For example, I love innovative, interesting typography, but hate it when good headlines are reduced to unreadable “graphic elements.”

Stuff like that.

It’s an interesting idea. I used to work almost exclusively with marketing directors, art directors and production talent, but over the last few years the numbers of collaborators has multiplied.

A set is chosen depending on what the project is, be it creating a logo, a brand package, an annual report design etc. etc.

This does two things. Firstly it lets the client know that I’m serious in my practices and secondly gives me a big head start on the design process. The more information a client gives me ahead of time, the faster I can arrive at a solution that they’re happy with.

One interesting point was made in the comments on this post, and that was about teaming a web developer up with a copywriter in order to provide a ‘full package’ product. That’s a topic worth a new post I reckon – the service copywriters offer and who they team up with.

For my coaching clients I do have a “pre-commitment” set of questions I ask to determine readiness. I also have basic guidelines, structures and descriptions of what our work will be.

That said, I have to say most of the training happens in conversation. Even if I give them a fact sheet, it’s not until they’re inside the project (or inside coaching) that the fact sheet has practical relevance. I think it’s the same with freelancing. Clients think they understand at the outset, and then they get into it and discover something altogether different. The value of having this info is as a reference tool, adds credibility and professionalism, and serves as “I told you so” if you have to go there.

I am just getting back into freelancing after a 15-year absence, so all my tools and practices are in the development stage yet again. Lots to learn here, because the world is now flat again, right?

My “Creative Brief” usually runs at 1-2 pages when fully filled out, but it’s not designed to educate like the fact sheets I described above.

Still, I’m curious. Do you ever use some kind of “presume” or contract-with-myself form with your writer clients?

I do have a longer q’aire I use when I work with a designer friend (of course) on web projects that looks at plans, goals, needs, outcomes. I may adapt it, but I like the quickie fact sheet idea for starting points.