This lecture gives an introduction the the setup of a Graphic Design Studio and how to manage client expectations for Graphic Design practice.

1. VDIS10022 ADVANCED GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDIO Lecturer: Rachel Hawkins
LECTURE 1: STUDIO SETUP
& CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE

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What is
Design
Studio?
A Design Studio can
be defined as both a
physical space or a more
conceptual methodology
for collaborative ideas
development.
THE PHYSICAL
A Design Studio is the physical
workplace for designers and artists
either working as an individual,
individuals working side by side
or a group of collaborators. The
space usually includes furniture
and equipment appropriate for
the designer to work extending to
desks, work benches, computer
equipment, meeting rooms and
possibly large presentation boards
and screens.
The size and convenience of the
space depends on the type of the
Studio. Freelance designers often
have a small set up of their own,
often at home, the smallest being
within their apartment or bedroom.
The ambiance of a Design Studio is
often notable for its informality.
The number of designers working
in a typical design studio may vary
widely from a single individual
to up to 1000 members. In such
large studios apart from designers
the staff may also consist of other
technicians and artisans engaged
in illustrating, prototyping,
engineering in addition to
administrative staff.
Some office/studio spaces are
generic and clinical in setup
which does not enhance the
creative process while others
embrace creativity and are built
specifically to engage the designer,
change perspective and create a
comfortable and inspirational place
to work. Freelancers and artists
often surround themselves with
collected material such as photos,
clippings and other objects from
which they can draw inspiration.
THE METHODOLOGY
Design Studio methodology is at its
heart, a collaborative brainstorming
process that is based on the make
up of the creative design team and
in particular the social psychology
and behavioral economics of the
team.
The Design Studio Methodology
applies to all disciplines and
aspects of design or fulfilling the
requirements of a brief.
Often, the brainstorming process
is disorganized and the goals of
brainstorming sessions are unclear.
Often the results only reflect a
small portion of possible outcomes
and reflects those with the most
power who have the strongest
voice. This is especially common
when an individual approaches a
large complex brief.
Design Studio Methodology
creates a conceptual environment
where team members can explore
ideas generation in answer to a
given brief/problem. The process
involves a rapid, collaborative
process to generate ideas quickly
across collaborators from multiple
disciplines. Participants work in
a team to articulate and refine
a problem space, rapidly ideate
possible solutions, sketch ideas,
negotiate product features, and
pitch solution narratives. Raw
ideas are challenged, recombined,
transformed and subsequently
refined to produce fresh solutions
to the challenges facing your
organization.
The end result is a series of
potential solutions that teams can
then prototype and test with users.

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Must
Have
Tools.
For a design studio space
to function properly there is
essential equipment and tools
that are must haves.
MUST HAVES
COMPUTER
Every design studio needs the appropriate
technology to support the designers work.
This means having the best computers that
are setup properly and purposefully. They
need to be calibrated to the other devices
in the studio and the lighting of the space.
SOFTWARE
A professional design studio will use
industry standard software that is properly
licensed. Adobe Creative Suite is the current
worldwide standard for graphic designers
and an extensive suite of software.
INTERNET & PHONE CONNECTION
Where would we be without the Internet.
Make sure your clients can contact you by
phone or email so it is easy and reliable for
them. Working with unreliable or restricted
Internet will make your life difficult so it
really is a must.
PRINTER/SCANNER
You will need to print regularly whether
it be invoices or complex client changes.
Likewise scanning miscellaneous documents
is required for most businesses so you will
need at minimum a basic device capable of
these tasks.
EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE
A design studios lively hood is the work it
creates. Protect it by having reliable backup.
An easy and inexpensive way to do this is to
have an external hard drive to store client
work safely.
MODEL MAKING AREA
Clients often find it hard to visualise a
finished product and a mockup can help
get the design over the line. This is why
every studio must have an are dedicated to
model making with scalpels, cutting matt,
spray adhesive, double sided tape and a
collection of papers and boards.
