Outlaw Design Blog

Every designer who has ever got comments on a mockup from a client via email knows how unclear those comments can be. Some clients just don’t know how make themselves clear or how to get their point across. While other just tend to have no idea what they are talking about. How many times have you you got a client email that read something like:

Looks great! But we change a few things around that top part? I don’t really like how that thing above all of links looks. Maybe we should move it over by the other links for people to add…blah blah blah….

A Note About Concept Share

It is because of too many situations like this that I decided to start trying out some of the online proofing apps out there. I originally started out with Concept Share. I could be wrong, but at the time I don’t think Proof HQ was even around. I had an early bate account with them, so I had been using it since day one. While Concept Share was great for collaboration with other creatives, designers, developers, and other web savvy people; I found that clients found it a bit complicated.

A complicated proofing system for clients is the last thing I needed to reduce headaches. So, after a few failed attempts with clients, I started looking elsewhere and came across Proof HQ.

What I like About Proof HQ

The one thing that really sold me on Proof HQ was how simple it was to use on the client end. As with any new program, there is a slight learning curve for your clients, but all in all its pretty intuitive. Just in case your client needs some hand holding, there is a tutorial/welcome screen that pops up the first time someone signs in that show sthem how the application works. Between this welcome screen and the simple interface most people, clients and designers, can figure out how to use it right away.

What Proof HQ Does

If you have never used a similar online proofing system, you might not be sure what Proof HQ does or what makes it so special. Let me see if I can describe it simply

Proof HQ allows you to upload images and mockups to your Proof HQ account. You can then add login profiles for your clients so that they can see the design. But the app doesn’t stop there. You and your clients can then use the tools to mark up the design with arrows, comments, highlighters, and more.

These tools allow you client to point to “the thing” with an arrow and then use another arrow to point where they want to move it to.

When clients select a potion of the design to comment on, a line from the area they are talking about leads back to the comment box. This allows you to make sure you know what area they are talking about.

Check out some of these screenshots:

Final Thoughts on Proof HQ

Since using Proof HQ I have noticed a decent amount of time saved from having to go back and fourth with clients about what it is they want to change about a certain design. I was worried that the amount of time I would save from using Proof HQ would be spent explaining to clients how to use it, but that hasn’t been the case. A few of my “special” clients have needed some help, but for the most part it has come in pretty handy.