This classic recipe is one of my favorites and a bonafide crowd pleaser for any day of the work week. It’s great for inhouse or agency design teams or other creative teams that just appreciate a hearty and thorough design process. Ingredients may vary depending on the project, but this recipe serves as a great base to work from.
1. Prepare the design brief, conduct a kickoff meeting, define the problem, and understand the story to be communicated.
2. Stir in a bit of research and thought provoking questions to better understand the audience. Make sure to challenge assumptions.
3. Mix together inspiration and ideas while brainstorming. Use conceptual thinking to draw connections from other sources and reveal any underlying patterns.
4. Combine the unexpected. Ideate, and explore with sketches.
5. Fold in the story, being sure to use hierarchy, composition, color, layers, texture, pattern, and scale.
6. Pour carefully onto a grid, leaving plenty of white space for breathing room.
7. Set the design ideas to refine, analyze, and see what works best. Collaborate with other creatives to diversify and generate new ideas. Develop mockups and prototypes to share with colleagues and clients.
8. Test the design with several rounds of edits and plenty of open communication. Review and collaborate with the client to bring them into the creative process. Gather feedback from desired users and audiences if necessary.
9. Bake Implement, print, animate, fabricate, install, create, and deliver!
11. Cool Debrief with the team and reflect on the process, lessons learned, areas for improvement, and what worked well. Be sure to celebrate success!
12. Enjoy The final design should exceed the client’s expectations; meet goals and deadlines; come in at, or under budget; and inspire and engage with the intended audience.
Eliana’s Recipe for Success
serves 1 happy client
1 Design Brief
1 Kickoff Meeting
1 great story
A bit of research
An ounce of inspiration
Unlimited ideas
2 handfuls of sketches
Mockups and prototypes as needed
3 rounds of edits (adjust accordingly)
A dash of humor
A pinch of surprise