SKETCH/NOTE BOOK
Every designer needs a sketchbook
to take notes on briefs, client changes
and to explore their creative ideas and
brainstorming visually. Carry your notebook
with you everywhere.
PENS, PENCILS & OTHER
Keep good quality pens and pencils on
hand to draw in your notebook. If you draw
more freely with pastels, then have them on
hand too.
PANTONE COLOR GUIDES
Every design studio needs a Pantone Colour
Reference book on hand as an industry
standard requirement. These books are
used to reference the use of Pantone
colours but also help printers to match
CMYK colour in print. They are expensive
but necessary.
DROP BOX ACCOUNT/FTP
Sharing and sending artwork is part of daily
design studio life. Therefore an FTP site for
sharing files is required. There are several
that are free for example yousendit.com
and Dropbox.
COLLECTION OF SAMPLES AND
INSPIRATIONAL MATERIAL
Keep a collection of print finishes and high
end design collateral in the studio. You
never know when flicking through it might
trigger the idea you are after. It is also a
great way of determining the paper weight
and finish you want to your printer.
GOOD SUPPLIERS
Good relationships with good printers
and suppliers is a must for the successful
realisation of your design projects. Your
printers and programmers will bring your
designs to life. The better your relationship
with then, the more they will help you and
work for you.
REFRESHMENTS
Good nutrition is the key to a healthy and
productive mind. Every studio needs access
to refreshments.
MUSIC
To keep focused and the creative juices
flowing, some designers absolutely require
music in their work environment.
NICE TO HAVE
MEETING SPACE
A meeting space for client briefing and
presentations is really a must-have however
having this space on site is a luxury rather
than necessity. Having your own meeting
space means you can control the energy
of the environment, the refreshments,
technology and lighting. This all contributes
to your clients comfort and confidence in
your work.
IPAD
The iPad is a great tool to transport and
present client work at presentations. They
are light and are slick way of viewing
artwork.
IPHONE
For a designer already using all Apple
products it is a good idea to have an iPhone
to sync your calendars, emails and contact
details to make every day business easier.
WACOM TABLET
Designed for creativity - This innovative
pen tablet combines Wacom’s finest pen
capabilities with intuitive multi-touch
gestures and gives you the precision
and control you demand when using
professional software and time-savers
to speed your workflow. Pan, zoom, and
navigate naturally with gestures on the
multi-touch surface that also lets you create
and access your own multi-touch shortcuts.
LIBRARY OF DESIGN BOOKS
Having a library of good art and design
books at your fingertips is a luxury that
can help you when the creative juices just
aren’t flowing. Access to documented good
design can also improve the quality and
finish of your own work.
GOOD CAMERA
A good camera on hand can be used to
document the work you have produced for
clients for your own portfolio or used in the
artwork creation process when a client has a
small budget. Either way, it is a tool that will
never be un-used.
QUALITY PHOTO PRINTER
A large format industry quality Photo Printer
comes in handy on a daily basis for proofing
artwork and making mockups. The luxury
is being able to do this instantly without
allowing time for commercial printers.

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Studio
Work
Spaces
Exerts taken & appropriated from:
Start Your Own Graphic Design Business
By George Sheldon
Almost all Graphic Designers do
Freelance work at some point in
their career. Often it’s a great place
to start while you complete your
study and hunt for your first job. The
freelance work you complete is often
the work in your portfolio that wins
the job interview process.
Your Freelance Graphic Design
business requires a work space.
Depending on your business plan
and what services you offer, you
need a professional space to work
out of whether it be a home office or
commercial space.
THE SPACE NEEDED
Whether you decide to establish
an office in your home or in a
commercial space, you must consider
your space requirements. This is
where you will generate your work
(and your income), so the work
space must support this effort. In
addition to allowing your creativity
to flourish, the work space must be
able to support the equipment you
need. Your work space must include
storage for supplies. Your office
needs a workstation where you can
work as a graphic artist. You also
need space to operate your business.
