20 Questions To Ask Clients Prior To Designing A Logo

[Andy D]

I personally don't design logos anymore but I happened across this site and thought
it had some good advice.



http://www.thedesigncubicle.com/2009/07/20-questions-to-ask-clients-prior-to-designing-a-logo/

 

[visual800]

i tell you who wrote this. some college educated overthinker. when I do a logo all I wanna know is what are you advertising, do you have an image or slogan.

all that other "whats your 10 year plan" along with everything else is pointless. you are doing them a logo not asking them for a detailed essay. just my toughts

 

[hmtzc80]

great FIY info

thanks for the link I agree some customers just want ez logos and others want logos for the long haul the info is great

 

[bob]

An entire list of utter nonsense. Other than "What flavor do you fancy? Modern, edgy, decco, techno, western, victorian, bright, dim, obscure, [insert other adjectives as they migh occur to you], etc." there's little else to be asked. That entire list of psychobabble drivel is useless. Take for example mindless question #5 "How are you different from your competitors?" If they answered 'We're taller [or shorter]", would that indicate a different logo than if they said "We bathe more [or less] often"?

 

[GAC05]

Think he missed a few

1. Will you be paying by cash or credit card?

2. Do you have any relatives with self professed artistic ability living within this state?

3. Have you ever used any of the following statements:
a. Make it POP
b. Can't you just use the images from my AOL home page?
c. I can get it cheaper on the internet.
d. If my spouse does not like the color after it is printed do I still have to pay?
e. Can I sit here and help?
f. Will this be done by lunch? I need it for an event tonight.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[neato]

And don't forget:

#4: Will you be showing the draft to your friends, relatives, workmates, peers, dog etc to get their feedback for revisions?

 

[Gino]

17. Can I shop your drawings around to see if someone will do it for less ?? I need it as cheap as possible. You understand.....................

 

[Andy D]

Granted, the list is probably geared towards people that charge thousands per logo design,
not the $300 "Bubba's Cell Phone Repairs " logo design, but that doesn't mean it's "utter nonsense",
it was linked on a site dedicated towards logo designs.

 

[signguy 55]

#25 - Do you consider Nike's swoosh, Apple's "apple", Coke's script, McDonald's "M" logos? Or do you need a man running with a wrench in his hand or an illustration of a tree ,etc. to be be a logo?

 

[HDvinyl]

Do you want a ladder incorporated in the design?

 

[bob]

Granted, the list is probably geared towards people that charge thousands per logo design,
not the $300 "Bubba's Cell Phone Repairs " logo design, but that doesn't mean it's "utter nonsense",
it was linked on a site dedicated towards logo designs.

Utter nonsense I said and utter nonsense I mean. Explain, exactly, the difference between a 'thousands per logo design' effort and the '$300 "Bubba's Cell Phone Repairs "' product other that the level of bull$hit accompanying each. Use simple declarative sentences without any equivocation. Any use of 'but", "If', "though" or any of their derivatives will invalidate your response.

For extra credit explain how having a cogent answer to "How are you different from your competitors?", assuming that is even possible, will produce a design substantially different from a design made without having an answer to that query. In your response the same rules as previously noted apply.

Once more: These questions are psychobabble nonsense designed to make the client being sluiced of thousands of dollars feel all warm and fuzzy as the velvet suppository is inserted. Not to zero in on some Platonic optimum logo design.

 

[Andy D]

Utter nonsense I said and utter nonsense I mean. Explain, exactly, the difference between a 'thousands per logo design' effort and the '$300 "Bubba's Cell Phone Repairs "' product other that the level of bull$hit accompanying each. Use simple declarative sentences without any equivocation. Any use of 'but", "If', "though" or any of their derivatives will invalidate your response.

For extra credit explain how having a cogent answer to "How are you different from your competitors?", assuming that is even possible, will produce a design substantially different from a design made without having an answer to that query. In your response the same rules as previously noted apply.

Once more: These questions are psychobabble nonsense designed to make the client being sluiced of thousands of dollars feel all warm and fuzzy as the velvet suppository is inserted. Not to zero in on some Platonic optimum logo design.

Do yourself a favor Bob, Google "questions to ask clients before designing their logo" and you will get millions of lists from 5 to 50 all with similar questions. Most of these companies start at $4,000 per logo.
Why would you ask "How are you different from your competitors?", I would assume to accent the services that gives their company an edge.

 

[HDvinyl]

1. I require a 50% deposit before we play 20 questions.

 

[bob]

Do yourself a favor Bob, Google "questions to ask clients before designing their logo" and you will get millions of lists from 5 to 50 all with similar questions. Most of these companies start at $4,000 per logo.
Why would you ask "How are you different from your competitors?", I would assume to accent the services that gives their company an edge.

In the spirit of one good turn deserving another, you might want to Google "Critical Thinking" perhaps with a sub-search on "Formal Fallacies".

 

[Andy D]

In the spirit of one good turn deserving another, you might want to Google "Critical Thinking" perhaps with a sub-search on "Formal Fallacies".

I did that, Thanks Bob, I certainly don't think I know it all and look forward to learning new things everyday, this is what I read:

We are thinking critically when we

• consider a variety of possible viewpoints or perspectives,
• remain open to alternative interpretations
• accept a new explanation, model, or paradigm because it explains the evidence better, is simpler, or has fewer inconsistencies or covers more data.
• are concerned more with finding the best explanation than being right analyzing apparent confusion and asking questions

 

[Andy D]

Ohh yeah, here's more that might be pertinent , or not. It's just so new and overwhelming to me BoB....

