Process



Lets go over some of the basics:



Fundamentals



Design is a tricky subject. Imagine if "Art" was a bucket of black paint. Now I hand you a can of paint labeled "Business".

Let's say this is white. Now you and I both pour these paints into one big bucket, and stir. Here we would have a faded mix of grey paint which we are going to label: "Design".


You see we as a team we (Your team & Ours) work together to meet half-way point where design exists. This manifests in many amazing ways, but lets talk about what that looks like in a tangible way.


My process has changed throughout the years, aging as do I, and my team slowly but surely fluctuates in numbers as people grow and change as well. This also has morphed what my process looks like.



Process



The process we take can sometimes vary, depending on the needs of the client, or what level they are on in terms of design phase. But here is a basic outline:


  • PHASE 1: Qualify
  • PHASE 2: Strategy Session
  • PHASE 3: Sketch
  • PHASE 4: Stylescape Presentation
  • PHASE 5: Fine Tuning
  • PHASE 6: Deliverables
  • BONUS ROUND: Future Exploration


Phase 1: To work together, or not to work together. That is the question!



I had a client once, that was super positive, energetic and we ended up having a great overall result to their Branding Design.

But the chemistry felt forced, uncomfortable and awkward. This taught me to be more selective of my client base, as you should be of your chosen designer/ agency/ firm. Noone want to say: Oh God it's "Insert awkward name here".


So we talk a little about your project, your goals, you can ask questions, etc. The most important thing is that we work well together, unless you like to crash and burn you business. Yeah me neither!



Phase 2: Get with the program!



At this stage of things we start digging deep into uncharted territory. I begin asking some hard hitting core questions like:


  • Why do you do what you do?
  • Why should people choose you?
  • Who are your competitors?
  • What drives you as a business owner?
  • Why is my cat sitting on my keyboa*-+56%$9(%)$ (Sorry he means well)

These questions and many others will shape the core elements of your brand. They will dictate from where our design choices will be inspired.



Phase 3: Quick someone hand me a Crayon!



The pencils have come out to play, the huge sketchbook is open and you are about to receive a picture of some of the coolest sketches since Davinci! (Not really I am a horrible artist, so buckle up as this gets bumpy...)


But seriously though, we sketch out a big set of conceptual art centering around the core elements we have found in the last Phase and apply some design thinking.



Phase 4: Show & Tell



Remember when you were a kid and you had that cool baseball card collection or Barbie set? You brought it to the infamously competitive, every man for himself gauntlet of: "Ooh kind I see" and "Mine's better!" or the famous: "John, you can't bring a swiss army knife to school!"

(No? Just me then?)


All in all this stage is a glorified version of that feeling, plus professional expert design, fonts, awesome color palettes and usage examples. Basically Visual exploration you choose from.



Phase 5: Something not right...



Now that you, the awesome client that you are, have decided on 1 of 3 stylescapes from the last Phase...


...We move onto taking any elements from the other 2 that you want to incorporate, or swap out any that aren't going to make the final cut.


So by now we should be choosing:


  • Brandmark (AKA Logo)
  • Typography
  • Iconography
  • Color Palette
  • Patterns
  • Alternate Logo styles
  • Naming
  • Messaging / Voice


Phase 6: I got a present for you!



Remember that cookie commercial when the kid stays up all night by the fireplace with a cup of milk and cookies hoping to coerce santa into giving them cool gifts. Only to fall asleep before he grabs a cookie and leaved the gifts?

Well this Phase is sort of like that. Except I am santa bringing the final deliverables and you pay me copious amounts of your money hoping they are amazing.

(Hey I get points for honesty, no?)


In the end of the day a dropbox link with this box full of new toys are presented in a bajillion formats so you can apply them to all your successful ventures. We both walk away happy people!



Bonus Round!



Your still here huh? Well I thank you and applaud you for your effort. In the last episode, our dynamic duo was celebrating violently with champagne glasses and cheers! But wait, you exclaim as your your glass shatters on the ground, don't we need to apply all these deliverables to the web and print? Yes. The answer is yes you do. Here is were we go to the next transaction. Some of our other services can be seen HERE