When I first started freelancing, mainly on small projects, I thought the client/designer relationship was pretty cut and dry. I figured that once they told me what they wanted, I would design, and build it out. Then, upon finishing I would contact them to get the site live.

The problem with this method of working is that I didn’t include the client on my design/development process, when in fact, they should be apart of the whole process. I should have thrown ideas around at them to see how they respond, or whether or not they like the direction I was headed in. You never want to get to the end of a project only to have the client not like the work.

Anytime you have a client, that means you are in agreement to work together on a project. Keeping that level of communication throughout a whole project not only helps to keep a designer on track, but it gives more confidence to our client and they don’t have to worry what their design is up to. Plus, it not only saves time, but can save the client money, which is a win-win situation.

This is one of the huge benefits of using a project management application, such as Basecamp. We put all of our information there, whether it be example websites to look at, or development ideas. Our clients have access to these projects, so they are notified whenever we add information to the project. Working this way helps us to keep a close relationship with the client, as well as keep them informed on what we are up to. It works wonders.

So, don’t be afraid to bounce ideas off of clients. They are there to help you do the best job possible, so keep them apart of the process. I can almost guarantee that it will make a project go a lot smoother.