A beginning designer may be tempted to skip the consultation process with a client. But a “fundamentals” approach does not absolve you from this stage at all. Design principles exist for a reason, and knowing when and how to break them separates great designers from mediocre ones.
No matter how you feel about it, co-creation with the client is a utopian ideal of shared vision, which has its drawbacks. You’ve probably heard the word “brand strategy” many times before you actually encountered it. It has never been more tempting to prioritize research and consultation as it was in the era of WordPress and Drupal. Instead of creating a framework of principles from scratch, why not concoct something from existing templates in a split second?
In fact, there are times when a simple approach will come in handy more than ever. The trick is to know exactly when.
What Are “Core Principles”?
Even if you’ve flown in the clouds in design courses or haven’t attended any at all, you probably already know the basics. If you stick to the basic principles, you can’t go wrong. And it is true. Here are some examples:
- Color and contrast: use a maximum of 2-3 colors, highlight important elements with contrast;
- Clean space: leave plenty of clean space in all proportions;
- Layout: symmetrical grid. Always place attention-grabbing items at the top of the screen;
- Typography: use no more than 2-3 fonts;
- Logo: long logo, top left edge;
- Complexity and simplicity: find a balance between complex and simple elements so that your work is visually interesting;
- Visual hierarchy: use color, contrast, size, and complexity to highlight important elements;
- Consistency:Â with all of the above principles, whatever you decide, stir the elements consistently.
However, these rules do not fit every case. Sometimes it is only by circumventing or even breaking the rules that you create a design that stands out and, more importantly, meets the real requirements of the task.
One Unbreakable Rule
It’s hard to find principles that really work in every situation, but here’s one:
It doesn’t matter what you do – make sure you know why you are doing it.
And if you’re wondering, answers like “uh… because it looks nice” and “because it’s easier than what I should have done instead…” are not good reasons.
Obviously, there are situations where for the client – whatever they think – a simple out-of-the-box approach will work best, especially if there are budget constraints. But even then, you still need to go through a research process to find out if this is actually the case.
When and How to Get Off the Beaten Track
Before or immediately after approval for a project, you need to do some research with the client. At this stage, you need to focus on your brand strategy.
Ideally, you should create a framework for your design principles first. Any decisions you make thereafter (whether you are going to stick to the rules or break them) must be justified by the structure.
Here are a few examples of situations in which you might consider deviating from the “core principles”:
- You want to send a special message;
- You want to draw attention to a product;
- You want to keep a clean space.
The key questions you need to ask yourself before breaking the rules are “How does this fit the task?” and “How does it help brand strategy?”
When to Stick to the Script
This decision should most often be made with the client’s budget in mind. So if a client offers a ridiculous amount to create a logo, design a unique font, and build a multi-page website from scratch, you might want to turn them down.
On the other hand, when a customer has a small number of products and/or services, a one-page WordPress site will be exactly what they need. Especially when the budget is limited, and there is an opportunity to negotiate. The point is not to “do the minimum” but to “not do too much.” Even so, with a single-page site, there are elements that you can modify or create to better suit your strategy.
Another important point – if you are not completely sure of the idea, you need to check yourself. And if you can’t base your decision on the principles of design structure or brand strategy, then it’s better to be careful and think it over again.
Research or Fundamentals?
Both.
There are definitely situations where the “fundamentals” are exactly what the client wants. Especially if the budget is limited and the requirements are low. Even so, a good designer should take the time to understand (or help develop) the brand’s strategy and make the necessary changes. Every client and every brand is unique, and it is the designer’s job to highlight that uniqueness.
When choosing an individual approach, some deviation from generally accepted principles can lead to interesting and stylish results. However, it is important that every decision makes sense and is linked to brand strategy. If this is not the case, you may need to reconsider your decision.
And whatever you do, don’t be afraid to try new things.
