Logic Based Design - Design is 50% Selling

Imagine a world were design wasn’t subjective; imagine a world were design intentions were in-sync with design executions. A design’s worst enemy is not the input of a non-designer – a design’s worst enemy is when its designer can’t sell it. Design is only half the process, being able to sell that design is where the real work gets done. Without being able to sell your design to its audience; your design intentions will never match its execution.

Lets make one thing very clear up-front, there needs be a distinction between design and art (the details of that are for another post). We are not talking about self-expression or creative freedom – we are talking about design for the sake of an objective. Far too often have I sat among fellow “designers” to hear them bitch and complain about clients and colleagues who don’t “get it”. I say to you, you elitist designer, don’t blame them for “not getting it” – in fact, blame yourself for not “giving it to them”. I’ve always coined myself a “business-oriented-designer” and perhaps it is my degree in advertising & graphic design that fuels this fire – but the simple truth is that very rarely are you in that perfect situation of ideal client and simplistic project that your design will sell itself. Just as it is your job to create the design, it is your job and responsibility to sell that design. So, how do you sell your design?

Since the first time my worked had been critiqued, I’ve been touting the use of what I call “logic-based-design”. It is a term that we at nclud use religiously both internally and with our clients. It is a simple thought – every element of your design must have logic associated with it. If you can’t explain why an element exists the way it is – it shouldn’t exist. From the size of your canvas and margins to your color and font choices – everything should have rhyme and reason. If you choose purple for a heading, it must be for a reason beyond the fact that you, the artist, are in a “purple mood” today. Your mood, or personality for that matter, doesn’t drive business strategy, user behavior or brand appropriateness – so why is it involved in the design you are presenting? If you picked purple; pick it because it compliments the brand or perhaps acts as the perfect contrast to other elements, maybe it appeals to the product or audience. When elements exist with logic behind them, the discussion goes from subjective to strategic. When there is a clash of thoughts around a subjective argument, yours at the bottom of the ladder will never triumph — however, a strategic discussion whose main point is being driven by the industry expert designer holds much weight and is very much respected.

The next time a client or colleague doesn’t “get it” – be prepared to sell your design and ensure the discussion goes from subjective to strategic. It is important to mention that logic-based-design works both ways. As a client or colleague inserts their subjective opinions to “better” your design – call them out on the decision, force them to apply logic; if none exist, then the element should not exist.

Credit where credit is due: I’ve been meaning to write about logic-based-design for sometime now. I was recently inspired by one of the most insightful conversations I had at BarCampDC this past weekend with Jenna Marino, a designer at AOL. It may have been that I was on the verge of drunkenness, but we started to rant about amazing designers whose designs are lost simply because they can’t sell – she eventually demanded, “Design is 50% selling”; I couldn’t agree more.