Most designers (and many other creative types) worth their salt charge a flat fee for a project.

Start by creating a list of adjectives representing the emotions and responses you hope to elicit from our work. Those

Be nice.

A contract is also a signifier, telling all sides that this is a serious endeavor between two mutually respected parties. For creative types, few things foster as much confidence at the start of a project and few things do the opposite as quickly as a client’s reticence to sign a contract.

it’s crucial that key stakeholders agree on the contents of the brief.

Be prepared.

A brief doesn’t need to follow a formal structure. It can be a well-crafted essay or a bulleted list. But it should contain the answers to most of these questions: What is the challenge? Why are you embarking on the project now? a little history, from your perspective, can be very helpful. What are the objectives? What is the current situation? Who

Choose one person—maybe two—who will be the final decision maker. (Ideally, before we’re involved.) Thus empowered, the final arbiter(s) will be more invested in the process and will ensure that it runs smoothly. That person will take their role much more seriously than ten people who each have one-tenth of the ownership.

Reference images can also help where words fail—especially valuable in architectural or interior design projects.