Confident Design Every Time
•Download as PPTX, PDF•
0 likes•241 views
"Design" is a term that is thrown around in a variety of contexts. It can mean different things to different people, and it can be daunting knowing where to start designing at times. How can you be sure your design is going in the right direction? What are the design aspects we should be attending to when measuring a project's success? How can we be confident that our design solution meets the needs of both our client and their target audience? Get a quick glimpse into the answers to these questions in this lightning talk. * This was a lightning talk given at Refresh Detroit, June 15, 2016.
Recommended
More Related Content
Viewers also liked
Viewers also liked (13)
Similar to Confident Design Every Time
Similar to Confident Design Every Time (20)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Confident Design Every Time
- 1. CONFIDENT DESIGN EVERY TIME Maria Gosur Creative Thinker • Designer • Coder • Educator • Entrepreneur www.icancreatethat.com @mariagosur
- 2. 1. an outline, sketch, or plan, as of the form and structure of a work of art, an edifice, or a machine to be executed or constructed. 2. organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art; composition. 3. the combination of details or features of a picture, building, etc.; the pattern or motif of artistic work: 4. intention; purpose; @mariagosur DESIGN: www.dictionary.com
- 3. @mariagosur DESIGN IS EVERYWHERE Home Entertainment System Design
- 5. @mariagosur DESIGN IS EVERYWHERE Running Shoe Design
- 6. 2 TYPES OF DESIGNERS @mariagosur LEVEL 1 Quick and dirty decisions Make it “pretty” On to the next project...
- 7. 2 TYPES OF DESIGNERS @mariagosur LEVEL 2 LEVEL 1 Quick and dirty decisions Make it “pretty” On to the next project... Purposeful decisions Solve problems Get this project right
- 8. A GOOD DESIGNER PUTS FOCUS ON SOLVING PROBLEMS. @mariagosur
- 9. @mariagosur BRAND CONTENT - VISUAL - TECHNOLOGY USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH
- 10. @mariagosur Listening Understanding Discovery Data BRAND CONTENT - VISUAL - TECHNOLOGY USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH
- 11. @mariagosur BRAND CONTENT - VISUAL - TECHNOLOGY USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH Information Architecture Design Principles Best Platforms/Code
- 12. @mariagosur BRAND CONTENT - VISUAL - TECHNOLOGY USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH Understandable Easy to use Enjoyable to use Accessible
- 13. @mariagosur BRAND CONTENT - VISUAL - TECHNOLOGY USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH Memorable Timeless Sustainable Correct Messaging and CTA
- 14. @mariagosur DESIGN IS ONGOING UX & BRAND CONTENT VISUAL TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
- 16. @mariagosur DESIGN: www.dictionary.com 1. an outline, sketch, or plan, as of the form and structure of a work of art, an edifice, or a machine to be executed or constructed. 2. organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art; composition. 3. the combination of details or features of a picture, building, etc.; the pattern or motif of artistic work: 4. intention; purpose;
- 17. CONFIDENT DESIGN EVERY TIME Maria Gosur Creative Thinker • Designer • Coder • Educator • Entrepreneur www.icancreatethat.com @mariagosur
Editor's Notes
- When you are presenting your design to a client or your team, how do you know if your design is going in the right direction? That’s what this presentation is about--how to be confident with your design decisions and presentation.
- I hate to start off so cliché, but I find the definitions of “design” absolutely fascinating. Keep in mind that “design” is such a broad term. Design is done in every career industry, not just web design. When I looked up the term “design” in the dictionary, there were 14 different definitions! I’ll spare you the details and refrain from reading them verbatim; but I want to highlight some key words in a few definitions that perfectly sum up not just design --but good design. One: a good design is an “outline, sketch, or plan”. Amen! All designs should start with an outline, plan, and sketches on paper. Two: a good design has “organization and structure of formal elements”. Absolutely. Organization is important for communication, and the structure of design elements play a valuable role in a design’s composition. Three: a good design is “the combination of details or features”. The devil is in the details, yes! It’s going to be those fine details that create a memorable impact in a design. I’m not as keen about the “features” word in this definition. Having more features doesn’t always make a design better, and we often have to educate our clients this who tend to be on the “feature happy” side of thinking. “I want this feature and this feature and yes this feature too!”--that’s not always a good idea. So good design has smart, strategic features. Lastly, four: a good design has “intention and purpose”. By far the best definition ever. A good design means absolutely nothing unless it is designed with intention and has purposeful goals. The phrases and words in these definitions are great--so great that that’s enough said. I can be done with this talk if you know these things!--but I’ll continue because I can share and elaborate more.
