The design process begins with the client, and can be as simple or involved as they want it to be. Some want to send a quick email with a few bullet points and let us take care of the rest. Others want to sit down and strategie with us, getting involved in the process throughout each stage.
Generally, we always prefer to kick off a project with a face-to-face meeting, or a quick chat over Skype. It's the best way to ensure that everyone involved is on the same page from the start. It also gives our clients some insight into our process, at least in the preliminary phases.
We usually come armed with our laptops and sketchbooks and will chat with the client about the nature of their business, the market space it operates within, the potential opportunities and desired outcomes of the project, etc. all while scribbling or typing away to build a loose creative brief that will help guide us through the execution of the project successfully. We can create quick sketches or mock-ups during this initial meeting so the client gets a clearer idea of the creative direction we're considering, thus avoiding a lot of back-and-forth revisions later on in the process.
After the initial meeting we take our notes and sketches back to the office and get to work. We work in close consultation with our clients throughout the various design phases to ensure we never get off track, and that we're always working towards an end product that meets (and hopefully exceeds) expectations.
When we're satisfied that we've achieved the desired outcome with the project, we hand it over and patiently await the praise. Of course, if for any reason, the client is unsatisfied with our work, we'll do whatever is necessary to make it right (there's a first time for everything, right?)