Prepared Clients Get Better Design
- Bre Rudolph
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
The Biggest Myth About Design
The biggest myth about design is that it starts with design.
Logos, Colors, Layouts, Fonts.
That’s what most people see, but that’s not where the work actually begins.
Design starts with information. And more importantly, with honest information.
When a project feels frustrating or misaligned, it’s rarely because someone “didn’t get it.”It’s usually because what needed to be shared… wasn’t.
Every Designer Isn’t Your Designer
Here’s a truth that doesn’t get said enough:
A good designer for someone else is not automatically the right designer for you.
Different designers:
Work at different speeds
Ask different questions
Specialize in different outcomes
Communicate in different ways
Choosing a designer isn’t just about liking their work. It’s about alignment, in expectations, process, communication, and decision-making.
When that alignment is off, friction shows up later — not because either side is wrong, but because the fit was unclear from the start.
Getting Aligned, befor you prepare
Most design projects don’t break down because of talent or effort. They break down because of gaps, in information, communication, and expectations.
Designers aren’t waiting on perfection. They’re waiting on context.
Clear goals
Honest timelines
Transparent budgets
Defined decision-makers
At the same time, clients are often holding pieces back, not on purpose, but because they’re still processing, unsure what matters, or afraid of saying the wrong thing. That pause creates assumptions on both sides, and assumptions are where confusion grows.
Getting prepared is about closing that gap.
Think about it like the first day of school.
You didn’t wait until the morning of to figure everything out. You laid out your clothes the night before. Packed your bag. Checked where you needed to be.
Not because everything was perfect, but because preparation made the day smoother.
Working with a designer is no different.
Before the first draft, the first meeting, or the first email, preparation means setting out:
What you do know
What you don’t know yet
What decisions need to be made
And who needs to make them
It’s not about control. It’s about mindset.
When you come into a design project prepared, the process becomes collaborative instead of reactive. Conversations get clearer. Feedback gets easier. Progress feels intentional.
Preparation doesn’t limit creativity. It gives it room to work.
What Prepared Looks Like
Being prepared doesn’t mean you’ve got it all figured out. It means you show up primed, clear, honest, and ready to work.
If you’re walking into a meeting with a designer, here’s what prepared actually looks like.
Bring These to the Table
Your Why: What are we solving? What needs to change?A clear goal beats a long explanation every time.
Your People: Who is this for, really? Not just you. Not just the team. The audience.
Real Talk on Time & Money: Be honest about timelines and budget ranges. Design moves smoother when expectations are on the table.
A Clear Yes-Maker: Who gives feedback and who has final say? Too many voices slow good work down.
References with Reason: If you bring examples, say why you like them. Vibes are helpful — context is better.
Openness: What’s unclear? What hasn’t worked before?Say it early. It saves everybody time.
The Design-Ready Checklist
To make this easier, we built a Design-Ready Checklist you can run through before meeting with any designer.
It’s quick.It’s honest. And it helps everyone start on the same page.
Good design isn’t about guessing.
It’s about clarity, trust, and showing up ready.
Come prepared, and let the design do its job.
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