15. Don’t say: “I started the design for you in Microsoft Word / Paint / Publisher. Can you finish it for me?”

Why? While programs that come loaded on your PC or Mac are perfectly suitable for everyday, casual use, they’re not intended for professional design projects. Neither you nor an experienced designer will be able to get the kind of quality you’re looking for from a home office program. That’s why designers use specialized software. It’s best to let them use those tools from start to finish — you’ll be much happier with the final product.