In this week’s lecture we were given this book as a resource to learn about proposal documents and how to make one.

This chapter starts off with explaining why a proposal is such an important document to designers. They understand that it is challenging to manage your projects and the client’s expectations but proposals are ‘essential for protecting your business from financial and legal struggle.

The authors Unger and Chandler emphasise that as much as it feels like a step you can skip and that you and the client understand each other, you should always, always make a proposal document. It is our best defense against the promises and expectations that can be broken on both sides of the deal.

I didn’t understand how the expectations or promises could be broken by me, as the designer however, the example they gave explained this to me. ‘A company is also taking a chance’ on me to give them what they pay for so a professional document such as a proposal will ease their mind also.

The main goals of a proposal are;

• Define terms of project- This will protect both parties in the case an event changes things
• Make client aware of their obligations to project-  ensures you will receive what you need from them in a timely manner
• Ensures you are paid if the funding stops

Creating the Proposal

Starting with the title, for my first proposal it was explained to me that I should include all of the following;

• Client’s company name– ‘Hill Street Belfast’
• Client Logo– Doesn’t have one currently
• Project Title– ‘Hill Street Branding and Web Presence’
• ‘Proposal’
• Submission Date – ‘Date the proposal is completed’
• My name/ company – ‘OrlaDesigns’
• Cost
• Confidentiality – ‘Reproduction is forbidden… Confidential Document’

The authors did allowed some of those to be excluded for example, the client’s logo is not necessary and could lead to you displaying it against brand guidelines. The cost is also not necessary in the title as it will be dealt with later.

Revision history of the proposal should be given its own section near the title to show and explain the iterations and modifications of proposal.

Project Overview

• Description of project– ‘Hill Street in Belfast is seeking to create a web presence and brand identity. This new web presence will allow Hill Street to advertise events, restaurants and more in the area as well as other benefits. The brand identity will grant Hill Street to become a memorable name and a hub in tourism for the area.’
• Project Goals– ‘The goals of this online web presence will be to put all the relevant information of this area in one place, open up opportunities for business growth in the area….’
• Project Deadline-‘The deadline will be e.g. 14th of January’
• Conclusion- ‘This proposal will detail OrlaDesigns’s approach for the design and development of Hill Street Belfast’s online presence and brand identity. Given the deadline, it is proposed that after signing off on this proposal, project development will proceed immediately..’

Project Approach

In this section of the proposal, it was explained to me that I should identify to the client how I plan on working on the project. It is important that at this stage I set up expectations from myself for the client.

This section should be 2/3 pages maximum and this depends on the complexity and requirements for the project.

In the book, to help layout our approach we were given the ‘Purite Method’ which I will use to practice the approach in my own proposal.

Example

This design approach OrlaDesigns’s personal method to ensure success between my client and I. By using this method OrlaDesigns will work closely with you, my client, to maintain communicating throughout project completion to exceed expectations.

When taking on each project, I take time to understand the client’s industry I am providing for. This keeps me informed for what matters in the project requirements.

At the beginning of the project development I will work with you, my client, or a dedicated user group to create the user requirements.

During project development I will create and design all necessary pieces of the project. This will take time and most importantly open communication with you, my client.

My project development cycle is rapid which means I will create many iterations of the project in order to get things right for you, my client. This means that I will need timely feedback from you at each design milestone.

In-house testing done by me and User Testing will be provided during the development. This ensures that I catch bugs and problems early on in the project development.

After the project is completed I will wait for your [client’s] approval and signature to sign off my product to you and take it live.

I will also offer you, my client’ post-project communication, for up to 6 months, to provide that everything is working and in order.

Scope of Work

In this section I will identify and separate all the labour I will have to do throughout the project. In this part I need to identify enify clearly what me and my client are responsible for.

Example

OrlaDesigns was approached by Hill Street Belfast to provide all the necessary services required to create for them, an online presence and brand identity.

OrlaDesigns will focus solely on the accessibility and user experience of Hill Street Belfast’s website.

Hill Street Belfast will provide all necessary information from them for what will be included in the website.

OrlaDesigns will create the brand identity and guidelines for Hill Street Belfast.

Hill Street will provide detailed feedback on all aspects of branding and web presence….

Assumptions

The authors state that ‘These are the things you are assuming and communicating to client’ Assumptions are a designer’s way to communicate what they expect from the client in order to complete the project.

Example

Hill Street Belfast must provide  necessary resource for website eg. Staff names, failure to do so in a timely manner will result in the project development being delayed.

Deliverables

• products you will turn over to client eg. brief, website..
• what type of product they can expect
• short description of each deliverable

In this section it is important that your clear on what exactly the client can expect to be handed over to them during project, to avoid confusion.

Ownership and Rights

At this point it should be considered the extent to which you will allow your client to use the product you give them. There are usually 2 options.

• Work for hire- at the end of the project the copyright belongs to the client.
• Licensed work- I will retain copyright at the end of the project but will allow client access.

At this point I think I will choose the work for hire option as I think this is easier for a starting designer. I don’t own the work but I am also not responsible after my contribution is complete.

Additional Costs and Fees

In this section, I will layout the additional costs and fees the project might  require.

Unger and Chandler gave an example of what an additional cost might be eg, Stock images. They said that if the project would require this you could add this as an overall fee to the final cost or leave this to additional costs. The final amount of which will be calculated in the invoices.

Project Pricing

This section requires me, as the designer, to estimate how long this project will take. At this point it is better to make sure the time frame is reasonable rather than being too fast and incomplete.

I think this project would take me around 3 or 4 months, the final amount I will decide on will be on my proposal document when it is designed.

After the timeframe is decided, I should then calculate my hourly bill rate. For this I looked up the minimum hourly rate in Northern Ireland which is £6.56 for my age. Taking into account that this is a specialised job and my current retail job pays £9.10, I will make my hourly rate £9.50. Considering £10 an hour is the top end of the average hourly rate of an intern designer, I think this price is reasonable and competitive.

The authors gave the great advice here for the overall cost to go higher than you think because you can always lower the price and the client will be happy.

Payment Schedule

There are 3 main ways to set up a payment schedule as a freelance designer;

• 50% at the beginning, 50% at the end
• Invoices submitted to client at predetermined dates in the timeframe
• Invoices submitted to client at each project milestone.

For this part, I will use the 3rd option as I think it’ll be easier to itemise in the invoice as a project milestone will be completed to be paid. Therefore it will avoid confusion from the client over what they’re paying for.

Acknowledgment and Sign off

This is the finishing section of the proposal document and at this point I should reiterate and emphasise that if the client approves of this document they agree to only what is in the document and any other modifications will have to be discussed and agreed upon. This should stop clients extended the project development by continuing to add more features as they have already agreed to exactly what will be produced.

The end of the document will have a section where both me and the client will sign off and state the date and time of this event.