- If you ask a designer why a company changed the logo
or redesigned the website,
many will answer, the old version was ugly.
Now, if you ask a CEO the same question,
he or she will tell you
how the redesign addressed a business issue.
It had nothing to do with aesthetics.
Imagine that you opened a new donut shop,
it does well, but to grow into a larger brand,
you need to hire a designer
to redesign the logo and store design.
The design fees and cost to print all new materials
and build a new store will be over 300,000 dollars.
Chances are pretty good that you're not going to spend
that much money just because the old version was ugly.
You expect to make that money back
and increase business.
A redesign is based on a clients goals.
Your solution will need to address specific issues.
These can vary and include the goal to expand regionally,
increase market share, and attract a different audience,
or the client wants to launch
a subsidiary business or product.
The client may decide to move into another business.
For example, Tesla is expanding beyond
being only an automobile company.
Today, they produce energy storage devices,
solar power systems, and are working
with a range of energy related products.
On the less upbeat side,
a client may need to redesign because the old design
is tied to a scandal or public failure.
Or the world has changed
and what was once a respected industry
is now seen as detrimental, such as an oil company.
Then there is the marking the territory reason.
When a new CEO or marketing director moves in,
suddenly the old, and perfectly fine designs
are not good anymore.
We're then called to redesign the work
and make sure the new solutions
meet the new players goals.
And finally, the need may be based
on logistics and finances.
A new package can reduce costs
and increase profit on a product.
Or simplifying a complex website structure
may make the site more accessible
for client changes and updates.
Even a small evolution such as eliminating company forms
from printed paper to a new digital solution saves money
and resources.
It may not save a forest,
but every grain of rice tips the scale a little more.