You will have chores associated with
the daily operation, from paying
bills to billing customers. You will
need the ability to conduct your
own marketing campaigns to locate
customers and work assignments.
Often this is done at the same desk,
so your desk will have to serve both
purposes.
Consider if you will be meeting with
clients in your office. If so you will
need to include a conference table
and chairs, as well the ability to
provide light refreshments and toilet
facilities.
Don’t overlook the space for the
equipment you may choose to have.
These include color laser printers and
scanners, equipment such as light
boxes, cutting tables, spray booths
and storage space for paper, boards
and other presentation materials are
also a requirement when producing
artwork for your clients.
Planning the office is necessary, but
it should also be fun. Don’t overlook
the little extras that make working
in your space exciting: plants or
photographs, music or posters.
Whatever it is that helps you and
your creativity, be sure to include it in
your work space.
THE HOME OFFICE
A home office allows you the
freedom to work in a spare bedroom,
dressed as you want, and when you
want. You can work comfortably to
the wee hours of the morning.
There is no commute time. All the
conveniences of your home are close
by. The home office also creates a
tax friendly situation, allowing you
to deduct specific expenses. The
home office eliminates the need to
pay additional rent or increase your
overhead costs. Many times, this
is the reason why home offices are
established by graphic designers to
start with. A home-based graphic
design office is not a deterrent to
most potential clients. It is in fashion
to have a work from a home office
and it is seen as desirable by most.
Disadvantages of the home office
include the inability to invite clients
to your office to use meeting
space. There is also little separation
between work and home, allowing
for frequent distraction. It is also
difficult to host employees in a
home office environment. There
are also revenue service regulations
to consider that depending on the
location of your home, you may not
be permitted to operate a business
from your home.

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TALKING POINT - Post your response in the forum
Have your ever or do you currently do Freelance Graphic Design Work?
Tell us about it and your clients.
What does your ‘studio’ space look like. Share a photo of your space in the forum.
MEETING SPACE
A prime consideration for freelance graphic
designers is the ability to meet with
clients. For many design assignments, an
initial meeting is crucial. Many Freelancers
use the client’s office for meetings. This is
often an easy solution although it does take
time because of your need to travel. It
also eliminates expensive office space,
conference room furniture, and presentation
equipment.
If your client base does not have office
space, you need another alternative meeting
place. Some graphic designers use shared
office space or rent the use of a conference
room. Some enterprising graphic designers
become creative in getting the use of a
conference room. One graphic designer has
an arrangement with a real estate office.
Occupying a spare office, the designer has
full use of several different sized conference
rooms. In return for free use of the space,
she creates the real estate office’s large
display ads for the Sunday newspapers.
COMMERCIAL SPACE
Renting or leasing commercial space is often
something the freelance graphic
designer considers. There are many factors.
Setting up an office away from your home
increases your overhead, and costs more to
maintain. The monthly cost of office space
is variable that often can have a big impact
on the businesses bottom line. If you are
seeking commercial space, try to find an
office area that meets your business’s needs
without emptying your bank. Office space is
often needed for several graphic designers
to work together, or for meeting clients.
Often a less expensive space can be
transformed into an environment that
stimulates creativity. As a designer, creativity
is a big part of your primary business. Your
work space should enhance your creativity,
and not stifle it. A brightly-colored, less
formal design might work as the space you
need. Lofts and warehouses often work well
for graphic design businesses. They have
the advantage of providing inspiring space
for employees as well as potential prospects
and clients. Location is important, but so are
issues such as cost, usability, and condition.

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Fig14.4 Example of utilizing a dropped keyboard and a pressure-sensitive
tablet. Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow Handbook: A
Guide to Staying Ahead of the Workflow Curve. P. Russotti & R. Anderson.
Fig 14.8 An easy solution is to prop up the laptop with
something as simple as a three-ring binder.
