Recently the question came up as to what constitutes a great graphic designer. It got me thinking and thought it could be helpful for our peers and clients who have graphic designers on their staff, or companies wondering what they should be looking for when hiring a graphic designer.
As a 25+ year veteran in the graphic design and creative industry, there are things that I’ve come to respect in designers. Their creativity in ideation, approach, and execution is paramount. The level of neatness, cleverness, and presentation are also factors that standout very quickly when I am comparing the visual effectiveness of a graphic designer’s work. But to an untrained eye, these characteristics can be hard to decipher or get masked by the use of templates and technology.
What to look for in a graphic designer’s portfolio or work samples
For many creative professionals, we rely on our past work to obtain new opportunities. That’s why a graphic designer’s portfolio is so important and can reveal cues as to how they can help you. A portfolio should be easy to view, and these days, should be viewable on mobile devices too.
Quality imagery and visuals alongside descriptions of the work and the achievements of the projects are important in determining value. Remember to put yourself in the shoes of the project’s prospective client so you can evaluate things appropriately. You want to work with a graphic designer who understands the importance of creating value for your client’s project and the brand.
- Can you see your target audience connecting with their work?
- Have they done work in a similar area or industry?
- Are the work samples at the caliber of quality you expect?
- Are impactful results included as part of the work?
- Do you see innovative approaches within the work samples?
- Are they using digital or print mediums that would be valuable to you?
- Has the work been recognized or published in popular media?
- Is their exact involvement in the project explained?
In summary, a portfolio should be easy to view and these days, should be viewable on mobile devices and computers. Quality imagery and visuals alongside descriptions of the work and the achievements of the projects are important in determining value. Remember to put yourself in the shoes of the project’s prospective client. To wrap up viewing a portfolio, you want a graphic designer who understands the importance in creating value for a project and brand.
Graphic designers can be an encyclopedia of information
Graphic designers are asked to design many types of marketing materials and branded content. This experience leads them to become knowledgeable on many subject matters. The past experience of a graphic designer can determine whether they are able to complement the design needs of your brand. Look for similarities between your brand, or where you are looking to take your brand, and the graphic designer’s past experience. Maybe it’s the design aesthetic that you like, or some specific medium they work in such as digital billboards.
A graphic designer is also a problem solver
Showing a level of thinking that can solve a problem or understand what a target audience needs is one of the most valuable attributes in a great graphic designer. Once you are working toward a specific goal, you can always ask questions that quantify if the design is successful. For example, does this design clearly identify the solution to a particular problem or the next steps to helping the client? Or is the information being presented in a visual order that makes sense? Attention-grabbing imagery, headlines, calls-to-actions, and more should be purposeful and appropriate. After all, the items a graphic designer is designing need to support a brand and their marketing efforts.
Showing a level of thinking that can solve a problem or understand what a target audience needs is one of the most valuable attributes in a great graphic designer.
A graphic designer is a communicator too
A while ago we wrote an article titled, “6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Graphic Design Company.” It offers relevant things to ask when talking to a graphic designer too. Inevitably you will be required to communicate with your graphic designer so they need to be a fantastic listener. The graphic designer must translate thoughts and strategies into a visual representation that works for a brand—and those hiring them to do the work.
Artists and creative people are known for falling in love with their work but a great graphic designer will be able to put feelings aside in order to solve the business problem of the client. They should be able to describe the problem or challenge a project was/is trying to overcome and how their design or layout addresses it. Working together and collaboratively will go a long way, and make a graphic designer more valuable than another.
How can you identify a shining star graphic designer when you see one?
Let’s face it, you need to see examples of a graphic designer’s work to begin the analysis, or do you? For me, an item such as a proposal or resume will reveal a lot. When reviewing either, you can answer the following questions:
- What information is the graphic designer presenting?
- How is the page designed and is the layout interesting and easy to read?
- Is the typography organized in a contemporary and hierarchical way?
- Is everything spelled out clearly and correctly?
- Does the document focus on results and achievements?
- Is their experience relevant and applicable to your brand?
In a proposal or resume, a graphic designer can highlight their style and a competency of current trends in typography, color, and design. It needs to provide a great first impression, be neatly organized, and be perfect in spelling and punctuation. These are all skills that a graphic designer needs to have on display, even for a proposal or resume.
Cumulatively, all of the things mentioned above play a role in making one graphic designer better than another. It’s not always as clear as day to choose from several qualified creative professionals but I hope this helped you. If you’d like to view our portfolio, you can sort our work by category or industry to see if we might be a good fit for you. You can always complete our contact form for a prompt reply or call us at 908.219.4703.
