Does presenting more design options actually give clients more freedom?

I’m starting to think the opposite can happen.

If I present 5 directions, the client now has to decide which one they like. If I present 1–2 strong, well thought-out directions, I’m also showing them what I think the brand needs.

For me, the number of options is part of the design process itself.

How many directions do you usually present to a client?

One or two, never five. Five options is not freedom, it is homework you handed the client. One or two strong directions says I made the hard calls for you, which is what they are actually paying for. Choice is a burden dressed up as a courtesy.

This is one of those projects that starts as a simple redesign, but the more you dig into the business, the more you realize the foundations aren’t quite clear.

It made me think a lot about how to help users understand something that requires a high level of specialized knowledge. At some point, it became clear that simply proposing a new design wasn’t what this project was really about.

The reality was that, regardless of how the website looked, understanding a law firm with so much technical language was intimidating for users. So I proposed a new communication strategy that would allow us to restructure the website around a clearer journey — one that guided users through the firm, helped them understand what the business actually does, and made it easier for them to recognize themselves in the services being offered.

What started as a redesign eventually became a much deeper project: redefining the communication strategy, reworking the copy, restructuring the practice areas, and only then rethinking the visual design.

It was one of those projects that really makes you think, and I genuinely loved every part of it.

And if you’re curious enough to see the whole thing, you can find it right here