Designer Boss
Designer Boss
Dealing with client revisions & scope creep
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0:04
Welcome to the designer boss podcast, listen, learn, love and level up with the ultimate success guide for web and graphic designers.
0:17
My name is Anna Dower. I'm a cake lover and success-slaying graphic design mentor.
0:23
And I'm Emma Kate, your personal sensei for mastering the wonderful world of the Web.
0:30
Together, we'll show you how to harness our tried and tested experiences and hard-earned lessons while you soak up everything we know about building a successful design business.
0:47
Hi, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Designer Boss Podcast today and I am going to talk about a topic that was actually requested by Linda Bradley in my designers learning web dev group, which is how to minimize amends and eliminate scope creep. And I know this is something that I've definitely struggled with over the years. You're nodding too, I'm sure you have too Anna. And I think every designer does. And it's just really now I feel about knowing where to draw the line and the sort of things that we can put in place in our process to make sure that we're giving clear instructions to the client of what is and isn't included so that we're not wasting hours of our time that we're not getting paid for.
1:37
Yeah, totally. And it's a post that I see in my Facebook group all the time as well. Like, there's always designers, and they are saying, oh my god, I'm up to like the 16th proof. And she's still not approved it. But she doesn't want to pay for revisions. And it's a problem that every single designer I think has had in their business. And it's definitely something you can learn from and implement stuff to try to make it not happen as often and not be as stressful for you in your design business.
2:16
Well, the first thing right off the bat, I think at the beginning of the job, one of the things that is really helped me is having a really clear and detailed brief and quote to the client. So in your proposal and your quote to the client, actually stipulating how many design variations you'll be including how many rounds of demands, if you're doing a web project, then really specifying you know, what is included in that website and what isn't. So whatever those inclusions might be, if it's like hosting or anything like that, making sure that that's really included, specify whether that's included or not. But yeah, definitely how many rounds of them and how many sort of proofs you're providing, and potentially even what you expect from the client, what they need to provide, because often they might expect that you'll be providing all the copy for their project, and you actually have been quoted for that. So making sure you stipulate what you're going to be including and what the client needs to provide. Another thing on top of that, too, is to not start on the design, don't start on the project until the client has actually completed a full brief for you giving you everything that you need. There's a few times in the past where I've actually started a project when a client says, oh, I'll just trust you with the design. You know, you just come up with the design. I'm sure it'll be great. And then you have no idea their design style like. They might even describe it in words, but there was a completely opposite to if they actually, you know, yeah, as usual. Yeah, yeah. So I now have a thing where I ask clients to provide me with examples of designs that they like, and also ones that they don't like. And then on top of that, tell me what they do and don't like about them. Because what they like about them might be different to what I like about them. So it is really good to get them to specify.
4:24
Yeah, and sometimes when clients are super vague in their briefs. As designers, we just want to be people pleasers, and we're like, oh, okay, I guess I can figure it out from that super vague, brief where you gave me to the answers. But like, don't stand for it. Because if you're like trying to create concepts from something that is so vague, chances are you're going to be doing loads of revisions down the track. So if their brief answers are vague, actually hit them up for more information actually pushed back and say, you know, it's gonna be really hard for me to interpret this brief because you didn't give me a lot to work with, can we? You know, work through it together? Can we get something locked in stone before I start creating concepts?
5:18
Absolutely, definitely feel like you can ask questions, ask as many questions as you need to, until you feel like you fully understand what they're after. And yeah, get those visual examples, because I don't know how many times clients have said that they want something clean and simple or something. And then they'll provide me with this design that's like fully over the top and completely opposite to what they've described in their word.
5:45
Yeah, exactly. My next tip, for you know, limiting revisions is, when you do actually get to the point of sending your concepts off, it might be one concept, or three concepts, whatever you have specified initially, it's really, really, really important to talk about why you did everything in your design, it's really important to explain your work. Because often if you don't explain your work, clients will come back and say, Well, I just don't like that colour. I want it to be yellow now, or I want to cram more stuff in there. But if you actually talk, through your design, even create a loom video talking through it, talk about why you chose that colour, because it represents this kind of tone and this kind of voice and their brand. Why did you choose to have it spaced this way? Why did you choose that imagery, and you will be so surprised and happy when you realize the power of explaining your work. When you explain your work, people are like, Oh, that's so strategic. Now I understand. And hopefully it will limit the revisions, it will limit all the little, you know, shitty revisions, like, acn I have a bit of concept one with a bit of concept three, you know, really, really explain it and be passionate about it, you will convince them, you will let them know that you're the professional, and you know what you're doing, and they can trust you. So explain your work.
7:29
Yeah, that's been a huge one to me too. Like ever since I started credit recording loom videos, whether it was running through original logo concepts, or even just like a homepage design that I've done, explaining all those design choices to a client and also explaining why maybe I haven't done something that they've actually requested. Like my reasoning behind why I didn't try, you know, purple with green and their logo that is just terrible, I don't know, like explaining that to them. Otherwise, I often would you just get pushed back and go, Why didn't you do this? I want to see it this way. So that's been huge for me.
8:08
Yeah. And even in your video, you could show them like, I did do a quick mock up of the purple text on the green background. Here is a quick flash. As you can see, you cannot read it.
8:22
Yeah, yeah, like often giving them almost what they want showing that but explaining it to them can be really good. So yeah, learning loom is just such a fantastic tool for that it's so quick and easy to record a video, I send them a link. And I sort of tried to even put that at the beginning of the email. So they're watching that before they actually open up the concepts, you know, to view themselves.
