Design Process

1. Design Brief

Thoroughly read through the design brief, pay special attention to keywords, budget, deliverables, project assets and deadline(s).

Keywords will clue you in to project specifications like industry information, form, style, tone, and voice.
Deliverables are the actual items being requested by the client. What they expect upon the completion of the project.
Project assets the components of the project that will belong to the client at the completion of the project.
Deadlines are the date/time that a project is due. A large project might have multiple deadlines.

As you continue through the design process it is important to refer back to the design brief to ensure that the design project is meeting all appropriate guidelines.

Note: If you are developing the Design Brief yourself, this step would come after the first client consultation and Research & Discovery.

2. Research & Discovery

Research & Discover is a crucial step in the design process as it will inform the direction the design will take. You should take time to:

Learn about the client's business, industry, and main competitors.
Dive into the history and culture of the company.
- Do they have a style guide the design is rquired to adhere, or are there particular systems or structures they have in place the design must follow?
- Understand the brand value, vision, and mission.
Discover the target audience and what might resonate with them.
Empathize to understand the problem more deeply.
Gather reference material keeping track of all sources with a bibliography.

Completing proper research will allow you to more effectively communicate your ideas to your client.

3. Brainstorm & Conceptualize

Conceptualize possible design solutions that will fill the design brief appropriately.
Consider:

What concept will visually support your direction.
Which design style will best showcase the project goal to all invovled.
What are you trying to communicate both visually and in writing?
Who is your target audience? How do you want them to feel when viewing your work? What should they take away?
How will this project be output? Print or on a screen?
- Print: What materials will you be using? Talk to a printing bureau early on in the project, understand the possibilities, and cost.
- Digital: What type of screen will it be viewed? Will it be animated? Or requre user interaction?

Preliminaries/Design Drafts

Start by jotting down all your design ideas through writing and the creation of thumbnail sketches. Thumbnail sketches are little drawings completed quickly in rapid succession; each one should take between twenty seconds to one minute.
From there determine which are the best concepts to forward with and complete rough sketches. Develop these enough to be able to determine if the direction is fulfills the design brief.
Start experimenting with color.

4. Develop Design

After completing your the first three steps, it is time to build your concepts by developing the design.

Generate comprehensive drawing(s). A comprehensive drawing is a detailed drawing that more completely showcases how the final design will look and feel.

Some design considerations:

Compose your design using sound design priciples. Always consider the Principles of Design and Elements of Art and how they support the design brief and your concepts.
Choose appropriate colors and type.
Technique and craftsmandship matter.
Use the correct tool(s) to solve the design problem.

5. Feedback & Evolve Design

Seek out feedback at every stage of the design process. Feedback from friends, family, peers, and colleague.
After developing the design present your project to the client. Listen to their feedback, consider their point-of-view and perspective on your concepts and design. Reflect on and analyze the feedback received and make decisions on how to improve the design.
Evolve your design.

6. Deliver DESIGN

Complete and deliver the final design. Be sure to include all appropriate documentation and assets as outlined in the contract/design brief.