Guides

Things worth knowing before you commission work — written because we answer these questions often enough that they should be written down.

• How to write a brief that gets you the right work

  The four things a specialist needs from you, and the three most common omissions that cause a rewrite.

  I need to explain what I want without leaving anything important out.

  Read it

• APA, MLA, Harvard and Chicago: what actually differs

  A practical comparison of the four styles you are most likely to be asked for, and how to tell which one you are on.

  I have been told to use a style and I am not sure what that changes.

  Read it

• What files you should get back from a designer

  Exports are not enough. What to ask for so you are not locked out of your own brand later.

  I am commissioning design work and want to own what I paid for.

  Read it