- It’s important to know that “design” is used in every field out there. It’s not just a “web” or “graphic” design thing. Design is everywhere. So let’s look at some contexts where design plays a role in other ways. So you go to Costco or Best Buy to purchase a television set. As you view the tv wall, you’re making comparisons. You’re thinking “that tv has a good picture, that has a poor quality picture display; that tv is cheap, that is expensive; that tv has great audio quality, that sounds terrible”. We compare and make judgements on design all the time without even realizing it! This is why design is important.
- Let’s look at another example in the world of architecture design. The building on the left is strong, stable, and looks like it will sustain in its structure for many years to come. This is largely true in our country because we have strict building codes to follow in order to keep us safe. The building on the right is located in a country where there are no building standards or codes. In this case, this apartment building completely fell on its side! We can easily tell the difference between good design and bad design here. That planning and structure part play a role here as mentioned in that first definition I shared earlier.
- Let’s look at one more, shoe design. We all know that Nike has it down pretty well that they can make a solid running shoe. However, you will not find me running a marathon wearing Crocs on the right! Why?--Because they are not designed to be running shoes. So if I were a shoe designer, you would not find me saying “I know the general shape of a human foot; so I’m going to make that template, plaster some pretty fabric on it and boom done I’ve designed a successful shoe!” --No, no, no. Design just doesn’t work that way. It’s not a one-shoe-fits-all kind of deal, just like it’s not a one design-fits-all-thing too.
- There are two types of designers. The Level 1 designer is all about designing a website super quick and finishing it in a weekend. They make quick and dirty decisions and work quickly simply to move on to the next project on their plate.
- The Level 2 designer blows a Level 1 designer out of the water when it comes to quality! They take their time and do things right. They make purposeful decisions to solve problems.
- Key point: A good designer puts focus on solving problems. A good design solves problems. This statement is totally tweetable right here. The only problem a Level 1 designer is going to try to solve is how to finish their project so quick that they get their cheap pay and move on to the next project they’re chasing. A Level 2 designer is going to solve real problems that relate to the research they’ve conducted with their actual users.
- So how do we become a Level 2 designer? Honestly, it’s quite common sense and well known in the field, but it needs to be taken seriously.
- To start off, a good designer always does their homework. Do not skip the research step, which is the very foundation where design takes root. A good designer listens to the goals of their client and the needs of their users. There is understanding about what the problem is needing to be solved. They do their homework and perform research in the discovery phase of a project. Most of all, they gather the data they need to make smart design decisions.
- Next, I want to look at the combination of three things: content, visual, and technology. In order to have a good design, you need good content. You need valuable content worth sharing and have it be organized in a navigable way with information architecture. Next you need a good visual design, a user interface. To do well here, simply follow the basic design principles. If you don’t know what the foundational design principles are, please look these up. I’d love to talk about them all, but I only have 10 minutes! Lastly, you need to be smart with your technology. Not every website is a WordPress or Drupal content management system just like not every website constitutes it is using PHP code over .NET, etc. You need to choose platforms and computer languages based on the needs of the project.
- I’m highlighting the last two steps in red simply because they are harder goals to reach. We want to ensure our design provides a good user experience. It is understandable and easy to use. It’s enjoyable to use--not in a sense that it has to be fun and entertaining but in a sense that your website is not a frustration to use. Lastly, your design should be accessible.
- Brand is a large topic. If the client you’re working with doesn’t have a brand established, you need to start there. Don’t work on a website if there is no brand in place or plan to grow one. You’re simply designing with the changing winds in that scenario. If there is a brand, ensure it is memorable in a positive way. A good brand is timeless and sustainable for years to come. When it comes to your design, ensure it has the correct brand messaging and calls-to-action that guide a user what to do to best solve their problems.
- All of these design pieces work with each other link the gears of a machine. If you miss one of these components, you no longer have a well-oiled machine running; and your design will not be of the best quality. It takes hard work, but it’s imperative these steps be taken to create a successful design.
- If you do these steps, you have intention and purpose. So when your client or team members asks “why did you do this? Why did you do this and this and this?”, you have a confident answer backed by the research. You can say “because of this and this and this.” Exhaust all the “why’s” away with answers and solutions.
- So I want to go back to the design definitions I started with and recap. A good design starts with an outline and plan. It is well organized with the correct structure of design elements. It has the fine details to stand out and use only the appropriate features that are actually needed. Lastly, a good design has intention and purpose. And that is how you can be confident with your design every time.