and while it helps to clearly state your position regarding revisions (often termed: changes or client alterations) in your original estimate, it does no good if the client is unaware (usually always) without you pointing it out beforehand. that’s a long-winded way of saying: put it in writing and verbally state it before getting started. it won’t guarantee that you will not encounter extra revisions but it will give you the confidence to discuss them in regards to the original budget while the job is in progress or when the work is completed.

All the best, Ted

Thanks for your comments.

I always start by explaining to anyone enquiring that, although I’ll sketch something until they’re happy, as soon as they give the nod for me to take it to the computer then any major revisions will be charged for as they take longer to rectify after this stage in the design process.

I always ask new clients for an upfront deposit aswell, which is almost never a problem. It also shows that they respect my time and have confidence in my work based on what they’ve seen. (Which is why they are wanting my service in the first place i assume!)

I also agree with Lindsay in the fact that it is extrememly important to fathom as much information as possible before even starting to put pencil to paper as it always saves alot of time on revisions in the long run.

Regardless of the commission though, providing a design serivce professionally will amost always encounter revisions on every project in some capacity. We are the visual artists, where the clients (usually) are not so unless we are mind readers it’s unlikely what we draft from our minds will be 100% first time. At the end of they day, they are paying you so should be given what they want.

If they are clearly taking the p!ss and being exceptionally difficult then i would be tempted to remind them of their own deadline peerhaps, before cutting my losses and either offering them thier deposit back as a gesture of goodwill (If it is MY decision to terminate the contract) or just learn never to accept work from said client again after the commission is (Finally!) complete. Live and learn!

If you’ve done a good job of getting your client involved at the beginning before they even see a design then your likelihood of getting significant revisions is greatly reduced.

If revisions are a chronic problem then I would examine how well you are engaging your client first and foremost rather than trying to solve it entirely with contractual clauses.

The client that wants revisions isn’t necessarily a bad client. The client that won’t help you understand their needs probably is though.

With that being said it’s up to us as professionals and designers to explain our ideas, methods and reasoning’s thoroughly to the client so that they fully understand why and what we do.

No designer enjoys revs—I hate em, but it’s all part of the process. What really gets me boiling is when client provides feedback or revs with out fully understanding why or what they’re doing.

Bottom line is know the client and know what their needs, desires and wants are. If after a few meetings and client still doesn’t know what they want, or cannot provide feedback etc …

Get a new client.

Give in sometimes. While their idea may not be the best, give in to a small idea which will not sacrifice the design, but will allow them to feel they are part of the process. While sometimes this is a power play, sometimes just marking their territory, it engages the client more. This method can also be used successfully by stating that your design idea was from a comment or an idea they had. You just developed it further.

Many times, I have to keep my design ego in check. While I approach every design from the beginning as a potential “masterpiece”, I do know that it takes three people to execute the design: the Architect, the Owner and the Builder. Each brings his own expertise and desires to the project. Only experience can separate the ego from the good ideas.

What you guys have managed here is lay out a a rational way in which we can both support the quality of our work and remain flexible to individual client needs. I will definitely go forward with this in mind for future projects. Thanks so much!

Having this kind of statement on your website does help flush out the ‘I don’t know what I want, but I’ll know when I see it’ types of clients. I think everyone has experienced those jobs, where it goes on forever.
If they know up front that they don’t have X number of revisions available, they’ll often make a more conscious decision about what they want before the designs are started.

A graphic designer that feels bad because they don’t want to stick the client with something that they hate is not a very good graphic designer.

When you sit down to design something, you dont just ask teh client what they want and start going at it. You really delve into what the client’s likes and dislikes are as well as what their target audiences’ likes and dislikes are. You work on rough concepts and make sure that you have a working understanding of what they need and they have a working understanding of what you are going to do.

Then you design.. and you better design with a purpose because if you design something because it “looks pretty” you will never be able to stick to your guns. I have gone into many client meetings where the clients questioned certain parts of my design, but because they have a reason, I almost always walked away with a complete project and no revisions.

There is and will always be a little bit of a power struggle between designer and client because, depending on the client, people seem to think that they know good design when they see it.. but most dont – or they know it when they see it, but when it comes to their business they are entirely blind. Having a solid reason for doing what you did makes you look like you know what you were doing and makes the client confortable with your choice.

This post was mentioned on Twitter by prestondlee: New blog post: Avoid design burn-out by limiting client revisions http://bit.ly/dCjsGR...