Digital Photography Best Practices and Workflow
Handbook: A Guide to Staying Ahead of the
Workflow Curve. P. Russotti & R. Anderson.
Studio
Setup
Working as a graphic designer is
a relatively low risk occupation
however there are some aspects of
Work, Health and Safety (WHS or
OHS) that must be considered for
best practice when setting up your
studio work space.
ERGONOMICS
Taking care of your body ensures
you will be able to retain long term
efficiency in your work environment.
You should consider ergonomics
as a fundamental element in your
workflow. The goal should be to
establish a working environment
that promotes safety and increases
productivity. We can do this by
focusing on how we use our bodies.
Posture, movement, and taking
the time to set up a functional,
ergonomically correct work
environment will ensure repetitive
strain injuries are avoided.
Photography Best Practices and
Workflow Handbook: A Guide to
Staying Ahead of the Workflow
Curve’ ergonomic “must dos” are:
• Use common sense.
• Ensure that the top of your
monitor is at eye level and directly
centered in front of you.
• Position the monitor at arm’s
length in front of you.
• Check that the level of your desk
is approximately at your belly
button.
• Have your elbows fall at a
90-degree angle, slightly below
the desk surface, when you
type. Ideally, your arm should
be supported from fingertip to
elbow.
• Make sure your chair armrests are
level with your keyboard.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor.
Consider the seat length of your
chair in relation to your height and
size. If you sit cross legged or with
one leg crossed over the other, be
sure that your back is straight and
that you have proper support for
your spine. If you have two or more
monitors you will need to consider
how your head and neck move.
WORKSPACE CHECKLIST
þ What is the pattern you use for moving
your head?
þ Does the current setup force you to angle
your head and neck?
þ What is the relationship between your
back, spine, neck, and head movements?
þ Then add your keyboard, mouse, and
pressure-sensitive tablet.
þ Pay attention to your movements and how
you feel after a long work session.
þ Adjust elements until you can work
without pain, twinges, and annoyance
þ Some have keyboards that drop down
from their desk. These allow for height
adjust ability, depending on the kind of
work you are doing.

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Studio
Setup
cont.
OFFICE ENVIRONMENT
There are health and safety risks for
office spaces that house printing,
copying, and computer equipment.
Discomfort or health effects may
arise if machines are poorly sited,
inadequately ventilated, poorly
maintained or used by operators
continually for long periods.
There have been a number of recent
studies on laser printer emissions
showing they emit paper fibers,
organic vapors and inorganic gases.
Excessive dry heat can also build up
if too many machines are placed in
a small area, or where their use is
frequent and ventilation insufficient.
This can cause discomfort to the eyes,
and the workplace can become too
dry and hot. Excessive noise may also
be experienced in such circumstances,
or where the machines are old or
poorly maintained. Clearing paper
jams in printers and other duplicating
machinery will expose users to hot
or moving parts, sharp edges, pinch
points, or exposed electrical parts.
Modern machines should have such
risks designed out and should turn
off automatically upon opening of
the machine. However, a machine
must always be disconnected from
the power supply before opening.
Handling paper or collating copies
are manual handling risks. Office
workers may also experience
headache and fatigue, and nasal, eye,
throat and skin symptoms; chronic
respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm
production, chronic bronchitis,
wheezing); and respiratory infections
(common colds, tonsil infections, sinus
infections, pneumonia) as a result of
exposure to carbon-less copy paper
(CCP), paper dust, and fumes from
photocopiers and printers (FPP)
CHEMICALS
Employers must carry out
assessments on all hazardous
chemicals used in the workplace. If
a hazard is identified, controls must
be put in place according to the
preferred order. That is to eliminate
the hazardous substance, or where
this not practicable, substitute it with
a less hazardous substance. If this
is not practicable, control methods
such as local exhaust ventilation, and
as a last resort personal protective
equipment must be used. Employers
must meet the exposure limits set for
any substance used in the workplace.
