Subjective assessment of design varies by the type of design

If a visual design does not satisfy the personal preference of the client, then either the designer has not followed the written brief or there is something lacking in the brief which should really identify the importance of the specific subjective requirements.

Any good designer will answer the brief with one concept and push the boundaries of the brief with additional ideas.

While the personal preferences of the client (or clients friends and family) may be infinite, any designer would be foolish to work without a written brief. And any client would be foolish not to write down subjective preferences as part of a brief when most visual design projects are judged based on subjectivity. If supplemental images are sent to the designer during the project, then this is regarded as changes to the brief. The briefing stage begins and and ends at the beginning of the design project. We encourage clients to take more time and write things down which are important to the client.

Product design assessment
Buying a finished design as a product is simple. You see it, you want it, it fits your budget, it solves your problem, you buy it and all going well it gets delivered. All the design work has already taken place prior to you even knowing about the solution. Your assessment concludes when each measure is ticked down the line. Some measures are subjective and other are objective. Often the more objective the criteria, the easier the decision becomes - unless there is an abundance of choice.
The upside for the consumer is that it is often instant gratification, even though other people can buy it as well. It's lack of rarity is only a downside if you were relying on the product to allow you to be seen as unique.

An alternative is investing in the development of visual design as a tailored service. (such as graphic design)

This is quite different. Notice the word 'development'

If a client says - we will leave it all in the hands of the designer and we will simply select from the first round of ideas presented, then it is quite a simple and quick procedure to have anything designed. There is a small investment in development.

If the client requests more rounds of ideas (more choice) after the first presentation, then the process takes longer and can cost more. There is more investment in development.
Designers will often specify how many presentations can be made before detours and additional requests are charged as extras. if it takes time to make minor adjustments, then minor charges will reflect the extra time.

The amount of time for projects can vary depending on a few things. Here are a few important aspects.

1. That the design outcome is measured simply by a detailed written brief which answers questions the designer needs answered or clarified. And that the brief clearly identifies any mandatory subjective visual traits the client wishes the visual design to reflect.

2. That the design solution is measured by the clients or clients associates own personal preference with none, some or limited reflection on the brief.

3. That the client uses the presentation process to sharpen and clarify their brief.

4. That the brief changes along the design process. Evolution is still change.

To make projects focus more on the brief, professional design studios require briefs to be provided in writing, so that each key point is covered when traveling towards the destination.
The client should reflect on questions like 'how should we design our identity?' and allow the designer to argue a case or even challenge the brief prior to beginning with any visual examples.

Where there is less subjective explanation in the brief, this is interpreted by the designer that there is more room for the designers own interpretation on the brief - no matter how simple or complex that interpretation may be.
The brief then is considered by the designer as an artefact which is just as important and as tangible and open to scrutiny and interpretation as the design solution which reflects the brief.

If the client wishes to have the greatest amount of influence over the designers interpretation of the brief, then the client should provide very clear, specific, written and visual instruction within the brief.
This can also backfire given that the designer is likely to have more experience with designing branding than the client. Sometimes where briefs become very specific and void of aspects where the designer can wield their expertise and learned influence - the client should consider contacting a finished artist rather than a designer.

When there is less clarity in the brief about subjectivity, the designer will deploy their expertise and they will draw on their knowledge. The designer will interpret lack of clarity in the brief as more independence to make recommendations. It is then purely circumstantial if the client does not like the recommendations. This circumstance would identify either that the designer is not a mind reader - or that the brief is inadequate for not specifying desired outcomes or subjective requirements.

The question the client should consider is; will I be making the final decision based on;
• the client's personal subjective perspective
• the democratic subjective perspectives of those the client encounters at the time a decision needs to be made, or
• based on the requirements as identified in the brief which points to both subjectivity and objectivity
• based on agreeing with the designers suggested direction

Ultimately, it is rare that all four points to be satisfied at once. But it does sometimes happen.

The method of decision making is at the essence of the brief itself and can have a dramatic affect on the designers procedures, the time it takes and the outcomes.

The designer can fix the price of first stage of concept and the last stage of artwork delivery, but the middle bit often needs to be based on a price range where the lower range is based on less client requests / detours and the higher range is placed on more client requests / detours. This middle part of the design process is generally priced as a by-the-hour service.

Design as a service is generally priced higher than product because it combines the expertise of the designer, the entire process of development and the customisation of the design solely for the clients business. Some clients see value in simplicity, others see value in complexity and others only value design if it looks like something that they could not do. The road to a result can be complex even if the end solution is very simple but effective. Measuring something based on whether or not one could do it themselves is as silly as saying that my 5 year old could do that when looking at an abstract painting. It points to narrow mindedness and a lack of perspective. That type of reaction pays no attention to what the work can achieve in it's current format and where the work has come from to refine to it's level of complexity. Where design is concerned - often simple is best - but only when it satisfies or surpasses the considered brief.

With design as a service - the client is only delivered the end result. The client pays for both the end result and the developmental exploration and detours that lead the design there. This is the key differentiator between design as a product and design as a service.

Types of design other than, product or visual include; user interface design, information architecture and experience based design to name a few.

Each different design type requires a specific set of criteria to assess. The same assessment criteria will not work for each as some design types are purely assessed on practical considerations rather than aesthetic styling.

Girling Design specialises in visual design and aesthetic styling where the subjectivity of the brief should be centred around how we should approach the design. To best answer this question, we have put together a simple briefing document which asks our customers some key visual design questions. If you would like us to assist you with your written brief, don't hesitate to contact us for more specific information. info@girlingdesign.com.au