Design Project Checklist

WHO THIS IS FOR

Freelance designers and small studios juggling more than one client at a time, who need a repeatable way to keep projects from slipping through the cracks.

HOW TO USE IT

Copy this checklist into a new tracker for every project, or print one per job. Check items off as you go — don't move a project to the next phase until its section is complete.

1. KICKOFF

• ☐ Brief or discovery questionnaire completed and signed off by the client.
• ☐ Scope, timeline, and price are confirmed in writing — not just discussed verbally.
• ☐ Deposit or first payment received before design work begins.
• ☐ Number of revision rounds included is stated clearly, in the contract or proposal.

2. IN PROGRESS

• ☐ Concepts presented match what was actually agreed in the brief — not a personal tangent.
• ☐ Client feedback is captured in writing, even if it was given verbally or by voice note.
• ☐ Out-of-scope requests are flagged to the client immediately, not absorbed silently. "Sure, I'll just add that" is how projects lose money.
• ☐ Files are backed up somewhere outside your one laptop.

3. REVIEW & APPROVAL

• ☐ Final design has been proofread by someone other than you — spelling, contact details, dates.
• ☐ Client has given explicit written approval, not just gone quiet.
• ☐ Any last-minute changes are logged, so scope creep is visible if it happens.

4. DELIVERY

• ☐ Final invoice sent and payment terms confirmed before final files are released.
• ☐ Files delivered in every format the client actually needs (print-ready, web, editable source).
• ☐ Files are named and organized so the client can find what they need in a year, without you.
• ☐ A copy of the final files and the signed brief is archived in your own project records.

5. AFTER DELIVERY

• ☐ Client is asked for a testimonial or referral while the work is still fresh.
• ☐ Project is added to your portfolio, if the client agrees.
• ☐ Any usage rights or licensing terms are documented, in case the client resells or reprints later.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Most disputes with clients don't happen because the design was bad — they happen because scope, revisions, or payment terms were never written down anywhere. This checklist exists to make sure they always are.

NEXT STEPS

A checklist doesn't replace good client communication — but it catches the things good communication forgets when you're mid-project and juggling three other clients at once. Keep one running per job.