Looking at portfolios is a great way to see some past work a designer has worked on, also to see what sort of clients they’ve worked with. They are useful to look at and ask ‘What was the designer trying to solve for the business’ – but that’s where the questions should stop.

Don’t look for your design in their portfolio.

If you’re looking to see the design you want in a designers portfolio, you’re probably not going to find it. A portfolio is documentation of problem solving that a designer or developer has done for other people or businesses. There’s likely to have been constraints on the work, the budget may not be the same as what you have to play with and they might not have had the pushy board of directors you have.

Hiring a designer or freelance designer is like buying a tailored suit. You look at the tailors previous work to see the quality, to inspect the stitching, material and finish, but you’re not here to buy one off the shelf or you’d be in Greenwoods. The tailors past work is all data to help you decide if you’re going to let them take your measurements.

If you’re looking to hire a freelance designer, then I’m free to take your measurements for projects starting March 2015. I’d love to speak to you.