Hey BrandCraft, what's your design process?

25.02.22

I am glad you asked! Because of the different kinds of projects we work on, our design process differs quite a bit. However, we can reduce our process into 4 phases:

—Discovery & Strategy
—Ideation
—Dialogue & Development
—Delivery

Discover

Understanding scope and building out the design brief is a process that sets the context, defines the philosophical space and structure of creativity. The first phase sets our a framework for the project, be it a branding exercise, campaign or narrative development project, we undergo a slightly different approach, based around the two pillars of discovery and strategy.

Goals - We get to know what success looks like to you. The first part of any project we must understand our clients goals, limitations, and dive into our clients world.

Pain points - We dive deep with you to understand your problems, current pain-points, why you reached out to us to fully understand the problem you’re trying to solve with this project.

Delivery - The discovery session usually takes the form of 1-2 video or in-person calls.

Strategy

A strategic phase is not always required. Specifically important for building brand identity, story and narrative. Depth of this phase depends on scope of work.

Vision & mission
Brand DNA
Values
Audience
Personality
Competitors

Delivery - Online or in-person workshops

Ideation

“Practice safe design… use a concept.”
—Petrula Vrontikis

“Creativity belongs to the artist in each of us. To create means to relate. The root meaning of the word art is ‘to fit together’ and we all do this every day.”
—Corita Kent

The creative process begins, responding to the discovery and strategy.

Our internal creative process works around the ideas of play and critique.

Play - There is no wrong answer, the more we play, explore and drive ourselves to the extremes of the project scope and strategy.

Critique - We are critical in our nature as designers. On one hand, we free ourselves to explore, on the other we rigorously pull ideas and concepts apart. We are not attached to our egos.

Distill - We distill our ideas, and develop 3-5 ideas into fleshed out concepts. We will make these ideas as compelling as possible, using renders, mockups and relevant, contextual visualisations to help you understand the full ideas.

Presentation - The first project presentation opens dialogue with our client. It is the first show and tell. The first time our clients will see possibilities for their brand or campaign. We open up, show our approach, thinking, and why we are presenting these particular concepts. Designers love this part. We love to feel the room and see our clients' excitement.

Delivery - Concept presentation

Dialogue

Dialogue and discourse aid the design process in a number of ways. Our work must eventually be owned by our client. They must relate. Our client can feel ownership of the work from an early stage.

Dialogue - An open dialogue with our clients is a fundamental part of our design process. We run through three rounds of critique and concept evolution.

System design - Once the design articles, brand or campaign are finalised we place those assets at the center of a larger system and design everything within it's immediate being.

Brand/ system guidelines - Commonly through a brand guidelines, or campaign guidelines, this document covers the complete usage guides, construction points and manifesto for being. The document is designed to be used by persons inside and outside of the organization, from printers, to artworkers, designers, illustrators, photographers, marketers and other staff members. The brand guidelines should allow anyone to create an on-brand brand touchpoint.

Delivery

Finalised creative - The finalised artwork is delivered.

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About the author, Adam

Adam is the design director of BrandCraft. BrandCraft is a branding and design consultancy based in Hong Kong. We specialise in branding, visual identity, corporate identity and rebranding.

Adam is a branding consultant and has worked with clients in the UK, USA, Hong Kong, Tokyo, South Korea and China. He has had self-initiated art and design projects exhibited at various galleries and museums including the Victoria & Albert Museum of Art and Design and regularly writes about branding and design theory.