Did you know that the Facebook Like button is seen over 22 billion times per day? That it’s the single most viewed design element ever created? And that the designer who led the project spent over 280 hours redesigning this innocuous little button over the course of months?
280 hours.
Crazy, right? But we’re not here to talk about Facebook. We’re here to talk about the importance of communicating design needs effectively.
The director of product design at Facebook is Margaret Gould Stewart, and in a fascinating TedTalk she discusses how an appreciation for timeless, great design and digital technologies create optimal user experiences online. And while her discussion speaks of the vast implications of designing at scale, similar concerns and barriers arise in any creative endeavor – whether intended for a large, national audience or a smaller localized one.
Design decisions are highly nuanced, with various degrees of complexity. As a business owner or marketing professional, it’s easy to say that understanding who you are designing for is the priority. But it’s not only a strong understanding of your customer that is necessary; you must also place yourself in the shoes of your designer. Thoroughly appreciating the exciting, and sometimes frustrating, world of design will help communicate your needs and translate your ideas into cohesive designs.
First and foremost, Stewart makes an excellent point that great design requires two things: audacity and humility. Designers must have the audacity to believe that what they are creating is 1) something that the audience needs and wants, and 2) encompasses appropriate elements that properly share the brand story. Secondly, all good designers must have the humility to recognize that this piece of content – the website, graphic or combination of both – is not for a portfolio; it’s for the people you are designing for. And creating a design that impacts its target audience is what’s at stake.
Here are some tips from our team at Sage that will assist in communication efforts with your graphic designer:
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