- I've done my research.
I spoke with the head of the company and many employees.
I emailed some current customers
who let me know what their perception of the client was.
I found out what the client's goals
for the short and long term are.
The marketing team let me know who updates the website
and what parts of the current solution work and don't work.
Now I need to determine
what the positive and negative aspects are
of the existing work.
This will guide me as I design phase 2.0.
If you work with a large strategy and research company,
a team of experts will do the leg work
and gather the information.
But typically, my team does this.
Once I have everything compiled,
I work in a very scientific way
using high technology to reach a decision.
Actually, I use a whiteboard and a lot of discussion.
Make a simple pros and cons chart.
On one side, list all the positive attributes
of the existing design.
Now type it out and give it some time to sink in.
It has a good reputation.
People recognize it.
The client won't need to spend too much on new items
and so on.
Then list the negatives.
It works for the current audience of men and women 35-54,
but won't speak to a younger group.
People under 35 don't connect the design with the client.
It was designed to work in print, but is dull on-screen.
There will be both positive and negative aspects.
In my experience, some of the results of the research
don't match what the client believes.
He or she may insist that everyone knows the logo
and loves it.
But when customers are asked what the logo looks like,
they can't remember it
and the opposite may be true.
A packaging solution for a product
may seem hopelessly old-fashioned and the client hates it,
but the audience has strong emotional connections to it.
Changing it radically would alienate the core customer base.
Your job at this point is to not decide one way or another.
You may have a pretty good sense of the right direction,
but this is the time to bring in the client
and discuss the issues.
Go over the research.
Show him or her the pros and cons.
Work together to agree or change some of the information.
There's no point moving forward until you have agreement
or at least understanding with the client.
You're treading on thin ice here.
Someone in the room may have been involved
with the existing design.
You don't want to say, "It's ugly and stupid."
Stick to the facts
and steer clear of any incendiary comments.