Pillars of a

Strong Design Process

  • Strategic

    Any designs not based on strategy will always have an achilles heel. Especially when multiple stakeholders are involved.

  • Predictable

    Like any business solution good design should be repeatable.

    Less shock and awe, more “ah, that makes sense”.

  • Transparent

    Clear plan. Clear phases.

    Clear opportunities for feedback.

My Process

#1. Questions. Question. Questions.

Every good design process starts with research, and one of the most crucial aspects of this research is understanding your client.

Asking good questions is a great way to get the to the heart of the real problem you’re client is looking to solve.

#2. Wordmap It!

Often times it’s helpful to spend some time wordmapping key words that the client has put out.

Maybe they mentioned “simplify” multiple times in the kickoff call.

How does our culture visually represent simplify? Minimalism? Natural items and textures like a smooth wood? What’s the opposite of simplify? How can we juxtapose these ideas?

#3. Moodboard-ing

I like to use Milanote or Figma for this phase but this phase is all about standing on the shoulders of giants.

How have other great creatives solved similar problems in the past? How have they represented “simplify”?

I may or may not present to a creative director or a client at this phase (depending their experience looking at half-baked visual concepts).

#4. Stylescapes*

Stylescaping is a very powerful way of pitching design ideas to both creatives and non-creatives.

You essentially arrange your moodboard into a landscape of images and designs. You’re not making final assets just yet but you’re narrowing in on tone. It might be 25% custom made and the rest just borrowed from others, OR it could be 100% custom made, just not final assets.

You’re basically selling the story of the campaign and how it will translate across multiple dimensions, touchpoints, layouts etc…

*The stylescape process I’ve 100% borrowed from Chris Do and his team at The Futur.

This is a great time to present to the client and get buy-in from all stakeholders (especially ones at the very top).

#5. Final Deliverables

With the stylescape direction approved we can start making progress on final assets.

Although we haven’t presented any finals just yet the direction should feel very clear and the jump from stylescape to final assets should feel natural.

If we’re building templates this is when I would begin communicating with the teams who will be using the templates and discuss getting on 1-2 training calls (in addition to the recorded tutorial videos they’ll receive).

If we’re building an animated segment this is when I’d begin designing mockup frames and storyboards.