Print this. Bring it to the meeting.
Most agencies don't get asked questions like these. The ones who answer them confidently are usually the ones worth hiring. The ones who deflect are usually the ones you're about to pay too much for.
1. Who specifically will work on this project, and what have they shipped?
Names. Not "our team." The senior designer attached to your project should have a portfolio you can review before signing. Junior staff doing the actual work, with senior names on the proposal, is the classic agency switch.
2. Can I see three projects with similar scope, in similar industries, that you delivered on time?
Three is the right number. One is an outlier; two could be coincidence; three is a pattern. "Similar" matters — bank brand work doesn't translate cleanly to startup brand work, and offshore offshore experience doesn't translate to ministry work.
3. How do you handle Arabic typography and RTL layout?
If they treat it as a translation step done at the end, walk away. The right answer involves Arabic typefaces selected at kickoff, RTL design as a parallel system, and at least one Arabic-literate designer on the team.
4. Show me a brand book or design system you delivered to a real client.
Not a moodboard. A finished, applied, working document. If they show you templates instead of finished work, the templates are what you're getting.
5. What's your revision policy, in writing?
Two to three structured rounds at defined stages is the right answer. "Unlimited revisions" is a red flag — projects with no cap drag for months and the agency loses interest. "Three rounds total, after which additional rounds are billed at QAR X" is the answer of a serious team.
6. Who owns the source files when the project ends?
You should. Some agencies retain source files as leverage for future work. Get this in writing before you sign — Adobe files, Figma files, brand asset originals, the lot.
7. What's your pricing model — hourly, fixed-fee, or retainer?
Fixed-fee with milestones is usually the right answer for project work. Hourly invites scope creep. Retainers are for ongoing relationships, not one-off projects. Whatever they say, get the structure clear before you compare proposals.
8. What does your handoff look like?
After the project ships, what do you get? Source files, a brand book, a training session, ongoing support? "Email us if you have questions" isn't handoff. A real handoff is a structured 60–90 minute working session where someone on your team learns the system.
9. How many concurrent projects does the team have right now?
If the senior designer is across six projects, your project will get three days of attention per month. There's no right number, but there's a right ratio — typically 2–3 active projects per senior, max. Ask.
10. Show me the worst project you ever shipped — what went wrong, and what changed?
This question is the cheat code. Agencies who answer it honestly are the ones with self-awareness; the ones who say "all our projects go well" are the ones who are about to teach you something the hard way.
11. Are you a registered vendor with [the body that matters for your project]?
For government work: are they on the relevant ministry's vendor list? For regulated industries: do they understand QCB / MOPH / CRA compliance? For events: are they registered with Qatar Tourism? Vendor registration takes weeks; it's not something they can fix on your timeline.
12. What's the first thing you'd kill from this brief, and why?
An agency that pushes back on your brief — politely, with reasoning — is one that's actually thinking about the work. An agency that says yes to everything is one that's billing for everything, including the parts that won't help you.
The honest line
Twelve questions, not a single one of them about portfolio aesthetics. Aesthetics matter, but reels are easy to fake. Process, accountability, and self-awareness are the harder things to fake — and the things that determine whether your project ships well or limps to the finish line.