Public client dialogue with designers must improve

Sarah Balmond in ‘Cut Out The Red Tape’ (DW 18 August) demonstrates the concern of the design industry about a number of issues about the European Journal process.


Sarah Balmond in ‘Cut Out The Red Tape’ (DW 18 August) demonstrates the concern of the design industry about a number of issues about the European Journal process.


Three changes would go a long way:


• Genuine and insightful feedback to design groups would explain outcomes, assuage disappointment, and even raise standards.


• Explanations of what appear to be odd requests (such as the famous, ‘You must not have your company name on the outer envelope’) would help us understand the system and take away much of the combative feel of the process.


• If rumours that some tenders are posted to fulfil legal obligations are untrue then they need to be quashed – nothing undermines designers’ confidence more than believing our efforts to be worthless.


No one should be surprised there have been no complaints. Pitching for business and at the same time complaining about the pitching process are uneasy partners!


Bob Bayman, Director, First Branding and Design, London EC2A

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