Design Matters

The Designers Mantra. "Quality. Speed. Low cost - pick any two". The Myth.

When choosing an expert for your latest creative project you may well come up against the designers often quoted 'mantra' - "Quality. Speed. Low cost - pick any two!".

You may expect quality, speed, and low cost, but however re-arranged the third option will more than likely be shaped by the other two choices. 

Quality + Speed = Expensive.

You need a superbly designed 12pp brochure promoting the latest Jamaican cooking trends on your desk in the morning for a brain bashing board meeting, pressures on.  It needs to be a finished concept, correct text in place, images and layout seamlessly fitting in with your marketing strategy.  If the board approves, it needs to be with the printer by the afternoon for a 25,000 print run.  The Design team use several designers working overnight to meet the deadline.  You'd expect costs to rocket.

Quality + Low cost = Slow.

The same superbly designed 12pp cooking collateral that's expecting to propel your company up to the next level needs to be created to a strict low-budget.  The Board needs to allocate most of the budget to a Jamaican themed corporate hospitality event called 'Rice & beans live!').  The Design team still give the project the same attention to detail and meet the budget requirements, but less creatives working on the project means slower development, overtime costs are cut and the time it takes to complete is extended.

Speed + Low Cost = Low Quality.

This 12pp brochure is really going through the mill.  Board wants it fast! and they don't want to pay much (Chairman needs a bonus this month).  The single designer works as fast as he/she can, less development time, corners are cut, ideas and concepts shelved for being too time consuming or costly, as a result the quality suffers, it looks ok, functional, but not hard hitting.  You truly get what you pay for, this is the least favourable choice.

The problem with this designers mantra is that whatever the client says, they actually do want 'quality'.  They may say that they need it fast and cheap, but when the project is delivered they expect the quality.   

As a rule beware, "Quality. Speed. Low cost - pick any two!" - don't fight against it. The laws of designology rarely allow you to beat it.  Setting concrete goals at the start of a project and measuring throughout development will serve both the client and yourself more than promising them the world at the beginning: quality, speed and low cost.

Interestingly, this designers mantra can be inserted into many other areas of business, although strangely not true of cuisine - i.e. Rice & Beans = Healthy, Fast & Cheap.

In our experience we find "Quality. Speed. Low cost - pick any two!" should not begin the design process as it ignores the larger question: what is the purpose of the design project? What is going to work for our client?  Putting cost or quality issues before questions of purpose is putting the cart before the horse. With this philosophy driving us coupled with our design experience, knowledge of the client and their needs we actually often succeed relegating the Mantra to a Myth.  

We use the three goals as a positive driving force to aim for, often hitting all three targets: quality, speed and cost, almost as a by-product.  Then we hopefully add to the mix an overlaying experiential layer in terms of  "Loyalty, Honesty and Trust". 

Using this blueprint, hopefully our clients find the perfect solution and receive the quality, speed and cost they (actually) expect.  

Now where's that Rice & Beans?  all this blogging has made me hungry.

Responsive web design

New website - Elizabeth McRae

Just completed a new web project for the Elizabeth McRae foundation. Take a look, it's quite an eye opener!

http://www.elizabethmcrae.org

Good impression

Picture this. You meet someone new. "What do you do?" she asks.

"I'm an architect," you say.

"Oh, really?" she answers. "Have you designed any buildings I've seen?"

"Possibly," you reply. "We did the new student centre at the university..."

"Oh wow," she says. "That's a beautiful building..."

Without trying -- without blowing your own horn -- you've made a great impression.

Now picture this. You meet someone new. "What do you do?" he asks.

"I'm a passionate, innovative, dynamic provider of architectural services with a collaborative approach to creating and delivering outstanding world-class client and user experiences."

All righty then.

Do you describe yourself differently – on your website, promotional materials, or especially on social media – than you do in person? Do you use cheesy clichés and overblown superlatives and breathless adjectives?

Do you write things about yourself you would never have the nerve to actually say?

Here are some words that are great when other people use them to describe you – but you should never use to describe yourself:

1. "Innovative." Most companies claim to be innovative. Most people claim to be innovative. Most are, however, not. (I'm definitely not.) That's okay, because innovation isn't a requirement for success.

If you are innovative, don't say it. Prove it. Describe the products you've developed. Describe the processes you've modified.

Give us something real so your innovation is unspoken but evident... which is always the best kind of innovative to be.

2. "World-class." Usain Bolt: world-class sprinter, Olympic medals to prove it. Lionel Messi: world-class soccer (I know, football) player, four Ballon d'Or trophies to prove it.

But what is a world-class professional or company? Who defines world-class? In your case, probably just you.

3. "Authority." Like Margaret Thatcher said, "Power is like being a lady; if you have to say you are, you aren't." Show your expertise instead.

"Presented at TEDxEast " or "Predicted 50 out of 50 states in 2012 election" (Hi Nate!) indicates a level of authority. Unless you can prove it, "social media marketing authority" might simply mean you spend way too much time worrying about your Klout score.

4. "Results oriented." Really? Some people actually focus on doing what they are paid to do? We had no idea.

5. "Global provider." The majority of businesses can sell goods or services worldwide; the ones that can't are fairly obvious.

Only use "global provider" if that capability is not assumed or obvious; otherwise you just sound like a small company trying to appear big.

6. "Motivated." Check out Chris Rock's response (not safe for work or the politically correct!) to people who say they take care of their kids. Then substitute words like "motivated."

Never take credit for things you are supposed to do – or supposed to be.

7. "Creative." See particular words often enough and they no longer make an impact. "Creative" is one of them. (Use finding "creative" references in random LinkedIn profiles as a drinking game and everyone will lose -- or win, depending on your perspective.)

