The TrendyMinds team recently closed up shop and headed down to Austin, Texas for the annual SXSW Interactive Conference. Our visit was spent rubbing shoulders with the industry elite while attending panel discussions on a variety of topics. But we weren't total bores -- we also managed to squeeze in some fun time every evening by enjoying some of Austin's culinary delights, attending sponsored parties or by creating our own entertainment with other South By friends. We learned tons, saw a lot of cool technologies and left feeling inspired, ready to apply the knowledge we gained to work for our clients.

There were a lot of great panels and a few that were so terrible I was embarrassed for the presenters. In one panel, that shall remain nameless because it was so bad, more than half the room walked out midway through and proceeded to roast the panel on Twitter. This was probably the most memorable panel... but for all the wrong reasons!

But enough about the bad - onto the good!

The most informative and engaging panel I attended was "Pain Free Design Sign-off" by Paul Boag, about the design process and client approval.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first. It was the first panel early on Saturday morning after a fun and "not quite early" night in Austin, which was strike one in my book, not to mention that graphic design is not my area of expertise. But I thought it might deliver some "aha" information that we could begin using in our project management system. It turns out I was right - the panel was filled with a lot of great advice that I immediately shared with the rest of our team.

The speaker, a comical British web strategist, spoke about how agencies tend to be too defensive when clients provide creative feedback -- How dare a client have the right to comment on the work they're paying agencies big bucks to do!

Sarcasm aside, the solution, he said, is to find an agency that will provide a detailed explanation of each step of the process. As the client, you want and need to be reassured about the decisions you are making. Every ad agency should make it their goal to ensure their clients feel like they are in control -- and confident in the end result. This can only be accomplished through collaboration, not confrontation. Through detailed collaboration with your agency, you'll have a better understanding of everything that's involved and appreciate the end result even more.

Based on his presentation, I've developed the following six questions to keep in mind the next time you have an initial meeting with an agency regarding your design needs. You'll soon realize how beneficial it is to nail down the process during the kick-off meeting rather than having back-and-forth question and answer sessions with your designer or project manager.

Question 1: Are roles clearly defined?

The agency should explain what its role is and what your role (the client) is. Often times tension arises simply because the agency doesn't clearly explain what they expect from the client.

Question 2: Does the presenting agency possess a strong methodology?

A great agency strategizes about every step of its design process. It should be able to provide information about how and why designs were developed.

Question 3: Do you feel like your agency includes you often and early in the process?

It should keep you involved and feeling like you're its number one priority. It's all about making you feel important and ensuring that you understand the process.

Question 4: Does this agency educate its clients about the decisions it's making?

It should tell you (the client) the pros and cons of each option. You have the right to be informed about the possible issues along the way. For example, you might love the seven-color design - but you should be educated about the higher printing costs with colorful designs. Or perhaps your company wants to be taken seriously, yet you tend to gravitate toward designs that don't portray this. Your agency should bring this to your attention and explain the situation.

Question 5: Are you asked for feedback?

A responsible agency will ask its clients for opinions, suggestions and ideas along the way. They're the experts, but they should still value your input to ensure the end result is to your liking. Otherwise, the project could require extensive and costly revisions.

Question 6: Has your agency ever told you "no"?

You should never hear an agency tell you "no". By educating and keeping you involved in every step of the process, you'll be better equipped to make decisions and, more often than not, agree with the agency's recommendations and decisions. If they do their job and you still disagree, then they should respect your opinion. After all, you're the client!