Ozone: Photocopiers produce small
amounts of ozone (an unstable form
of oxygen). This odorous gas is
irritating to the eyes, the lungs, the
throat and nasal passages. Severe
exposure can result in lung damage.
Selenium and cadmium: The photo-conductive
material in photocopiers is
usually selenium. Cadmium sulphide,
zinc oxide and organic polymers are
also used. Trace amounts of these
materials can become airborne.
However, under normal operation,
the concentrations of these pollutants
are well below those associated with
health effects.
Toner materials: The main ingredient
in the toner is carbon black. This is
mildly toxic - though some impurities
in toners may be carcinogenic. As
currently manufactured, carbon
blacks contain extremely low levels
of impurities and do not warrant
concern regarding health effects.
Liquid toners: Some modern toners
are in a liquid form and so rarely
irritate the skin, but exposure to
solvents within them can dry and
crack the skin, and mildly irritate the
eyes. The same hazards apply to the
various solvents used for cleaning
duplicating machines. They also pose
a fire risk if not stored adequately.
Frequent contact with toner or other
solvents may cause dermatitis or
asthma.
UV Radiation: Ultra-violet radiation
may also be released through the
glass plate, but at very low levels.
Modern equipment does not present
a bright light hazard beyond short-term
discomfort to the eyes, but it is
recommended that the photocopier
lid be kept down.
Other EMR: Electro-magnetic fields
(EMFs) are produced by electronic
equipment. It is recommended that
workers should not stand by the
photocopier when doing long runs
(e.g. 15 minutes). If it is necessary
to stand by, then at the distance
should be at least 1 metre from the
photocopier.
http://www.ohsrep.org.au/hazards/ohs-reps-@-work-plant-/
office-hazards-photocopiers,-printers-etc#action

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Clients
Clients
Clients
MANAGING CLIENT
EXPECTATIONS
Mismanaged client expectations can
be unpleasant, costly and damaging
to your reputation. So what is
the best way of managing client
expectations to stop them biting you
on the backside?
A lot of work goes into attracting
and retaining the clients we want to
work with, so it is crucial to manage
expectations from the beginning.
A solid relationship can withstand
bumps in the road and go on to
grow even stronger for it. The
foundation of a solid relationship
is to connect with your clients on
a personal level. Know their family
situation, what makes them tick, how
they spend their free time and what
motivates them to do what they do.
Lack of communication can eat away
at relationships, personal or business.
Be proactive in communicating with
good news and bad. Direct and
transparent communication builds
trust and helps you and the client to
handle setbacks. Add to the value
of your relationship by offering
advice, direction, and input. An open
dialogue like this can help establish
the respect needed for better
project management. You were hired
for your expertise and knowledge,
and if you don’t share your point of
view, there is a risk of becoming a
“yes man or woman.”
It is important at the beginning of
every project to agree on strategy,
goals and timelines. This gives a
clear understanding of what success
is and how to measure it.
Create a document that outlines
the scope of work to resolve any
confusion about expectations and to
avoid difficult conversations down
the road.
Speaking of difficult conversations,
most relationships will go south
very quickly if you are not open and
honest about budgets. To start, you
must be realistic about setting a
clear understanding of the budget
required to execute the desired
work. If you don’t address the client
until you have an issue you will not
only have an unhappy client, you
may also find yourself eating the
overages.
Pricing things up - fixed or hourly?
When considering the cost of
a project, you have to consider
whether a fixed price or hourly rate
would be more suitable. Fixed priced
jobs are for those projects which are
relatively straightforward. However,
if you come across a project that
has too many unknowns and is too
vague, it’s wise to suggest an hourly
rate.
Be a good listener. Many clients
are unsure of what they are trying
to accomplish or not very good
at articulating it. Following your
gut instincts along with excellent
listening skills are a must. One of
the best ways to offset a client
who communicates poorly is to
repeat what you have heard and
ask them to confirm the accuracy of
details, which will ultimately impact
expectations.
