When first beginning my career in Web Design, I thought it was common place, or best practice to show multiple design concepts to a client. However, this often left me feeling frustrated as the designs would be Frankenstein’d into one, yielding less than stellar results.

It left me with work of which I wasn’t proud. There was something wrong with this method, but yet this practice is followed without question. In certain cases an extra design is thrown in simply for a “backup” to show the client’s money is hard at work. It wasn’t until I watched an episode of Andy Rutledge’s Design Pro Show that it became quite clear. This approach to designing is simply flawed and rooted in the lack of understanding the needs of the client.

Showing the client three designs or more is equivalent to blasting a target with a shotgun. Sure it gets the job done, but it’s sloppy, wasteful and leaves holes everywhere. As design professionals we are paid to come up with the best solution to a problem. This doesn’t mean a designer shouldn’t explore different options or directions, but that the design you present to a client is the best and only solution based on your professional experience. When we fail at understanding the client’s problem we enter the shotgun method in hopes that one design will hit the nail on the head. While wishful thinking, this is hardly ever the case and results in a compromised design.

In addition, we invite design decisions from clients who are not design professionals. By presenting multiple concepts we are essentially telling the client, “We are not sure which design solves your problem, but look at these options and tell us what works best.” From here the client may suggests mixing parts from one design to another which can drive a designer nuts. This is not the clients fault, but the lack of understanding on the designers end.

So you maybe wondering how do we solve the issue of the Shotgun Method? Well, it’s very simple: an effective discovery process, much like the process advocated by Andy Rutledge. By spending time with the client to fully understand their issues and concerns we can create a design that hits the mark 99% of the time. Moreover, having a solid discovery process helps the client build confidence in the designer. This removes any second guessing and creates a positive and professional relationship. Understanding the problem removes the need to present multiple concepts. Why use a scattergun when you need the accuracy of a long range rifle? Remember, we are the design professionals not our clients.