Understanding the Design Process

The design process, much like the branding process, begins with understanding the message and image a company wants to portray.  This discovery process is not only about helping build the designer’s understanding but is a good way for the leaders of a company to learn new ways in articulating the essence of their business.  Essentially, it is a partnership that both the designer and client enter into so that the final design products are exactly what the client wants and more importantly, what they need.  

A good designer is able to ask the right questions in order to draw out information that will help them create the perfect style and feel for visually representing a company’s identity.  These questions should first be rooted in understanding the needs that a company hopes to meet.  The designer should listen in order to understand who the target audience is and what message needs to be sent; from there they can decide what style will appeal to this market. 

The design process includes researching the industry and its competitors so that a company can set itself apart while still following the “tone” of the market for that particular product or service. A company should want to be unique but not so different that they miss the needs of the target audience.

Just like how music can move a person on an emotional level, visual design can do the same.  Some music feels happy, intense, serious or care-free; A good design should be able to evoke feelings like this as well.  A designer, through the inquiry stage of the design process, will be able to understand what emotion or feeling the client wants to project and whether or not it is in line with the message they are trying to send. A good designer will also be able to, in the end, create visual designs that in fact do produce the desired effect. 

The actual creative designing portion of this process can be the most exciting and the most frustrating at the same time.  That is why it is important to choose the right creative agency for the job. Remember, it should feel like a partnership where the client feels listened to and their concerns respected. The creative agency essentially is there to solve design problems for clients so they can focus on other important aspects of their business. 

The creative portion of the design process may begin as simply as a couple of sketches and a discussion over a cup of coffee.  As the process moves forward, the designs will become more and more finessed and eventually, the client will choose one of a few appealing designs that everyone is excited about.

The business side of the design process includes setting timelines, meeting deadlines, having open communication about design preferences and changes, etc… Again, if a client finds the right creative agency for the job, this should run smoothly and be a positive experience.

Keen Directive is a creative agency that prides itself in honoring the design process beginning with empathy building and understanding their clients’ needs.  Keen’s creative designers are professional and truly care about their clients and making the design process as smooth and exciting for them as possible.