Chapter 12-14

If producing good design is only half the battle, what is the other half?

The work that you do also has to be on schedule, be on budget, meet client expectations, and produce a profit for your design firm.

Successful designers learn to guide client  __________  and effectively manage _____________.

Expectations-Changes

Name 3 “red flags” that indicate potential business problems.

  • Poor organization of resources
  • Dependency on one person
  • Lack of role definition for team members

______________ Is important, but it can seem a bit intimidating.

Bookkeeping

It is always best to keep your ___________ separate from your ___________ finances. 

Business-Personal

What kind of bank should you choose when starting a new business?

One that specializes in providing services for small business

A short-term cash flow projection is usually organized into what? 

Four columns, each representing a fifteen-day span.

A long-trem cash flow projection is also known as what?

“cash plan” , “cash budget” , or “pro forma cash flow”

A cash flow statement  differs from long  and short-term cash projections is what way? 

A cash flow statement is a recapping of the past and the others is a prediction of the future.

Chapter 9-11 Questions

1. When calculating a fixed fee what must be done?

A design firm must first estimate the number of hours that will be involved and then apply a standard hourly rate to get a potential price for the project.

2. What is something you don’t have to calculate to a labor rate?

Project materials

3. The ______ of each project team is determined by the _______ of work that must be accomplished. 

Size   Scope

4. Positioning has to do with the way the client does what?

Views competitive firms

5. Every design firm needs to build a _______ _____.

Mailing list

6. Healthy design firms tend to have _________ good clients with a ________ of ongoing needs. 

Several    Variety

7. A proposal is accompanied by a appropriate set of what?

Terms and conditions

8. What legal agreements are need to give the client?

Proposal document and terms and conditions

9. A _______ should always be included when finalizing a proposal package.

Cover letter

Chapter: 7-8

Becoming a Business

The transformation from freelancer to small design design firm is a gradual shift from subcontracting to direct business relationship. When making this change seek guidance from professional advisors, such as an attorney, banker, business insurance agent, industry consultant, and a certified public accountant. These advisors would also help in the decision of choosing a legal structure.

  • Sole Proprietor– Working on your own, there is no legal documents need to be filled by the government. But if something goes wrong its on you and you assets could be in trouble.
  • General Partnership– No paperwork need to file. But be cautious when considering a partner because if they take a loan out form the business you are both liable for the debt. (“buy-sell” provision is a must)
  • Limited Partnership– Complex and expensive to set up.
  • “C” Corporation– It must meet the requirements of Subchapter C of the Internal Revenue Code. Owner and founders have a separate existence  from the corporation.(“double taxation”)
  • “S” Corporation– The most appropriate for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to be taxed as if they were sole proprietors or partners. But “S” corporations have a number of IRS rules to follow and be maintained.
  • Limited Liability Company (LLC)– The most recent business format to be offered and there are different versions in different states.
  • Cooperatives– Several individuals voluntarily join together to provide services to members. As a legal entity, it’s owned and democratically controlled by its members.
  • Collective– Used to describe any group of like-minded individuals brought together in an organized manner to accomplish a shared goal.(Not a type of legal entity)

Naming

Choosing a name is probably the most important part of the setup process and a key component in developing your branding. Depending on your category of services you might want your name to be available thought all forms of the legal structure: State, National, Internet, Local.

Licenses and Permits

You must have one or the other in order to operate.

Zoning

Zoning is public regulation of the use of land (Regulate the size, construction, and placement of signs).

Becoming an Employer

After you have established a design firm, next is hiring. You’ll need to apply for a Federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS and a State Employer Identification Number from your state government. Both of these are necessary for payroll processing.

Continue reading “Chapter: 7-8”

Job Hunting Ch.02

1.For each project in your portfolio you should have what in the description?

  • Identify the client
  • Explain the business or communication challenge that they were facing
  • Describe the solution you developed
  • Explain how well it succeeded – quantify the results of the project by describing the impact that the finished work had on the client’s business

2. According to the author what is the best way to learn about job opportunties? What is your plan after graduation to put this into practice?

  • The author states that the best way to learn about job opportunities is through personal networking.
  • I plan on keeping up with AIGA and volunteering once I have more time open in my schedule.

3. What are three things the author covered that we taught you in this core.

  • Personal Networking
  • Resume
  • Thank-you letter

4. What is the typical cycle for employeers when hiring.

A week or two of advertising, then telephone interviews, followed by a couple of weeks of in-person interviews and negotiations, after which the hire is completed.

5. How should I determine what salary to ask for, isn’t it how much “I” need?

Look for surveys that calculate a median instead of a mean.

6. What does “employment at will” mean?

This means that you can be fired at any time and for any reason, as long as the reason is not illegal.

7. Do you believe our design and multmedia program perpares students more for creative activity or convention? According to the author which ones is more benifitial if you are looking to be prepaired for the field?

  • I would say our class involves both.
  • Convention

8.What does the following statement mean to you?

“When an innovation comes along that is really useful, it will gradually be absorbed into the mainstream. Over time it becomes conventional.”

I find myself relating every thing to design. With that in mind, i believe it means all creative and entertaining designs must be change to be effective and functional.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

Steve is a man of many accomplishments. First and for most he was thrown out of the lisa project because he was considered too temperamental a manager. So he took over a project now called Macintosh. Although Mac’s first months were encouraging, sales soon plummeted. Due the Steve driving everyone nuts, he was only to remain chairman of the board. Stunned, Apple was his life and he was kicked out. So he traveled and eventually meet George Lucas, Steve found they had the same common dream and eventually bought the company for 10 million in 1986 (Pixar).Next came the macbook, ipod, iphone, and the ipad.
Now days just about everyone has one apple products, its like the best thing since sliced bread. I don’t know what I would do with out my mac. Its like my life as well as my life line, Im an aspiring graphic designer and the interface and programs that come with the apple products is amazing.

Steve Jobs is undeniably an extraordinary man by any standard. He has left his mark on no less than five industries: personal computers with Apple II and Macintosh, music with iPod and iTunes, phone with iPhone, and animation with Pixar. The middle-class hippie kid with no college education that he was built a computer empire and became a multi-millionaire in a few years, was fired from his own company before coming back a decade later to save it and turn it into one of the world’s most influential corporations, with millions of fans around the world. He has also contributed to the creation of the new leader in animated movies for decades to come. He has been called a fluke for years, but is now widely acknowledged as one the world’s most eminent business executives and an unrivaled visionary. He has changed millions of lives by making technology easy-to-use, exciting and beautiful.… And you know what the best part is? He’s not done yet.

160 Signs

My graphic design class visited a place called Signs Now. I was very impressed from the time we stepped in the door. The lobby was laid out very professional, I actually thought I was at a adverting firm. Ryan (the owner) and the whole crew were very welcoming and willing to answer all and any questions. I recommend them to everyone that has a project big or small.
We got a chance to watch them apply a car decal to a clients car. It was very educational, I had no idea you could use a watered down glue to stick a decal to a vehicle. They even included us in the process of lining up the decal. Over all it was a great trip and a huge Thank You to Ryan and the whole Signs Now Crew.

Project List

2D

  1. Logo Recreation
  2. Face Trace
  3. Raster Dog
  4. Poster Project
  5. Multi. Person Image
  6. Self Image Crop
  7. Painting
  8. Stencil
  9. Battle Design Poster

Layout

  1. Brochure
  2. Magazine
  3. Summit Menu

3D

  1. 3D Room Design
  2. Building Design

Multi Media

  1. Vision Video
  2. How To Video
  3. Premiere Video (zombie)

Web

  1. Fort Website
  2. False Info Website
  3. Website Redesign