“How do you qualify a designer?
Here is our assessment of the top ten ways clients qualify and select a designer, starting with the 10th (least likely) and ending with the most likely #1.
10. Research registered designers by geographical area, billable rates and experience through ASID, AIA, etc.
9. Find designed environments and buildings that you like, and research the design team.
8. Create a log of favorite designers and rank according to competitive awards.
7. Targeting your prime competitor, find out who they used for design services. Life is war.
6. Create an almost ridiculous RFQ and ask dozens of designers to respond with concepts in hopes of gaining free information/ideas.
5. Shop by rates and flexibility. Or better yet, see if they will do concept work for free.
4. Gauge design expertise by the quality and entertainment value of their web page, blogs and twitter comments.
3. Visit their offices and rank according to who offered the best hospitality, told the best jokes, made you feel the most comfortable.
2. Call targeted designers at home in the evening to determine their resilience and willingness to work with annoying clients.
1. Hire the most fun team who are really busy with a lot of great projects.
Relax, we are joking with you. But with all seriousness, isn’t the best 
choice for a designer a personal one. A good designer should listen and respond to you in a way that allows you to trust them. Most professionals can deliver beauty, but they all can’t promise love.