Designer Woes

[Click Obey]

Are there any freelance designers that do anything in the quoted time frame they give or is it just common place to disregard anything they say about doing things on time? This isnt a post out of anger or anything, this is just a recurring thing for me and many others I have spoken to.

Any actual clients of designers who can suggest someone solid to work with?

[Amputate Your Head]

It's a built-in flaw with most designers.
Been doing this stuff for ten years and I've learned to tell clients, if I say it will be done "today", that almost always means "the end of the day", which is usually quite late, so it really means, "tomorrow morning". Unless I give a specific time on something, like, "3:00 today".

Just the way it is, because most of us will work on something for as long as we can before stamping it as "finished". At least I do anyway.

[RadicalSights]

I deliver my designs 1 year later

[grumpy]

part of the problem is the absence of specs

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally Posted by grumpy

part of the problem is the absence of specs

That's 99.9% of the problem. A good design brief would go a long way.

[Broda]

Originally Posted by grumpy

part of the problem is the absence of specs

...and late add-ons not part of the original specs

[Fletch XXX]

feel free to ask my clients about me delivering before deadlines

Ask BradM of FastSize about me and if I take too long. LOL.

Dont take designer words for anything, ask clients about them and if they reach deadlines

[Serge Litehead]

its not a "build-in flaw" per say. in reality one can only estimate time-frame for a creativity. accuracy in estimation is gained with experience. on the other hand when you do lots of similar stuff, like cookie cutting you usually know how much time particular task will take.

alot of times what happens with designer's prediction is at first they go with most optimistic outlook.. then many things in between estimated timeframe and final result may go south. lost of motivation for whatever reason. client being to cheap and too hard, "family matters" etc etc etc. and the overoptimistic expectation meets a missed deadline. but if you agree to a specific time - you better deliver by that time, there shouldn't be any excuses. you shouldn't agree to unrealistic dates otherwise.

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally Posted by holograph

you shouldn't agree to unrealistic dates otherwise.

"Shouldn't" being the operative word. We all know it happens every day.

[Lassitor]

Originally Posted by grumpy

part of the problem is the absence of specs

That's always why things sort of fail or become delayed...the client does not explain clearly what they want or simply does not know what they want. The designer may try and guess or mind-read what client wants, and the client often just want the designer to "be creative" and blow their minds....that seldom works out like that.

I don't even give a timeline to when a project will be completed if there is ambiguous instructions and poor communication; such as the client only answering with one word replies or not answering at all.

Lastly, it is also the problem of the developer/designer to vastly under price the project. This is a huge problem and only brings much frustration to both parties.