I made my first website with Angelfire in 1999. Twenty years later, I’ve made a few more and there are a few things I’m certain of regarding design…

Everyone loves seeing green checkmarks. Whatever you designed last night, you’ll hate in the morning. You should, as much as possible, include your clients in the design process.

My favorite part of that process is almost always the kickoff meeting with a new client. I’ll sit there across from them with my requisite moleskin notebook while their project starts to come alive. I always ask the same questions…

Who’s your audience? What colors do you like? Font choice? What problem are you solving?

Together we witness the thing they’re passionate about take shape. I love this part because before our meeting, their project was just an idea— an intangible that they couldn’t quite picture yet. After we part, the shared anticipation is palpable and that energy fuels me through the first major design burst.

The next part is sometimes less great. I’ll often hear the same requests I’ve been fielding for two decades — usually regarding things “popping more” or “being above the fold” — basically this. But I’m here to talk about that first meeting, where things are still pure and filled with promise.

I’m here to talk about how to help your clients make design decisions early (and why you need to document them).