Great design comes from asking the right questions. Learning to formulate and ask questions to find the best design solution is a key process for coming up with a successful project.
The ability to ask questions is a powerful tool with which you can identify several options for solving a problem, reveal the hidden needs of users, and suggest the best solution. Moreover, asking the right questions will help you to hire world-class engineers, designers, and any specialist in any sphere.
Can You Walk Me Through Your Portfolio?
Anyone with experience hiring a designer will tell you that a design portfolio is your most valuable resource, besides the designer himself. If a designer has come this far in your hiring process, chances are that you are already familiar with their portfolio. However, seeing it with their own eyes while they provide the background allows us to understand it on a whole new level.
How do you approach a new project? Let’s put this clearly: good design is about solving problems. The problem could be something a little wider, as a friendlier image is required, or something more black and white like a sales quota meeting. Either way, hiring the right CAD designer will help you solve these problems. If you are already looking for someone, you should check CAD engineering design at Engre.co – this platform gives you a lot of opportunities to find a specialist whom you have been looking for.
Every new designer needs to understand the client’s needs – a problem that needs a solution – before putting a pen on paper. Look for designers who answer this question by turning to finding solutions: exploring user data, talking to the team, browsing archives of older design work, etc. Each designer has their own problem-solving process, but what you are really looking for is whether they have a solid process in place.
What Is the Realistic Timeline for the Completion of the Project?
Designers and clients often argue about when the results will be ready. You can avoid disappointment by setting realistic expectations from the start. Setting tight deadlines will allow you to plan what to do next
Just remember that the job may not always be done when you want it. Ask this question to discuss not only the completion date of the project but also the intermediate stages of work completion.
Have You Ever Worked in a Team?
CAD designers are more likely to work independently, especially freelancers. Recruiters can put together a team to create projects, and the skill of cooperating and getting along with colleagues does not hurt. Projects can be large, 3-5 designers can work on one at the same time. You do not need to have experience in collaboration, but it is very important to correctly design your part of the work so that others can interact with it. Additionally, share how you prioritize and meet deadlines while working on multiple projects at the same time.
How Do You Prefer to Discuss Business Issues?
It is one thing to discuss everything in person or by phone at the initial stage of the project, but how to maintain contact in the future? Different designers prefer different means of communication: some don’t mind receiving messages or chatting from time to time, while others may turn off their phones for a few days.
It will be useful to know how and how often you will communicate during the work on the project, especially if you want to be actively involved in the process. Depending on which approach is closer to you, you can choose a designer with whom you will be on the same wavelength.
What Experience Do You Have in our Industry?
The world’s best residential designer doesn’t necessarily make a great project for a non-residential company. It’s not just about understanding how a business works, but also knowing the target audience of a particular industry. If the designer already has experience with your audience, this is always an advantage.
Take some time to find out exactly what kind of experience a designer has in your industry. If you have little experience, but you like the designer’s style, tell him about some of the nuances of your business yourself.
Could You Provide Me with a Recommendation?
You can get nervous hiring a stranger, even if he doesn’t seem to be hiding anything. If in the course of interacting with a designer you have any doubts, it is worth checking where he worked previously, or even contacting some past clients to find out how comfortable it was to work with him.
If you are using a design platform like Engre, you have nothing to worry about. The platform check all freelancers and mediate in any disputes, so you don’t have to worry that you will be deceived or that the hired designer will not be who he claims to be.
What Are the Stages of Your Working Process?
All designers have their own unique habits and work routines, which can be problematic if they don’t fit your needs. To avoid unrealistic expectations, ask the designer how they plan to work on your projects. For example, if a designer is a night owl, you shouldn’t expect him to present you with work at the end of the day.
It also helps to establish realistic timelines for the completion of work. Perhaps your designer first thinks about all the options for a long time – during this period you will not get any visible results – and then creates the final design in a few hours. Or vice versa: the designer quickly decides in which direction to move, and then elaborates the design for a long time and carefully. If you do not ask the appropriate question, you may get the wrong impression of how well the project is progressing.