STRATEGY IN DESIGN.
Strategic design looks at your business objectively then aligns the design direction using a road map to get you where you want to go. Key elements are: design, research, business vision and budget. The basic idea behind strategy is that every element of design is targeted. The first step is to build a well-researched list of things your design must do – create a hierarchy of objectives. If you don’t have a marketing or strategy plan, consider incorporating one into your business. It provides clarity with what to do as your business grows – providing steps along the way to know what to do, followed by how and when to promote your business.
STRATEGY PLANNING
A strategy plan determines each step along the way for your business, incorporating your the business vision – the polestar from which all decisions align. The brand is the compass from which all design decisions are made, from the typeface to the choice of print media. With this road map, the designer can then enter into the design project with a clear sense of direction and a heightened sense of purpose. The designer engages in an investigative process while expanding on the business vision by listening and asking questions, using intuition and curiosity as the GPS while staying open to unexpected moments of insight along the way.
MARKET RESEARCH
Once the strategy is understood and the objectives and goals clearly defined, the marketing plan seamlessly follows. Research will define the parameters you are working with, enabling you to understand and communicate to your market with the intention of finding innovative solutions to address each need. The final result is to build a cohesive plan to inform, engage, clarify and delight.