How to Engage with a Design Practitioner

A minimum accepted practise is that a formal written contract of engagement is in place prior to any significant work taking place. By far and away it is better, to the point of insistence, that a recognised Form of Contract of Engagement be used. All reputable Professional Associations have forms available.

It goes without saying, both parties intending to contract should obtain independent legal advice, prior to signing or within a period of grace granted for this purpose.

When first meeting with a practitioner, it is useful to have a written Statement of Intent or Expectation which includes why you need a design practitioner, what you want to achieve with the engagement (documented with pictures) and how much it will cost (the project itself and the designer's fees).

When selecting a practitioner important attributes for you to consider are:

Suitability – do you feel at ease and can you work with them, have they convinced you of their skill knowledge and experience, have they offered you any evidence of previous jobs, if so find out the market reaction.

Availability and reliability – If the practitioner is very successful they may not be able fit your job in to the time time that you need. Keep in mind that one of the major causes of disputes is when the schedule offered at the beginning of the engagement has not been achieved.

Adaptability – A wide variety of tasks completed by a design practitioner is an indication of experience, unless they are all similar, in which case they could be a specialist. Nothing wrong with that, unless your project is practically in a different category. You will need to ask questions about the ability of the practitioner to understand your project.

Credibility and experience - It is very important that your chosen practitioner is known in the right places. Having a presence significantly affects the quality of information that can be obtained from a variety of sources, including Libraries, Universities, Government Departments etc. Knowledgeable, well-connected practitioners may charge more per hour but achieve more in less time.

Ethics - A practitioner must be capable of telling a client at an early stage if the project is a non-starter for what ever reason. You as a client will be naturally motivated by the euphoria of making it happen, a suitable practitioner will guide you through what is achievable.