8:46
Yeah, I think that's a big one.
8:48
Another point that I had is how if say if a client requests something that is outside of scope, so with started the project, and we're sort of maybe halfway through, and then they request something that isn't what we've included in the original scope of works, what do I do then. And I think it's really important to push back early on when they do request stuff out of scope. So sometimes this might be really minimal, and it's going to take you like five minutes. And sometimes it might, you know, be hours or something really expensive. So it can be good. Like, I find if it's just something that's quick and easy for me to do. Yes, I might do it, but I will tell them that I'm doing them a favour, you know, like yes, no worries, I'm happy to do that for you now, but just so you know, it is outside the scope of works, any further changes will incur an additional fee or something like that. And I even have an email template, which I'm happy to. I'll share in the notes for this podcast that you guys can steal and use yourself, which essentially is telling them that this is you know, happy to make those changes. I think that's a great idea. Just so you know, it is outside the scope of work and sort of this is what happens.
10:06
Yeah. And it's so funny when you were talking, then I actually wrote down on my poster now, if you do them a favour, tell them it's a favour. Because that is so important. Because often designers are like, Oh, I did all this stuff for them that was free. And now they're still arguing about having to pay for revisions. They don't appreciate me. And I often say to them, Well, did you tell them that you did all that stuff for free? And that you usually charge X X amount of dollars for those things? And they like. No, well, how does your client then know? It's really important. And it's important to tell them that this is a one off complimentary favour that you're doing for them. However, any additional revisions will be charged at X amount of dollars. And another kind of thing that I've found with clients design clients is there were two types of clients, there was one that received the concept and was in love and made a few minimal changes. And then there was a second type of client, one that was kind of like, well, that's not it at all. This is not gonna work, you know, kind of like throwing it all in the bin. And really negative about it, when in actual fact, when you talk to the client, even if you jump on a 15 minute chat with them, the changes that they required were quite minimal, but because they had to make changes, they felt like the process was wrong somehow. So it is important to let people know that revisions are part of the process. And to let them know that if you do want changes, it's okay. It's this is not the end of the road, we can continue to work together within the scope to get to what you want. And I actually do have a little email script as well that I will share. That kind of explains that to clients when you send off concepts. It says you'll either have one of two reactions. One you squeal, you're happy you love it, you have a couple of changes. Two oh my god, this is not in at all. Blah, blah, blah. But don't fret, let's jump on a call for 15 minutes and figure it out together.
12:30
That's awesome. Yeah, because there definitely are there's, I do feel there are those two types of clients. And often even the ones that are squealing super happy, they might end up having more changes than the ones that aren't, you know, that they sort of view the process differently. And yet, some clients don't realize that it's not going to be perfect the first time and we don't expect it to be, you know, there are that's what we have revisions for. And yeah, so I have to have ones that yeah, though, they'll say that I've got you know, it's so far off base. And, you know, it's not what I was expecting at all. And then really all we had to do was like change the font. Yes.
13:14
Some people really make it a disaster in their head. And I think it's maybe because we didn't explain the process properly, or, I don't know. But this email script, I feel like kind of defuses that situation from happening again. Because it explained, it's okay. If you feel like that, we'll figure it out together. So those are our tips for trying to prevent scope creep. Hopefully, it will help it. It's a part of the design business, I think. But like Emma. And I said, it's really important to get really clear to begin with, communicate clearly, make sure the brief is detailed, and you understand it before you start. Secondly, explain your work, create a video, tell them why you're being strategic with everything that you design.
14:10
And make sure that if you're doing them a favour, let them know you're doing them a favour, and let them know when things are outside of scope. And feel free to charge for it. Feel free to push back and say, you know, okay, no worries, I can do that. It'll be X amount, would you like me to proceed? And often they might say, Oh, actually, I don't need that. You know, they might actually decide they don't need that or they'll be happy to pay. I think it's just really important to let them know when they are requesting something that's outside scope.
14:41
Yeah. Lastly, let them know it's okay. If it's not perfect the first time, the concept and let them know that it's normal and that you will continue to work with them to get to a point where they're happy with it, either within the revisions or out. The revisions add an extra price.
15:02
Yeah, feel free to jump on a zoom call or a 15 minute chat or something like that. To clarify, yes, a lot of things can get lost in translation in emails. And sometimes I, you know, I found it just really settles a client down when you go, it's perfectly normal. You know, just, what are you thinking? What do you want, we can get there. This is all part of the process. Like you can really calm a client down and they'll feel like they're in good hands.
15:28
Yeah, that 15 minute chat is gold. It can disarm people. I often find when people are typing it, you can interpret it in so many different ways. But once you jump on the Zoom call, it will be clear that you're both on the same team, and that you're both just trying to figure it out.
15:49
Yeah. And I think that they're probably the main things there are a lot of things you can include in your process to really minimize revisions and eliminate the scope creep. But just having this clear process, and communication with your client is a huge one. So thank you so much to Linda Bradley, who requested this episode or for us to sort of answer this question for you.
16:11
Enjoy our free email script.
16:14
Yeah, yeah, check out the notes for those free email scripts will pop them in it. Thanks, guys.
16:27
You've been listening to the designer boss podcast with Anna Dower and Emma Kate. If you'd like to learn more about us and our upcoming digital summit for graphic and web designers, head to our website designerboss.co