Client Collaboration When Fax Was High-Tech
Posted on Retro Design | Client Collaboration
- In 1992, design work meant sourcing stock photos by mail, delivering physical mockups, and relying on fax machines.
- It taught patience, adaptability, and the value of face-to-face interactions—lessons that remain relevant today.
Picture this: It’s 1992, and the tools we now take for granted—email, PDFs, and endless online image libraries—are nowhere in sight. How did we survive? With a lot of creativity, patience, and coffee. The kind of coffee that fuels problem-solving, endless meetings, and the occasional panicked realization that a typo made it into the final print. But somehow, we made it work and learned lessons that still guide us today.
Our work back then revolved around designing corporate annual reports. These weren’t just reports; they were masterpieces where storytelling met spreadsheets. Without the conveniences of today’s technology, every project demanded meticulous planning, in-person charm, and a dash of duct tape ingenuity.
The Hilariously Tedious World of Stock Photography
Back in the day, sourcing stock photography was an Olympic-level exercise in patience. There was no Shutterstock, no drag-and-drop magic. Instead, we’d flip through massive printed catalogs, circling images with the intensity of a kid picking their birthday presents. Then, we’d call stock photo agencies and request a “research team” to curate options based on our brief. It was like asking someone to rummage through a warehouse blindfolded.
After days—or weeks—a box of 35mm slides would finally arrive in the mail. Opening it felt like Christmas, except half the gifts didn’t fit. We’d pack up the slides and head to the client’s office. Holding them up to the light (because who needs fancy projectors?), we’d debate which images worked best. Rejected slides were returned in the mail, while the chosen ones were treated like gold. It was time-consuming, sure, but it made us masters of patience and precision.
The On-Site Circus of Photography Shoots
When we needed custom photos, we hired professional photographers and went all-in on the production. These shoots were anything but casual. The lighting was perfect, and the angles were spot-on. Someone tripped over a wire? We were there to oversee every detail, ensuring the shots matched our vision (and avoided accidental photobombs by the office cat).
Missing a shot wasn’t an option. Rescheduling was expensive and often not even possible, like requesting snow in July. Being on-site taught us the importance of proactive communication and the value of having a Plan B (and sometimes Plan C).
Design Reviews: When Mockups Needed a Chaperone
Presenting designs in 1992 was like a rite of passage. Without PDFs or Zoom meetings, we created physical mockups. Think typeset text glued onto paper, paired with placeholder photos labeled “FPO” (For Placement Only). Then came the fun part: hand-delivering these masterpieces to clients and praying they didn’t spill coffee on them.
For quick approvals, we occasionally faxed designs. But let’s be honest—fax machines had one job and still managed to mess it up. The low-resolution results were more “abstract art” than “design preview.” Yet somehow, we made it work, thanks to a mix of humor, patience, and sheer determination.
Color Proofs: The Final (but Probably Not Final) Client Pilgrimage
And just when we thought we’d nailed it, there was the inevitable second trip: delivering color proofs. Armed with Color Keys or Match Prints, we’d head back to the client’s office like design sherpas. These were no ordinary printouts—they were the holy grail of color accuracy, and everyone involved treated them with the reverence they deserved. We’d carefully lay them out, waiting for the inevitable debate over whether the logo was “too red” or “not red enough.” It was all part of the process, and we learned to carry snacks—because nothing says creative collaboration like a heated color discussion on an empty stomach.
Delivering the Goods, Literally
Once the annual reports were printed, we weren’t done. Oh no. We loaded boxes into our cars and personally delivered them. Seeing the client hold the final product was the ultimate payoff—a moment of pride, relief, and maybe a minor muscle soreness.
Lessons from the Trenches
- Relationships Matter (Especially When Mail is Slow)
Meeting face-to-face wasn’t just a preference but a necessity. We built trust through handshakes, eye contact, and the occasional shared laugh over a faxed disaster. - Adaptability is Survival
No instant communication? No problem. We thrived on creative problem-solving and backup plans, skills that still serve us well today. - The Value of Taking Your Time
There were no shortcuts back then. Every step demanded care and attention, which taught us the importance of quality over speed—a lesson we carry into today’s projects.
Fast-forward to now, and tools like AdobeStock and Zoom make life easier. Need a stock photo? Two clicks and you’re done. Presenting a design? Share your screen and voila! But while technology has changed, the values we built our business on haven’t. Trust, collaboration, and a commitment to quality are still the heart of what we do.
So, here’s to the lessons learned in 1992—and to never faxing a design again.