What sets the criteria for “good” design? Is there such thing as “good” design or is it in the eye of the designer or viewer? Aesthetic questions are personal to the designer, client and audience — the answers will always be subjective and unclear. So how should your work be evaluated? Instead of focusing on descriptive words, I usually ask myself, How to I measure my level of success as a designer?
1. Is the client happy?
While it’s hard enough yourself and even more difficult to please the whole world, especially other designer’s, aim to please the client. If your client’s not happy, then your in trouble and you’re not doing your job.
You risk the possibility of loosing the client for future work, not being paid for your work, not gaining referrals… the list goes on — and those things are never “good”.
Also note that it is important to make sure their happy and not just assume so. Ask for their feedback or testimonials.
2. Am I happy with the level of my own work?
The way I measure my overall happiness of my work is by asking, “Am I taking steps to becoming a better designer and working towards improving my skills? Have I improved from last year? Do I learn from my mistakes?”
I know first hand that being pleased with your own work is extremely hard, but in my opinion this is a good thing. It should give us the motivation to improve and become better designers… thus making us happier designers and more satisfied with our own level of work. :)
If you feel there’s room for improvement (and there always is!) and not working towards it, then you fail in terms of measuring your own level of work as a designer.
3. Are your jobs profitable?
Are the jobs you’re taking on earning you exposure, as well as a steady income? Without gaining the proper exposure and recognition you cannot succeed as a independent designer, or any business for that matter. I’ve competed for plenty of jobs where I’ve low-balled my price in order to gain a client that would gain me better recognition and more work in the end.
4. Are your designs serving its purpose?
Is your work attracting attention? Does it communicate a message to the target audience? In a world where everything is evaluated by the level of it’s success, so is design. You can have the “best” designs in the world, but what good is it if it doesn’t attract attention and capture an audience?
I would propose an alternative to #1 (very similar to your #4): Though I realize this is an ideal, I think the person that should be happy is not the client, but the client’s target audience. Too often I find myself designing for the particular person who requested the project, even though I know the style won’t appeal to the people who the piece is targeting. Only three years in the industry and I already find myself jaded to the point that I don’t argue with them about this anymore :( Do you ever run into this situation, Brian?
Lauren,
Great point, but I think that #1 and #4 go hand in hand… This is where educating the client comes into play when the clients initial idea does not suite their target audience. Hopefully shedding some light and offering your professional experience as a graphic designer will make them happy with the end result.
I agree with your frustration into arguing with them. I had/have more than enough clients that I offered my professional expertise and was rejected numerous times. ie: I was doing a website for a client that I could NOT please. I showed them galleries of award-winning websites to see what they liked and disliked to get a better idea — and they said they were ALL aweful. So what do you do in that instance? You make them happy and give them what they want. I know the feel, but sometimes it comes down to that :(
Yes, you’re right, #1 and #4 do go together. I was thinking that while writing the above and I now realize I didn’t say it in my comment! If the target is happy, the client should be happy too (more business!). But there are those clients that just don’t make good business decisions—aside from design considerations—and base everything on what they like, instead of their audience’s preferences. Do you find you generally have success in educating clients? How do you go about it? Maybe that’s an idea for another article, though!
I personally find it especially difficult to educate, being in-house; I’m not supposed to have direct contact with our clients (other departments). I do try to outline my design decisions even if they are never shared, though, just to develop my own communication skills and be able to assess my designs as objectively as possible. And I take into consideration the points that others bring back if they are able to advocate for me and discuss the issues with the client.
Lauren,
Educating your clients IS difficult. Some approach you with the upmost confidence they you are good at what you do, while others are difficult. Its a complete toss up…
Maybe I will save my “Client Educational Process” answer for a post ;
I wrote a post earlier in my blog about ‘Keeping the Upperhand with Clients Who Dictate your Work’
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I think it’s really important to gain the clients trust and no. 1 and 4 must account for this.
Jeff,
I agree with you completely. Trust is important on both behalves. Didn’t mention it directly, because if they don’t trust you, then their typically not happy. And we like happy people :)
yes, #4 should be higher priority than #2 and #3.
Great insight, great article, and thanks for sharing it.
Rama,
Thanks for the comment. And, yes, in terms of priority I would have ordered them differently. Glad you enjoyed the article.
[...] Vote What constitutes good design? [...]
[...] solution that will fit their audience’s needs and communicate their products/services AND keep them happy. If you’ve had experience with this, then you know its not easy. It takes work, patience and [...]
If the designer does his/her job successfully (#4), it will equal to a happy client (#1), which ‘should’ mean profit for the designer (#3). And a successful design should is the first step to a happy designer (#2)!
[...] The Design Cubicle has an interesting discussion on keeping the client happy, which was the inspiration for my post: What Constitutes Good Design [...]
I have to disagree with your basic premise, that “Aesthetic questions are personal to the designer, client and audience — the answers will always be subjective and unclear”. As a design practitioner and teacher of design principles, I understand the difference between aesthetics and style. Aesthetics are not subject to the opinion or whim of the designer or client, but are foundational, universal principles addressing what is visually appealing to human beings. Aesthetics apply in all places, at all times, in all cultures. Marry aesthetics and function/user experience and you have good design.
Style is the subjective thing. But style has to be supported by aesthetics.
I am most often able to persuade my clients based on a discussion of sound aesthetics applied to the purpose of the design, and win them over. They have a hard time disagreeing at that point. Then we discuss “style” and personal tastes, and what role those issues should play in the design solution. Or what their basis is for wanting something done in a certain way. That relates to your Item # 4 – does the design serve its purpose?
Alvalyn,
Thanks for the great comment! Definitely a thought to ponder… May I ask a question though? You’re “definition” to aesthetics stated that its a foundational, universal principle addressing what is visually appealing to human beings — ALL human beings? Because if it cannot apply to all then it goes back to being “personal, subjective and unclear”. Just more food for thought… ;)
Yes, ALL human beings. Aesthetics apply to all people at all times. The principles are based on humanness, not on culture, styles or personal opinions. Thus they are universal and, if you dare to accept the idea, absolutes.
Think in terms of written languages that use letter forms and words. Whether one is communicating in French, Hebrew or English, verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc. are involved. Those are what aesthetics are – foundational. Style is built on top of that – how those parts of speech are used to form the language.
And if you understand gestalt theory applied to design, you understand how aesthetics are about how we perceive and understand visually.