How to invoice clients the right way
Congratulations! You won a job, worked hard to produce a great site, and the client is thrilled with the results….
Sell your domains with Namebox
Namebox is a simple service created by designer Drew Wilson to help you sell your unwanted and/or unused web domains….
6 steps to charging what you’re really worth
Most designers struggle with putting a price on their services. Many end up using a pricing model that leaves them…
How to boost your profit margin with a good brief
Do you cringe at the mention of a “brief”? It’s just a document for clients and “suits,” right? Wrong! A…
How to approach usability testing
In order to deliver a clean, fresh, and — more importantly — effective user interface, usability tests are required. It…
How to design for non-profits
I ought to know a lot about charities and non-profit organizations. My parents are career missionaries; and I grew up…
Want to be a designer? Learn the secret handshake
The Secret Handshake is a fabulous project, aimed at helping young designers (18–25) find their way into the industry. You…
The designer’s secret weapon: an account handler
I’m a lucky person. Every day I get to do what I love, which is helping clients work out what…
Designing the new, fully responsive wired.co.uk article pages
Recently, Condé Nast Digital undertook a complete redesign of the articles published on wired.co.uk. The aim was to provide a…
Research yourself first
Every time we begin a web design project, we do research. We research our clients, their customers, the website’s target…
Should creatives be unionized or earn certification?
Every now and then, on some blog or design group, someone brings up the question of designers unionizing or having…
Certifications for U.S. designers to become law in 2015
The much talked about step of creating professional certification for graphic/web designers looks like it will become a reality in…
Moving from in-house to freelance? Read this first
Within the past couple of weeks, I handed in my notice, after spending over fifteen years working in-house as a…
How to get TOUGH with clients
I recently received a call from a young designer who I met when she was in art school. I reviewed…
Essential web design tips for start-ups
With so many new websites and start-ups springing up every day, a high-quality, professional web site is no longer optional…
“You ruined the project!”
Who said that? Both parties often do. Both the client and the designer often accuse each other of ruining a…
How to fire a client
As I put the phone down, I was still shaking quietly. It was one of the hardest phone calls I’ve…
15+ tools for getting things done
Even the most creative mind needs a bit of left-brain order sometimes. While more work is what every freelancer and…