This normally depends on the type of work you are dealing with, the organization and the time-frame . For a proper design say a logo, then a good research has to be done on the target audience, if the company can afford it then a research agency can be consulted to do the  work. Charging also depends on the worth of the designer, more effort and time put to learn various techniques deserve more pay. My process for charging is pretty simple, for any advice or ideas I offer the client, there is a certain percentage. It’s simple to call it the consultation fee. After filling a design brief a down payment of 50% of the total amount should be paid. Some companies  I charge per concept(sketches) then a final charge for the final result. The down payment is very important to keep the client engaged. Some clients might forget that they have commissioned you some work but when money is involved many remember to follow up on you. It’s hard to know which number of concepts to com...