All designers have a workflow. It’s essential to get the job done successfully.
However, this workflow changes from one designer to another because every kind of person has one way to work. There are some general guidelines, but finally, we adapt these guidelines to “our” system.
Here I will explain my workflow when I’m designing a corporate identity. I hope that this will be useful to you to understand a little more about my work and my value as a professional.
I like to work with you rather than working for you. Because I consider that you, with your expertise in your field and clients,and your knowledge about business; and me with my expertise on design and corporate communication make a good team. And we can get a better identity if we work together than working on my own as some freelance graphic designers make.
Stages:
1- Briefing
Here I will ask you some questions about your company and your goal with this new identity. Generally, I need to know about your company’s history, who is your target, why do you need a re-design (if it’s the case), your competitors, the value that you provide and which style you like more. These questions vary a little bit depending on the project, if it’s a re-design or a new identity, or if you only need to design a corporate manual or a corporate presentation for example.
2- Research
I conduct a research about your company’s field, your target, competitors, and trends. This is very useful to me because with the result of this research I know which style is better for your brand, the colour scheme, style of typography, how to reach your target. To sum up is the basis of the project.
3- Mood board
The mood board is a document that has all kind of textures, colours, photographies, objects, that defines the look & feel of your new brand. Depending on your involvement’s degree on the project and your knowledge about mood boards, I will make the mood board with you or I will make it on my own and then I will present it to you. In any case, I will present you the mood board so you could give your opinion about it and we can finish it together.
4- First sketches
In this stage I start to design sketches, all kind of ideas and concepts… On paper. Yes, even in 2016 designers still use pencil and paper on our projects. When I have a considerable number of different ideas that fit with your company and your goals I prepare three different designs so you could choose between them.
I like to present three different ideas because you can see different concepts and ways to meet your goals and you have the final choice. Three is the perfect number because it’s impair and enough. If I would give you four or more options you would be overwhelmed and it would be very difficult for you to choose the correct one.
5- Round of reviews
You will tell me your opinion on the three proposals. Which one of them you prefer and the changes that you would like to see to be perfect.
6- Changes
We will discuss the changes together and I will make the changes so you could see the result.
7- Approval
Finally, you will approve one design so your identity will be made and finish!
8- Corporate Manual
I always deliver a corporate manual. Even with the most basic projects, when you want only a logo. I consider it essential to any brand.
The basic corporate manual consists of:
Symbol construction
Logo construction
Colour scheme
Corporate typography
The identity on black and white
The identity on corporate colours background
Incorrect uses of the corporate identity
The identity on colour and photography background
Depending on the project you will have a corporate manual with these chapters or an extensive one.
9- Preparation of deliverables
With a corporate identity I always give these deliverables:
Original and editable file: it’s the illustrator file. The master
The corporate identity on different files: JPG, PNG, SVG, PDF
The symbol on different files: JPG, PNG, SVG, PDF
The corporate identity prepares to publish on social media profiles: I give files with the perfect measures to be published on the header and photo profile of Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin. If your company use another social media I add it to this.
Corporate Manual: I give the Indesign file because you will need to add new applications as your company grows and a pdf.
10- Follow-up
A few days later I will give you a small questionnaire about my work. I will ask you how you felt working with me, what would you change about my working process, etc. This is very useful to me to detect some mistakes and correct them for the next project. So I really appreciate your answers and your honesty.
What’s your opinion on my workflow? Have you ever worked with a freelancer graphic designer with a different workflow? Let me know in the comments!