to make the end result the the best possible. Establishing how projects are done and keeping clients in communication means that the project will be more successful and prevent creating work that is going in the wrong direction. Different processes may suit different clients and this needs to be established at the start – how many options are needed at each stage? How will designs be created? The client also needs to make clear how information will be collated for the designer (will they need to write copy, supply images?) and communicate clearly when deadlines or project details change.

5. Do your research

Both parties need to take a little time to get to know one another and how they work. If I were to create scientific illustrations for a client, I would need to make sure that the details were accurate and seek confirmation based on rough drawings and visuals, or if I were to create brand assets I may need to find out a bit about the company’s ethos and make sure work ties in with a bigger brand identity. Likewise, it is essential that the client knows a bit about me and the sort of work I do to get the best outcomes, writing a brief that is relevant to my style or specialisms and not requesting something too ambiguous or based on another artist's work.

The key to a successful project is in good communication and setting clear boundaries. Business is not simply about completing a task to get a pay cheque at the end of it, it is all about connecting with clients, making lasting relationships and producing work that has longevity..