"Creative" is just one example. Others include extensive, effective, proven, influential, team player... some of those terms may truly describe you, but since they are also being used to describe everyone they've lost their impact.

8. "Dynamic." If you are "vigorously active and forceful," um, stay away.

9. "Guru." People who try to be clever for the sake of being clever are anything but. (Like in #8.) Don't be a self-proclaimed ninja, sage, connoisseur, guerilla, wonk, egghead... it's awesome when your customers affectionately describe you that way.

Refer to yourself that way and it's obvious you're trying way too hard to impress other people – or yourself.

10. "Curator." Museums have curators. Libraries have curators. Tweeting links to stuff you find interesting doesn't make you a curator... or an authority or a guru.

11. "Passionate." I know many people disagree, but if you say you're incredibly passionate about, oh, incorporating elegant design aesthetics into everyday objects, to me you sound over the top.

The same is true if you're passionate about developing long-term customer solutions. Try the words focus, concentration, or specialisation instead.

Or try "love," as in, "I love incorporating an elegant design aesthetic in everyday objects." For whatever reason, that works for me. Passion doesn't. (But maybe that's just me.)

12. "Unique." Fingerprints are unique. Snowflakes are unique. You are unique – but your business probably isn't. That’s fine, because customers don't care about unique; they care about "better."

Show you're better than the competition and in the minds of your customers you will be unique.

13. "Incredibly..." Check out some random bios and you'll find plenty of further-modified descriptors: "Incredibly passionate," "profoundly insightful," "extremely captivating..." isn't it enough to be insightful or captivating? Do you have to be profoundly insightful?

If you must use over-the-top adjectives, spare us the further modification. Trust that we already get it.

14. "Serial entrepreneur." A few people start multiple, successful, long-term businesses. They are successful serial entrepreneurs.

The rest of us start one business that fails or does okay, try something else, try something else, and keep on rinsing and repeating until we find a formula that works. Those people are entrepreneurs. Be proud if you're "just" an entrepreneur. You should be.

15. "Strategist." I sometimes help manufacturing plants improve productivity and quality. There are strategies I use to identify areas for improvement but I'm in no way a strategist. Strategists look at the present, envision something new, and develop approaches to make their vision a reality.

I don't create something new; I apply my experience and a few proven methodologies to make improvements.

Very few people are strategists. Most "strategists" are actually coaches, specialists, or consultants who use what they know to help others. 99% of the time that's what customers need – they don't need or even want a strategist.

16. "Collaborative." You won't just decide what's right for me and force me to buy it?

If your process is designed to take my input and feedback, tell me how that works. Describe the process. Don't claim we'll work together -- describe how we'll work together.

The above is a list that I found on the internet ages ago.  I don’t know who wrote it originally and I apologise for not crediting them.  It’s clearly subjective and definitely open to criticism.  But I’m sure you get the point.  We’re definitely going to check over our website to see what we can find!

More importantly, what do you think? What would you add or remove from the list?

Logo Design project, what do you think?

Here are a selection of 5 logo concepts we recently presented to a music management company.

The brief required that the identity be easily recognisable and stand out in an already crowded field. The concepts should reflect nurturing and growth and be modern, professional and follow their already existing brand colours. Take a look and let us know which concepts works for you?



OPTION A: Strong typographical logotype using an extended "T-Tree" to show reaching out, exploration, nurturing and growth.



OPTION B: Alternative adaptation of option A using different colour emphasis.



OPTION C: More detailed iconic design reflecting "forest of talent".



OPTION D: This icon uses a style called "long shadow" (this is trending in the graphic design world...watch out, you will see this style everywhere soon).



OPTION E: Variation of option D replacing the "hand" with the "T" of Touchwood.



Would love to hear your thoughts and comments.

WHAT MAKES GOOD DESIGN?

What makes a good graphic designer, and how can you be sure of getting good graphic design? The graphic design market can be confusing. At first sight, inexpensive graphic design looks readily obtainable, because there are a lot of good people out there eager to get some references. But for the customer, getting the right graphic designer is not easy. In fact it's a problem. Because what is the right graphic designer?

Just because someone can work with Photoshop from their bedroom, has a graphic design qualification, or at the other end, a lush reception area with a lush receptionist and has a black and white website profile picture of themselves, artily shot, looking into the distance in deep contemplation, does not necessarily mean they are a good designer. An able designer needs far more qualities than just a good eye for colour, form and detail. Design is an entity.

Good graphic design tells a visual story. Good graphic design employs succinct psychological tools, such as reactions to and associations with forms and colours. But above all, good graphic design is a visual expression that functions in optimised interaction with communication and strategy. This makes heavy demands on the designer's ability to integrate design into the whole. It also calls for considerable insight into the customer's firm, the purpose of the message and the underlying strategic thinking. Because like communication, design must reflect the customer's profile, appeal to the customer's buyers/partners, and also distance the customer from his competitors.

A good designer must therefore be able to be creative within the framework laid down by the customer. Bubbling creativity is of no use without a sense of context and economic realism. A designer must be capable of focused working within financial and time limitations. This is the challenge, and it is one of the areas a good designer gets paid to master.

It should be clearly understood that a professional graphic designer does not necessarily have his own style. This is because the designer's job is to supply a message that has to fit the company's view of itself, the company's strategy, and the company's desired market position. Another reason is that the design must appeal to the values of the users. Good design must be design that works: design that helps generate revenue and optimise the understanding of the message. Such design can only result from thorough preparation, an analytical appreciation of the company's message and market, and naturally a creative mind.

Visit www.fletcherwarddesign.co.uk for examples of designs we've produced tailored to our client's needs and message.