I am primarily a Web Developer (back end programming) - but intend to offer a co

Question

I am primarily a Web Developer (back end programming) - but intend to offer a complete service to my clients, from concept, to brand design, photoshop mock-ups and everything else in between. I'm aware that it's a good idea to outsource this design aspect of the project to someone that I trust. My question is more about the process:

I imagine that in order for the designer to really grasp what the client wants to create, they would need some sort of interaction. Therefore, does anyone know if it is common to bring both parties into a 3 way discussion? Or is it more common to get all of the info from the client, and then pass it onto the designer, and act as a back and forth middleman? Afterall, I am the designer's client.

Any insight into this would be great

Explanation / Answer

Don't be a middle-man between your graphic designer and your client. Be there for the first meetings between them. Make the designer write up a summary of each meeting and send it to all three of you. Once you know that the meetings are going well and that the summary is suitable to keep you informed, you can drop out and just read the summary emails.

You can join any meeting at any time if your designer and client need more management, either for scope, technical guidance, or other reasons. Projects move slowly enough as it is. The cost to everyone of "he said, she said" can be huge.

Maybe you double as an interior decorator, but even if you do, it's really hard to convey to your designer that your client wants more of a peach-blush background than a warm pink, then get back to the client that the designer thinks peach-blush will wash out the key-lime highlight in the logo, and that it will have to be changed to more of a spring-grass-green, etc. Don't be the middle man any more than you have to be.

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