Let’s be honest: there are a number of Irvine graphic design and Irvine web design firms for your business to choose from. We would love to tell you to just hire us – but, of course, that’s not particularly helpful advice when you’re trying to evaluate your options. We know that finding the right fit in a design firm is crucial to the successful outcome of your project, so we put together a list of a few useful questions to ask of the Irvine graphic design firms that have made your “shortlist:”

Have you done this type of work before?

Different skill sets are needed for different types of design projects. A skilled ad design firm may not have any experience as an Irvine web design firm, and vice-versa. Make sure that the firm you select has specific experience in the type of design project you’re beginning.

Do you have experience in my industry?

Every industry comes with a unique set of nuances and challenges. If your design firm has worked within your industry before, they’ll be more prepared to address those issues than a firm with less experience.

What is your typical design process?

There are many “right” ways to approach the design process, some of which will work better with your personal work style than others. Find out how the firm prefers to work with its clients. Will they involve you every step of the way, or take the reigns and check-in only at key milestones? Do you want to give lots of input and help drive the design, or would you rather hand off the project and focus on other parts of your business? Make sure your preferred management styles are going to be compatible.

What is your fee structure?

Some Irvine web design firms charge by the hour, while others will set a fixed price based on the scope of the project. (Most firms use a combination of these methods, depending on the project in question.) For an hourly project, your design firm may set fees based on the person (for example, all work performed by Designer A is billed at $xx/hr) or task (for example, all concept development is billed at $xx/hr regardless of which designer completes the work). You’ll also want to find out how the firm handles out-of-scope requests (design requests that fall outside of the originally agreed upon scope of the project), as well as which additional services (photography, copywriting, etc.) might incur an additional cost.