Analysis

Every project starts with discussion and evaluation. Whether redesigning an existing site that isn’t living up to the client’s expectations or starting from scratch, a thoughtful discussion is always the first priority. It establishes the complexity of the project and gives everyone a fair expectation of what the final product will be.

Planning

Proper planning, like Analysis, is an essential step before any design works ever takes place. Even large firms often skirt the issue, only laying out basic drafts while ignoring details that could have significant impacts on not only the design but also the user experience, navigation hierarchy, functionality, and most importantly, cost.

Design

Good design is more than just color, pattern, space, and proximity. The objective is to take everything learned in the Analysis phase and create a styleguide that can be applied to every element that was identified in the Planning phase which will be passed onto Development where the final product can be built without any question as to what goes where. This is the Process working in harmony. Every phase coming together to meet one goal: The client’s success.

The process of design, like communication, is a two-way street. One person’s ideas and vision may not mesh with another’s. Design is about intelligent compromise; making the best decisions that satisfy not only the client’s desires but also make an effective user experience. The design phase focuses on collaborating with the client and creating a product that they can identify with.

Development & Testing

Development is all about taking a design and bringing it to life. If it’s a website, development means building a solid foundation of standards compliant code and then adding to it a unique experience that embraces the user, nudging them toward the end goal. In branding, it’s ensuring that a logo will work suitably in a variety of different situations and making adjustments where it tends to fail.