After writing Design Is a Job for a design audience, I decided to address the other side of the designer/client relationship. The goal of You’re My Favorite Client was (is) to help people who hire designers make better decisions, not just in the hiring but throughout the design process.
From the intro:
No one is born knowing how to be a good client. (I certainly wasn’t born a good designer.) Successful design projects need equal participation from the client and the designer. Yet the design process remains a mystery to the people who buy it. This book will attempt to demystify that process and help you prepare for your role. Well-informed clients make projects run more smoothly and effectively, and well-run projects ultimately cost less. This book will help you ask the right questions, get the right answers, and work with the right people. You’ll have the confidence to hire people who challenge you to make your product the best it can be.
When you hire a designer, you’re not hiring a pair of hands. You’re hiring a mind that’s been trained to solve problems in a way you can’t.
You’re My Favorite Client was written in 2014, and in some ways it shows. It speaks of a time where the internet wasn’t totally enshittified, but there are still good lessons to be found in it.
It’s a free download. If you enjoy it, consider hiring a professional instead of churning out more AI slop.
“Let it die.””