First, you design. Then, you deliver those designs. Simple, right? Not so fast.
At Slide, we've learned to not take the delivery phase of design for granted. If our goal is to always maximize value to the client, then planning a smooth delivery process ensures everyone's hard work and careful considerations make it all the way to the user.
Here, we share three simple measures both designers and clients can take to maximize the value of designs during the delivery process.
1. Create tour points
Tour points visually call-out critical elements throughout the design to focus the reviewer’s attention and create a clear narrative for how the design came to be. They illustrate high-value decisions, deviations from older designs, or places the design may differ from the client’s expectations. When the designer reaches a tour point, they should hit these notes:
Here’s a decision worth noticing.
Here’s what my decision is based on.
What do you think?
2. Reveal your assumptions in the design
Designers face a mountain of branching decisions throughout the design process, generating lists of questions as they go. But don’t unload those questions on the reviewer during a delivery presentation. Too many open-ended questions produce decision fatigue that will quickly derail your delivery conversation. Instead, reveal your assumptions and express them in the deliverable. Create a tour point corresponding to each assumption so the reviewer has something to react to, rather than a question to answer.
3. Active meeting participation
The designer is the advocate for the user. The client is the subject matter expert for the business. Focus the power of both points of view by encouraging an open dialogue.
Clients:
Ask questions
Challenge assumptions
Check your own requirements
Designers:
Leave air for others to speak
Actively prompt periodic input
Talk about business outcomes, not design jargon
Set up success
A designer's work may end at that meeting, but the client must carry the vision forward. After a design meeting, a client should be able to easily recall the why and how of each design decision. It's only a good design process if the owner understands the deliverable and is comfortable taking the next step to build the solution. Providing context, noting assumptions, and activating client participation starts them on that path.