SPOT THE BADDIES
A good way to manage client
expectations is to recognise and
avoid those potential nightmare
clients in the first place. Spot the
warning signs. If they say anything
like ‘I want something like Google
but as cheap as possible!’ or ‘It’ll only
take you a day won’t it?’ or ‘I’m not
sure what I want, can you decide!’,
then that’s a pretty good indication
that you should run away, hide in
a cave for several years and don’t
come out until you’re pretty sure the
coast is clear.

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The
Ten
Keys
Exerts taken & appropriated from:
http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/marketing/
business-relationships/managing-client-expectations
THE TEN KEYS TO MANAGING CLIENT EXPECTATIONS
1. Outline what you WILL cover
And do it in plain English. Don’t
be afraid to use bullet points.
They’re easy to read, easy to
scan and easy to tick off.
2. Outline what you WON’T cover.
Get rid of those frustrating
assumptions; this will really help
clarify exactly what you WILL
include. Again, bullet points
work well.
3. DON’T promise what you
can’t deliver. It can be awfully
tempting to take on a project
you’ve never done before.
But be honest with yourself
and the client about your skills
and capabilities. If you can’t
guarantee you’ll deliver what you
promise, don’t do it.
If you don’t stretch yourself, you
won’t grow however don’t do it
at the client’s expense.
4. No matter how tight the
deadline is, under no
circumstances should you start
a project until both you and
the client sign off on the scope
of the job and you have all the
required materials/files.
5. Give clear examples of what
you can deliver. Don’t leave
anything open to interpretation,
particularly your product/service.
Show your client an example
of the high quality business
cards you print or examples of
previous work for other clients
in your portfolio. Clients love
holding something tangible so
share hard copy print samples.
6. Use the client’s preferred
communication method. Ask
how the client prefers to
communicate. It makes them
feel important, valued and
comfortable. So ask for your
client’s preferences. But of
course, only offer options you’re
comfortable with yourself!
7. Follow up in writing. Tedious
but essential! Follow up a
verbal conversation or meeting
with a concise email on what
you’ve discussed. It doesn’t just
document the conversation,
it also gives you a chance
to reiterate and show your
understanding. Bullets, again,
are just fine.
8. DON’T hide the unpleasant stuff.
Be clear about your rates, how
you handle late fees, increases
in scope, image costs, printing &
delivery costs and your terms of
payment.
9. Stick to your scope. It is
tempting to do more work to
exceed expectations however
this trains your client to expect
this. Exceed expectations
through the quality of work.
10. If you are unable to help a
client with their needs then
take initiative to recommend
someone who can help. Your
client will be blown away by
your honesty and willingness to
help.

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Explore
Real
World
Studios
Take a look at these videos that show
different aspects of real world design
studios. In particular, pay attention
to the different team members, the
working environment and desk setup
of each department. What sorts of
meeting spaces do they have.
TALKING POINT - Post your
response in the forum.
Which video stood out to your
personal interests and why?
Which studio environment appeals
to you that you would like to work at
and why?
BEHIND THE DESIGN WITH DESIGN
STUDIO DRESS CODE
Go Behind the Design with the
founders of NYC design studio
Dress Code. See what drives their
approach to design and how they’re
adapting to the expanding role
of graphic designers. See what
motivates them and where they look
for inspiration.
SANDERS - PRODUCT DESIGN &
BRANDING STUDIO
We wanted to make a video about
the Sanders studio, the designers
that work here, and how we feel
about what we do. Hopefully, this
short film does that.
FST MARLOW STUDIO TOUR
fst is an integrated creative agency.
We are free spirited thinkers and as
your creative business partner, our
sole purpose is to build, nurture and
add value to your brand.
DAY IN THE LIFE: GRAPHIC
DESIGNER
Maurice Woods is a graphic designer
and founder of the Inneract Project,
which provides free design classes
for inner-city youth. As part of
ConnectEd’s “Day in the Life” series,
Maurice talks about his transition from
basketball to graphic design.