What do you do if a graphic designer's work doesn't meet your expectations?

When a graphic designer's work falls short of your expectations, the first step is to take a step back and objectively assess the deliverables. Review the brief, requirements, and any previous communications to ensure that your expectations were clearly communicated. Try to pinpoint specific areas where the work doesn't align with your vision or needs, and gather concrete examples to support your feedback.

Begin by objectively evaluating the initial project brief to understand if you effectively communicated your expectations. Then, offer clear, constructive feedback outlining precise concerns with the designer's work. Request revisions and collaborate to ensure alignment with your vision. Maintain open communication and a willingness to find solutions for a professional resolution. Evaluate the overall working relationship, and be open to considering termination if persistent issues arise, even if it means potential financial loss in the short term.

If you've taken care to select the right artist, explain the assignment, and make clear your expectations, then you're the one to blame if it doesn't work out.

If I hired a designer that isn’t producing to expectations, I’d look internally first. I’d ask myself things like: Did I do enough research to confirm this designer’s portfolio reflects a style that I’m looking to achieve? Did I give clear instructions? Did I supply examples of work I like, and what my competitors are doing? Do my corrections make sense? Is what I’m asking for possible to achieve at all?

If a graphic designer's work does not meet expectations, pause and ask why before speaking up. 4 questions to guide next steps: 1]❓Was there a brief/clarity up front to kick off the project? 2]❓Have you provided examples of likes/dislikes? 3]❓Are you in a positive mindset, ready to clearly and compassionately guide them to a more productive outcome? 4]❓Did you select a designer with high EQ to embrace your feedback? If you have the right design partner, assume positive intent, show up prepared for a productive conversation, express gratitude, and clearly articulate your feedback, setting the next steps together. I am Candi Luciano, Freelance Graphic Design Expert 🔥 for Speakers 🎤 & Entrepreneurs Was I helpful? Please comment👇

It's important to understand where a graphic designer is coming from in their approach, so I would start by asking questions on how they reached their current design. From there you should have an understanding about how they approach their creativity, and can provide tips and suggestions on how they can strengthen their work. Providing feedback on what is working with their layout, typography, current design trends, their use of imagery and colour theory. This is all helpful, as a Creative Director, to evolve and grow junior talent, while advancing the work itself.

Give detailed feedback on what's not working in the design, like colors or layout. Be respectful and specific to help the designer understand and improve.

Schedule a meeting or call with the graphic designer to discuss your concerns and provide constructive feedback. Be specific, objective, and respectful in your critique. Focus on the work itself rather than making personal attacks. Use examples to illustrate your points and explain how the design falls short of your expectations. Give the designer an opportunity to ask questions, clarify any misunderstandings, and share their perspective.

Good feedback is requested. Not only "I don't like it," but specifics on what is not okay. A good result starts with a good brief. Therefore, also check your brief. Ensure that you have provided all the necessary information to complete the job. If so, provide more detailed information about what you want: colors, mood, etc., need to be considered.

Creatives think differently than company owners and marketing directors. Before you provide feedback, give the designer or agency the opportunity to explain the "why" behind their work. If they are a solid designer, they have spent a lot of time being intentional and considering all aspects of the project. Immediate negative feedback without the chance to explain "why" is deflating and unproductive. You can unintentionally suppress their out-of-the-box thinking and innovation for future work. Work collaboratively keeping the best aspects of the creative work and refine it to be better than you could have imagined yourself. If they consistently can't offer any "why" behind the work and it's subpar, move on.

Discuss with the designer to suggest changes, prioritizing what needs fixing most. Share examples for clarity and be open to their input—it can improve the project.

Before hiring a graphic designer review their online portfolio. This will give you an understanding of their skills and the type of work they will be able to deliver on your project. If you don't like the quality of work in the portfolio, don't hire them.

