Laisha - 11:48 pm on Feb 3, 2002 (gmt 0)

I usually ask for contact information for the designer and talk to him/her directly. I discuss what I am being hired for and assure him/her that I need to have a working relationship with him/her and do not wish to step on toes.

I ALWAYS mention the fact that I understand that he/she has the design concept and integrity as his/her first priority and underscore the fact that we need to work together with him/her in order to accomplish both our goals.

I then stick to my word and consult with him/her often. I usually give general instructions about what we need in the way of text. For instance, "We need 3 or 4 more paragaphs at the top focused on red tennis shoes."

So far, it's always worked for me.