The Graphic
Design Process
The Graphic Design Process helps you work faster and come up with better solutions. While there are variations, nearly all graphic designers follow some form of these 5 valuable step:
Communicate
Research
Ideate
Formalize
Present
Notes:
While this process is sequential, be aware that these steps often overlap throughout the creative process (e.g., a designer communicates with the client at nearly every step of to confirm they are heading in the right direction).
While similar to the Design Thinking process, the Graphic Design Process is more specifically focused on the field visual communication.
Communicate
Abraham Lincoln once said:
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
By effectively communicating with a client - before designing anything - a designer can save themselves a ton of time and better assure that the client will approve the work.
This communication can take different forms, but typically involves either a: questionnaire, survey, or interview - sometimes all three. While these inquires can get very specific, the goal is to form a clear picture of the client’s business and their design needs by determining:
Who the client is (their business, audience, etc.).
What exact work is needed. (the specs, scope, etc.).
When they need the work (timeline and final due date).
How the stages of work and compensation will be handled.
This critical project info is compiled into a singular, defining document known as a design brief.
But while the design brief helps guide the rest of the process, communication remains essential at every phases of the Graphic Design Process.
Research
Every client is different.
Some have a clear idea of what they want from the start. Others need to see multiple solutions. Some need a strong explanation and rationale before committing to a solution. And occasionally a focus group helps justify and define the art direction.
But in all cases, research is a hugely beneficial step as it helps:
Clients to hone in on what they really want (fonts, colors, etc)
Designers to come up with better solutions.
To these ends, a common research method is the creation of a moodboard - made by the client and/or the designer.
A practical example: for a logo, this research might include visiting:
Google (industry-related logo search)
Logobook (shape, letter, etc search)
Google Fonts (font search)
and other related sites.
As the client or designer explores related content, whenever a font, color, style, etc. resonates with the client and/or designer, they screen grab it (cmd+opt+4). This might be 20-40 images spanning a wide range of content.
The collective images are then dropped into an app like gomoodboard that provides a visual reference for the client and designer to get on the same page and come up with ideas.
And by the end of the research phase, the designer should have a much clearer idea of what to design - and be ready to sketch and ideate some solutions.
Ideate
Ideating is an art and mini-process unto itself. It is typically made up of 3 steps that are repeated over multiple rounds:
1) Iterating - sketching a wide range of possible solutions (often dozens). These sketches are not polished works of art - just quick references for potential solutions.
2) Selecting - deciding which solution(s) work the best. A designer might eliminate some on their own, but this often involves considerable conversation with the client.
3) Refining - imaging variations based upon the selected solution.
These 3 step are repeated (and solutions are continually refined) until the designer and client are satisfied.
Why ideate in this manner? With each “round” (iterating, selecting and refining), the designer’s imagination is pushed to explore and discover an even better solution in rational way.
As an example, imagine a startup toy company, “Cube Heroes”, looking for a simple logomark (symbol) for their company.
The questionnaire and moodboard reveal they want to use a combination of a rounded rectangle and star - and they identified colors they prefer.
But that’s it. So here iteration comes to the rescue.
Round 1: Ideating shape combo options. Note: for a real project, this might be more than a dozens solutions.
Round 2: With the centralized star options selected (#2), the designer moves to the color options shared in the moodboard.
Round 3: With the light and dark blue colors selected (#1 and #2), the client wants to see a range of “playful” stylistic options that evoke a sense of both “fun” and “hero”. So back to ideating . . .
The client loves the 3D star with extrusion (#4), and the designer is (almost) done.
Hooray.
Formalize
Now that the client has selected a solution they really like, the designer is ready to move from concept to reality. This transition requires an understanding of digital media industry-standards that vary from media to media (and that the Design Dojo covers in the individual project pages).
But each type of media usually requires:
Standardizing - Creating media in the appropriate format.
Clean up - Removing unneeded points, smoothing curves, checking for legibility, retiming, etc.
Present
With industry-standard files ready and looking good, the work is presented to the client.
Sometimes, this final step requires a bit of persuasion. In such cases, before presenting the actual work, the design rationale, related research, and focus group evidence can help convince the client that the “final” design is truly a worth solution.
To help client better imagine the work in multiple settings and use cases, mockups are often used to help showcase the work.
Once approved, the final media is provided in both in part (e.g., a solo logomark) and full format (e.g. a “full lockup” logo) in the range of industry standard file types.
Files are sent.
The client is happy.
The designer gets paid.
There is great rejoicing.