Understanding Ambiguous Design Instructions: A Lesson in Clarifying Client Expectations

Dealing with vague project requirements is a common challenge in web development and design. Recently, I encountered a situation that underscored the importance of clear communication and the potential pitfalls of assumptions.

The task was straightforwardly described as: “Create the brand’s look and feel.” No supplementary files, no visual references, just the brand logo. Naturally, I interpreted this as developing a cohesive visual identity—colors, typography, and overall aesthetic consistency. To achieve this, I devised a flexible theming system, allowing quick adjustments of colors and fonts across the entire application through centralized configuration. My goal was to create a scalable, maintainable approach that could adapt easily to future design updates.

However, after presenting my work, I was instructed that the primary goal was to make the login screen visually appealing with the brand’s colors. I suggested extending the theming solution to cover the login interface as well, but received no response. A few hours later, I was informed that I was being removed from the project altogether.

What’s more perplexing is that prior to this, I hadn’t received any critical feedback—only a somewhat cryptic comment during a daily standup about being busy, which seemed unrelated and unprofessional.

This experience raises important questions for designers and developers alike:

• How should ambiguous directives like “create the look and feel” be handled?
• Is developing a global, adaptable solution misguided in such contexts?
• What strategies can ensure clarity and avoid misunderstandings when project requirements are vague?

Clear communication is essential to meet client or stakeholder expectations effectively. When instructions lack specificity, proactively seeking clarification, providing examples, or defining specific deliverables can prevent confusion and improve collaboration.

Have you faced similar situations? How did you navigate them? Sharing your insights can help all of us better manage ambiguity in creative projects.

Thank you for reading.