After providing feedback, collaborate with the designer to identify potential solutions and suggest revisions. Be clear about what needs to be improved and provide guidance on the direction you'd like to see. However, avoid micromanaging or dictating every detail. Give the designer some creative freedom to propose alternative ideas and solutions. Set a reasonable timeline for revisions and establish clear milestones to keep the project on track.

Giving clear, actionable suggestions is key to success, an example revision note I gave was, "Okay. Um...maybe try one cooler, and faster, and louder, and better, and less insecure, and more just cool." This helps them know what you want and also what you don't want.

Nachdem du dein Feedback mit dem Designer besprochen hast, ist es an der Zeit, konkrete Änderungen vorzuschlagen. Priorisiere deine Bedenken, damit der Designer weiß, was dir besonders wichtig ist. Es ist hilfreich, visuelle Referenzen oder Beispiele anzugeben, um zu verdeutlichen, was du suchst. Das schließt mögliche Kommunikationslücken und stellt sicher, dass beide Parteien ein klares Verständnis des gewünschten Ergebnisses haben. Denk daran, auch für Vorschläge des Designers offen zu sein – er bringt Fachwissen mit, das das Projekt verbessern kann.

It’s important to not break down a creative. Creation is consuming. If they miss the mark, explain first what you like, even if it’s all wrong. There is always something to compliment. Then repeat the scope, your thoughts, and ask them to re-evaluate and re-align with the client’s expectation. Then nudge them to take it outside of the client request. There is nothing more liberating than a clear scope with the freedom to explore or put a spin on it.

Um sicherzustellen, dass das Überarbeiten reibungslos verläuft, ist es entscheidend, klare Erwartungen festzulegen. Besprecht einen realistischen Zeitplan für die überarbeiteten Entwürfe und einigt euch auf die Anzahl der Revisionen. Legt auch fest, wie die zukünftige Kommunikation ablaufen soll. Regelmäßige Check-ins helfen, das Projekt auf Kurs zu halten und Missverständnisse zu vermeiden.

Agree on a timeline and number of revisions. Keep communication open for updates and clarifications to ensure smooth progress.

If the designer's work consistently misses the mark, it may be necessary to revisit and clarify your expectations. Review the project scope, deliverables, and timeline to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Provide more detailed guidelines, examples, or references to help the designer better understand your vision. Consider creating a mood board or visual references to communicate your aesthetic preferences more effectively.

Quando chegamos a um ponto do projeto onde as coisas não estão indo como esperávamos, é a hora de parar um pouco e reavaliar. É super importante que, desde o começo, a gente deixe claro o que espera do projeto. Isso ajuda a todo mundo entender melhor o que precisa ser feito, evita confusões e desentendimentos, e também cria um ponto de referência para saber se estamos indo bem. Ao deixar tudo às claras desde o início, facilitamos o trabalho em equipe, pois todo mundo fica na mesma página em relação aos objetivos, aos prazos e ao que pode ou não ser feito. No fim, isso tudo contribui para que o cliente fique mais feliz com o resultado, e o projeto flua melhor.

If revisions don't work, explore other options. Assess if more guidance is needed or if a new designer is the best choice. Use the experience to improve your brief and selection process.

If, despite your best efforts, the designer's work still doesn't meet your standards, it may be time to explore alternative solutions. Consider bringing in a different designer or agency with a proven track record and style that aligns with your needs. If the project is time-sensitive or critical, it may be necessary to cut ties with the current designer and find a replacement. However, be sure to handle the situation professionally and provide fair compensation for any work completed.

You shouldn't need several revisions. I rarely have to do much revision work. The feedback a designer should often hear is, "How did you know exactly what we wanted / needed?" They know because they asked the right questions up front and the client and target audience truly informed them. If the first set of revisions isn't close to "hitting it out of the park" based on quality feedback and collaboration, there is a serious disconnect. You could have an incompetent designer, but more often than not I've seen this when the stakeholder really doesn't know what they want. Two types of stakeholders are nearly impossible to please. 1. Someone who "knows what they want when they see it." 2. A client that is "design by committee."

