craig rozynski
craigrozynski
JOINED 16.08.10
POSTS 2
Impeccable References
Posted 16.08.2010 @ 3.16PM
Looking forward to your 'Bev and the Beanbag' post Clinton.
After reading this I think it's worth distinguishing ideas from tone-of-voice.
An idea is a finished thought, visualised as a short sentence or a sketch. Tone-of-voice (aka Discovery) is when all the mood boards and hard drives and internets happen. Defining the ideas tone-of-voice is influenced by the idea, the brand, and the context. Will this idea/product/message be most effective if it's shouted or whispered, and how do I visualise that? Tone-of-voice is followed by execution but that requires no explanation here.
I think design studios undervalue the separation of idea creation and discovery as two separate processes. While good design studios do produce conceptually-strong work, the emphasis is still on visual execution – that's why it's a design studio and not an advertising agency. If we can agree that a great design studio is one that delivers great ideas along with great design, two things that can be done to achieve this are: 1) Get your designers thinking like copywriters and art directors (give them Whipple, send them to AWARD school); 2) Structure a project's timeline so it distinguishes the different processes of idea creation, discovery and execution.
btw ppl if you think you're working in or know a design studio that is using agency creative process please share.
craigrozynski
JOINED 16.08.10
POSTS 2
UX Design
Posted 30.08.2010 @ 7.58PM
Jo in my experience (as a graphic designer) the quality of work produced with UX and IA people on the team is always far better.
I've worked at studios where the project managers do the IA (fail); studios where the designers are expected to do the IA (can't afford to hire UX people or are deluded); and one studio where there were more UX/IA's than graphic designers.
I am yet to meet a graphic designer that can do what a good UX person does and vice versa.
If you're lucky enough to have UX and IA people on your team who you can trust to hand you a brilliant interaction spec you will produce the best work of your life.
In fact I would recommend to any designer to work for at least a year in a UX-heavy studio early on in their career.
One last thing: Designer's intuition doesn't fly when you're presenting work to multiple stakeholders on a big project with a lot of money at stake. If you can back up your work with the logic that good UX/IA gives you, you'll only have to argue with the illogical, irrational stakeholders ; )