Non-critical thinkers take an egotistical view of the world

• They take their facts as the only relevant ones.
• They take their own perspective as the only sensible one.
• They take their goal as the only valid one.

 

[bob]

I did that, Thanks Bob, I certainly don't think I know it all and look forward to learning new things everyday, this is what I read:

We are thinking critically when we

• consider a variety of possible viewpoints or perspectives,
• remain open to alternative interpretations
• accept a new explanation, model, or paradigm because it explains the evidence better, is simpler, or has fewer inconsistencies or covers more data.
• are concerned more with finding the best explanation than being right analyzing apparent confusion and asking questions

The first two points do not mean that nonsense should be considered. It's nice to have an open mind but don't let your brain fall out.
The third point is merely a clumsy re-statement of Occam's Razor. Actually it should be Ockham's Razor, how the man got to be an Arab remains a mystery.
The fourth point is just equally clumsy corollary to the third point.

But the point [remember the point?] being just how these lists of nonsensical queries would produce a logo that would be different from a logo designed if these silly questions were never asked at all? You might apply your new-found knowledge, if not understanding, of critical thinking to this point. You might find that questions about style, color, flavor, etc. are germane and perhaps valid. Likewise questions about where do you see yourself at some future date are not.

 

[bob]

Ohh yeah, here's more that might be pertinent , or not. It's just so new and overwhelming to me BoB....

Non-critical thinkers take an egotistical view of the world

• They take their facts as the only relevant ones.
• They take their own perspective as the only sensible one.
• They take their goal as the only valid one.

So then, how can you tell if dismissing something a priori is critical or non-critical thinking. For example if someone were to pose that gravity is created by elves beating on anvils in the core of the planet, would dismissing them out of hand be non-critical thinking? Or, less specious, if someone poses something that is in clear violation of the laws of physics, should they be given air time? Should questions that do not, even tangentially, have anything to do with design be asked in order to better design something?

 

[Gino]

Hey, it's frickin' Friday...... whadafug are you two talking about ??

 

[Andy D]

The first two points do not mean that nonsense should be considered. It's nice to have an open mind but don't let your brain fall out.
The third point is merely a clumsy re-statement of Occam's Razor. Actually it should be Ockham's Razor, how the man got to be an Arab remains a mystery.
The fourth point is just equally clumsy corollary to the third point.

But the point [remember the point?] being just how these lists of nonsensical queries would produce a logo that would be different from a logo designed if these silly questions were never asked at all? You might apply your new-found knowledge, if not understanding, of critical thinking to this point. You might find that questions about style, color, flavor, etc. are germane and perhaps valid. Likewise questions about where do you see yourself at some future date are not.

Wow, that's a lot to take in Bob, and the big words, geez, are trying to give me an aneurysm?
So what you're saying for example: If I were charged with Murder, and had a couple hundred of those phoney high priced Criminal Lawyers, who actually specialize in Criminal Law, giving me the same advice, that's just... what did you call it? "Formal Fallacies"?
​
And I should avoid them and go with The local Lawyer that says he knows everything about everything, because he says he practices and is an expert on all subjects of Law...

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one Bob... I might need a day or two, but in the meantime please throw a few more of those big words and phrases at me,
like I said, I want to learn something new everyday!

 

[Andy D]

Hey, it's frickin' Friday...... whadafug are you two talking about ??

Bob's learning me stuff Because one day I want to rule a message forum too!

 

[bob]

Wow, that's a lot to take in Bob, and the big words, geez, are trying to give me an aneurysm?

Which word didn't you understand? Perhaps some passage or another was difficult for you?

So what you're saying for example: If I were charged with Murder, and had a couple hundred of those phoney high priced Criminal Lawyers, who actually specialize in Criminal Law, giving me the same advice, that's just... what did you call it? "Formal Fallacies"?
​
And I should avoid them and go with The local Lawyer that knows everything about everything, because he practices and is an expert on all subjects of Law...

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one Bob... I might need a day or two, but in the meantime please throw a few more of those big words and phrases at me,
like I said, I want to learn something new everyday!

I'm whelmed by your powers of analogy. Are you being deliberately obtuse or are you really as simple as you appear?

Your idiotic analogy notwithstanding, 'Formal Fallacies', and their vicious cousins 'Informal Fallacies' are part and parcel of critical thinking. Which, for the most part, is just doing inductive, and perhaps even a bit of deductive, reasoning. Do you know the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning? Be critical of descriptions and definitions of induction and deduction offered up via Google, Wikipedia, etc. For the most part they really don't know either. But there is a very simple and absolutely definitive difference. The reason that I ask is that before you can effectively do either one you have to know the difference.

 

[Andy D]

Which word didn't you understand? Perhaps some passage or another was difficult for you?

All of it, can you please start over and dumb it down for me Bob?

Are you being deliberately obtus

I'm not sure, I'm Catholic, is that the same thing?

Your idiotic analogy notwithstanding, 'Formal Fallacies', and their vicious cousins 'Informal Fallacies' are part and parcel of critical thinking. Which, for the most part, is just doing inductive, and perhaps even a bit of deductive, reasoning. Do you know the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning? Be critical of descriptions and definitions of induction and deduction offered up via Google, Wikipedia, etc. For the most part they really don't know either. But there is a very simple and absolutely definitive difference. The reason that I ask is that before you can effectively do either one you have to know the difference.

Gotcha! Google is dumb and Bad! Is there anyway I can "Booble" you when I have a question?