Wenn das Design trotz mehrerer Überarbeitungen nicht deinen Erwartungen entspricht, könnte es Zeit sein, nach Alternativen zu suchen. Denk darüber nach, ob zusätzliche Anleitung oder Ressourcen helfen könnten, oder ob ein Wechsel des Designers sinnvoll wäre. Wenn du dich für einen neuen Designer entscheidest, nutze die Erfahrung, um dein Briefing und deine Auswahlkriterien zu verbessern. Denk daran, dass es manchmal Versuch und Irrtum erfordert, die richtige Lösung zu finden, und dass jede Erfahrung eine Lernmöglichkeit ist.

If things are still not clear after my instructions. I might suggest a quick call to sort it out. I'll also stay open to any professional advice they have. If we can't get the design right after a few tries, it may be best to end things gracefully and find someone new who fits the project's needs better.

Stay professional. Respect the designer's effort and time. It helps both parties learn and grow. Even if the project doesn't go as planned, professionalism can lead to future opportunities.

Professional honesty/feedback is important. If work doesn't meet your expectations, you need to be able to articulate "why" in a way that is not rude. You need to be respectful of the designer's time and expertise, while being constructive in a way that will eventually yield a result you're happy with. Designers will likely work through constructive feedback with you, but will be less inclined to do their best work for you going forward if you trash what they've already made. Be constructive in your feedback, be kind in your delivery.

Open, honest, and respectful communication is the best way to approach any situation where you are less than satisfied. At the end of the day, clients and designers are people trying to accomplish a goal.

Throughout the process, maintain a professional and respectful demeanor. Avoid personal attacks, blame, or inflammatory language. Remember that the goal is to improve the work and achieve the best possible outcome for the project. Keep communications focused on the work itself and provide constructive feedback that helps the designer grow and improve. By handling the situation with professionalism and tact, you can maintain a positive working relationship and reputation in the industry.

Despite setbacks that may happen, maintaining professionalism is important. The designer, is a person. We build people up, and guide them toward a better solution, and that requires patience from both yourself, and the designer. In this world, it's not a matter of life of death. Respect their decisions on how they arrived to their solution, and encourage them to continue pushing forward with your guidellnce. It increases the respect the designer has toward you, and will motivate this individual to better themselves to maintain a positive relationship. Both will grow as a person, and designer.

Designer's Perspective: Understand the designer's perspective and any challenges they may have faced in interpreting the brief or executing the work. Encourage open dialogue to address any concerns or obstacles they encountered. Timeline: Assess whether the timeline provided to the designer was realistic and allowed for sufficient time for revisions and adjustments. Consider extending deadlines if necessary to accommodate thorough revisions. Scope Creep: Determine if there were any changes or additions to the project scope that may have contributed to the discrepancies in the deliverables. Clarify the scope of work to ensure mutual understanding moving forward.

A failed design project serves as a learning opportunity for everyone involved, not just the designer. It's essential to reflect on aspects such as the choice of designer, timelines, and the comprehensiveness of briefs. Evaluating these areas will inform your approach, whether you're seeking a new designer or assigning a fresh project.

If a designer's work misses the mark, stay calm and communicate! Explain what's off about the design and work together to revise it.

First don't break their heart. They may have put their heart and soul into it. You will never get another good piece from them again. Check to make sure information was transfered completely. Tell them up front you hardly ever accept the first submission. Keep it professional and point them in the right direction. And always be positive. You may have to guide them to your way of thinking.

If you have seen various samples of a designer’s work before you hire them, and feel confidence that they can reflect your brand, assume that they have some degree of expertise in their field. After all, that’s why you’re hiring them rather than attempting it yourself! When the designer presents something that you wouldn’t choose for yourself, remember that it is for the company and brand, not necessarily for yourself. If you have a non-negotiable that need to be included, discuss that before the project is begun to make sure the designer is confident they are able to make the best designs possible for you within those constraints.