People with a great deal of experience—both as
designers and as clients—will tell you that if you really
do your homework in the selection process, the
chances are excellent that what follows will bring
about the hoped–for results
Where to look
There are more than 19,000 members of AIGA, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other businesses providing graphic design that aren’t members. There are also other graphic design associations with their own memberships. And this is just the United States It’s a big community and, as with all businesses, design is increasingly global.
Where do you start?
The membership lists of AIGA and other design organizations are available to the public. They are a good place to begin, especially if you’re starting from ground zero. You will find the lists arranged by city and state, so that if location is an issue for you, you can define your search geographically. Start with AIGA’s online membership directory at www.aiga.org/membership. Design industry publications are another source. They are both numerous and accessible. Not only do they publish the work of designers on a regular basis, many also publish design annuals that display what the publications judge to be the best design in a variety of categories. These publications will not only show you what designers are capable of producing, but also how companies of all sizes and from every sector of industry are using design to communicate effectively. Reviewing them is a fairly easy way to see a lot of work quickly. Doing so may also tell you something about where your own design comfort zone lies. And while your personal comfort zone isn’t necessarily the right yardstick for making a selection, knowing it will help you in the “briefing” process (more on this shortly). Still another way to find designers is to look around at what other companies are doing; call the companies whose efforts you admire and ask for their recommendations.
Companies that are doing a good job of communicating are companies who care about it, and they’re typically willing to discuss the subject. Furthermore, if they’re doing good work, it usually means they are good clients. Find out from them what makes a design client a good client. Designers themselves are also good sources. Ask them whom they respect within their field. There’s nothing wrong with getting them to name their competition. While it might make choosing tougher, when you make the final selection from among designers who are peers, you usually come out better than when you don’t. (And if the relationship doesn’t work, well, you have some future contenders you already know something about.)
