What is design? How do you define it?
My colleague Michelle Schulp of MarkTime Media explored those questions at WordCamp Orlando. She defined design as a problem-solving strategy, and not just making things pretty with colors, fonts and imagery.
I met Michelle last year when she attended WordCamp Detroit. Last weekend was my first time to hear Michelle speak, and she gave a terrific presentation on how design is a deliberate decision, follows a process, and that it doesn’t have to be pretty to solve a problem.
Check out her slides, my key takeaways, and the backchannel conversation during her presentation.
Key Takeaways
- What is design?
- Design both inspires and transforms an idea into a blueprint for something that adds value.
- Design has nothing to do with you at all. Not about design awards, or how you feel. It’s not for you or your client. Its about your client’s customers.
- With web design, you have:
- Aesthetics: illustration, photography, art, branding
- Usability: user experience, marketing, psychology, accessibility
- Structure: content strategy, development
- Separate feelings from goals. “The logo is ugly.”
- Goals are achievable–something you can do. Examples: We need to update our brand to reflect our new company values. We need to offer the online services our clients expect from our business.
- Design is a process; it’s a blueprint. Works like the scientific method, which includes: research, hypothesis experiment, analyze, report.
- In design, the process includes: research (content & research), strategy (design strategy), implement (development), evaluate (testing and analytics), adjust
- Print design is like a symphony. Played the same every time. It has structure. Web design is like jazz. Lots of improvisation.
- Tools to use in your designs
- Grayscreen prototype: live wireframe, built with HTML, creates the hierarchy
- Style tiles: separate visual from structure
- Style guide (Zurb colors)
- Whitescreen prototype
- Check out Michelle’s page of great design resources (which she continually updates)
- See the big picture and the details
- Always ask why
- Focus on solving the problem
- Be agile: communicate, collaborate, and iterate
Backchannel Conversation
I am not @thepixelista but I am talking at 4pm in the Bonus track about the design process instead 🙂 #wcorl
— Michelle Schulp 💯🦄 (@marktimemedia) November 17, 2013
Stop making things pretty and start designing. ~@marktimemedia #wcorl pic.twitter.com/EJNX9YFoyi
— Deborah Edwards-Onoro (@redcrew) November 17, 2013
“Design both INSPIRES and TRANSFORMS an idea into a BLUEPRINT for something that ADDS VALUE” @marktimemedia #wcorl
— Veronica Fuentes (@veronicafuentes) November 17, 2013
All your design decisions need to be deliberate. What are the most important elements on your site? #wcorl
— Deborah Edwards-Onoro (@redcrew) November 17, 2013
Go visit http://t.co/I2d55CnQ9u. On mobile. And desktop (look at the source). Argh. #wcorl
— Deborah Edwards-Onoro (@redcrew) November 17, 2013
Design is problem solving – Design is not for you or your client, is for your Client’s clients #design #wcorl @marktimemedia
— Veronica Fuentes (@veronicafuentes) November 17, 2013
Print design is like a symphony.
Web design is like jazz. Lots of improv. ~@marktimemedia #wcorl— Deborah Edwards-Onoro (@redcrew) November 17, 2013
Check out the resources and goodies Schulp mentioned during her presentation.
