Start with the problem, not the requested deliverable
A client may open with a request for a website, a set of illustrations or a short video. Before discussing how to make it, ask: “What prompted this project?” and “What should be different when it is finished?” Their answers help you understand whether the requested deliverable addresses the problem they want to solve. They also give you a useful reference point when choices arise later.
Ask who the work is for and what that audience needs to do or understand. A student designing an event page, for example, needs to know whether visitors should register, find a venue or simply learn about the event. Then ask what already exists: a current site, an earlier campaign, audience feedback or examples of work the client likes and dislikes. These materials can reveal useful context without treating the examples as a specification.
Turn a broad request into a workable scope
Ask the client to describe the finished work in concrete terms. How many pages, screens, images or files do they expect? Which formats and sizes do they need? Does “build a website” include writing copy, sourcing images, setting up hosting or showing someone how to make updates? Questions like these expose tasks that are easy to assume but difficult to price or schedule accurately.
It also helps to ask what is not included. A small team might be ready to design a landing page but not maintain it after launch. A freelance illustrator might supply final artwork but not arrange printing. Confirm any dependencies, such as access to an existing platform or approval of a brand identity. If the client cannot define every detail yet, propose a smaller first phase to establish requirements before committing to the full job.
Find out who provides materials and makes decisions
Creative work often depends on inputs from other people. Ask who will supply copy, images, logos, technical details and access to relevant tools. Find out whether those materials are ready and who can answer questions about them. If an essential input is missing, agree on who will create it and how that affects the schedule.
Next, ask who will review the work and who has final approval. Are there other people whose feedback matters, such as a business partner or an event organiser? Agree on how feedback will be gathered and who will combine conflicting comments into one direction. For a student group or small team, naming one contact for decisions can be just as helpful as it is on a client project. It reduces the chance of revising work toward several incompatible goals.
Discuss timing, budget and the review process
Ask whether there is a fixed launch date and what drives it. Then work backward together: when must materials arrive, when will a first version be reviewed, and how long can the client take to respond? A deadline is more useful when both sides understand the steps that lead to it. If the schedule is tight, ask which features or deliverables are essential for the first release and which could wait.
It is reasonable to ask what budget or resource range the client has in mind before designing a detailed approach. If you cannot discuss a figure yet, clarify the level of effort they expect and offer options with different scopes. Also ask how many review rounds they anticipate and what would count as a new request rather than a revision. This conversation need not be adversarial; it helps both sides decide what can realistically be delivered.
Define completion and record what you learned
Before agreeing to the work, ask: “How will we know this project is complete?” The answer might include approved files, a working page, a handover document or a short walkthrough. Ask what the client needs to use the final work: editable source files, export formats, instructions or access details. Clarify who will check the deliverables and how outstanding issues will be reported.
After discovery, send a short written recap of the goal, audience, deliverables, exclusions, responsibilities, review steps and proposed timeline. Mark unanswered questions rather than filling gaps with assumptions. The client can then correct misunderstandings before either side commits. If important answers remain uncertain, agreeing to a defined planning phase may be more useful than promising a full project on an unclear brief.
