Whilst any design process is the same to certain degree, everyone including myself has their own way of doing things. This project will help me clarify and explore different ways in which I can expand my own conceptual knowledge of the design process in the form of a leaflet.
Developing your own creative process is vital in the graphic design industry, it forms the basic outline on which you execute any given brief, whether that would be branding, web based or even editorial. But, before you can enjoy the freedom of developing your own creative process, you must understand the basics in which a final outcome can be produced so you are not relying on 'happy accidents' or sudden impulses and uninformed decisions.
The (very) basic form of the 'design process':
Research
Plan
Execute
The above looks easy enough. But it's the bits in-between that matter, for example the organisation of your journey is vital.
This is something I fall in a bit of a pitfall with; I have in the past used something called a burndown chart, whilst this was to ensure I keep to a steady flow of work, it also helped me prioritise all aspects of the project through the use of post-it notes that guides me trough the process in the form of the basic points outlined above in colour.
I have yet to find a process I am happy with, and that actually works. Once one is successful, you stick to it.
An example of a thorough process:
Research:
Identify what the brief is asking of you. Gather all of the information you have so far, e.g. meetings with the client. Highlight key words such as adjectives that the brief is asking you, for example, modern, simple or sophisticated. This will help you get an idea of the 'vibe' the client is after.
Ask questions. What are you going to be communicating. Expand on the previous points, give them more detail in your own language that you can decipher and don't stop until you are satisfied/confident that you fully understand what it is you're going to be designing.
The research phase can take as long as you need it to. It could be one day or one month, it's all relative to how well you understand the brief and how confident you are that you're outcome is going to be successful.
Planning:
Translate the above information into basic visuals. Using the elements basic shapes and then from this you can then work through permutations of the arrangements of those shapes.
Begin to experiment with layout. Look into wha typography and/or imagery will be most appropriate.
Work towards refining what you will be developing for your final outcome by sketching more detailed drawings of what your research/early planning has led you to. Gather feedback from multiple sources and consider what you want to keep and get rid of.
Execute:
Pixelate your drawings. Get onto a computer and develop your drawings in a digital format. This may include mock-ups and rough vectors of the final outcome.
Experimenting with colour is a must. It needs to comply with certain standards within industry. Is it for web or print (RGB or CMYK)? Must is be executable through CSS or can it be in raster form?
Finalise your digital outcomes and gather feedback for the last time, this is normally in the form of a pitch to the client.
Now is the time to ensure the final outcome is to the best possible standard that is appropriate for the medium. Finally, evaluate your journey as a whole and get paid $$$.
Task:
For the task today, we were split into groups and set the activity of documenting what 'we' as a group of creatives thought the design process was.
We chose the path of questioning. This meant everything you do has a reason. Whilst outlining the basic thought process of the above (Research, Plan, Execute.) we were able to create a 'cycle' of tasks that would be gone through when you are designing.
This was then pitched to the group and we received feedback on the task. This was mostly positive, and the 'Why' was highlighted as being a great way of informing every decision you make.
No comments :
Post a Comment