Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
2ND
Proof Page:80
Target audience
The main recipient or demographic of a message or a product.
80 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design T
he graphic design process
Macro and micro problems
Macro problems are those that affect the big picture,
such as overall product strategy. On the other hand,
micro problems are smaller in scale and affect
specific elements within a strategy.
Different problems require different solutions
with varying skill sets required. How to produce a
complex book design within a certain extent or page
count is a different exercise from creating a new
brand image, although both are undertaken by the
design discipline. Design is one element of the macro
picture and is a function that sits besides product
development, advertising, marketing, public relations,
production and distribution. Some clients may think
that design can solve every problem, but ultimately,
design cannot rectify what is essentially a
non-design problem.
Questions not answers
Often, a design problem is not what we initially think
it is and it is frequently a good idea to start by
questioning the very question that we are asking. It is
easy to assume that design is the answer to solving a
problem, but doing this may mean that the wrong
question has been asked and is in turn answered.
In the case of advertising, there may be several
ways to increase the sales of a product. One is to
redesign its visual or advertising images, but this is
not the only way. The real problem may be that the
product does not meet the requirements of its t
arget
a
udience and may instead require a repositioning
within the market rather than a redesign. As there is
more than one solution to a problem, there is also
often more than one question that needs to be asked.
It may be the case that a client who engages a
designer to solve a problem may not have asked
themselves the right question to begin with.
Design as problem solving
An important part of the design process
deals with overcoming creative, practical or economic
obstacles. This may sound straightforward, but often,
the problem is ephemeral – a feeling that something
is not right with a design. Problem solving entails
working through the various elements of a design
and not simply making assumptions as to what the
problem is.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
2ND
Proof Page:81
Sources of inspiration < Design as problem solving > Creative thinking 81
University of East Anglia (above)
The logo for the University of East Anglia
was created by Blast and features a
three-letter ligature of the UEA initials.
Note how the crossbars of the E and A
unite to form what could be crosshairs,
implying focus and precision, while at the
same time resembling a shining star or
beacon implying brilliance.
Handrail (right)
Jog Design’s colour sample pack for
Handrail ingeniously uses an
architectural material – standard
twinwall polycarbonate – as a device for
carrying colour samples instead of the
square samples previously sent out.
Putting the colour sample on a tube gives
a truer colour representation to clients
and architects due to the way light falls
on its curved surface, making colours
appear darker in the shadow area and
lighter where full light is received.
Dyson (above)
Thirteen’s design for a staff communication booklet for Dyson features a simple split
of its name that produces a forward-looking and humourous result.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
3RD
Proof Page:82
072-107 01077_C3.qxd 9/24/08 1:19 PM Page 82
Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
3RD
Proof Page:82
82 The Fundamentals of Graphic Design The graphic design process
Brighton and Sussex Medical
School (left)
Blast’s brochure for the Brighton and
Sussex Medical School exemplifies
creative thinking by juxtaposing an
anatomical model with a potential
student to emphasise the human aspect
of the medical profession.
Methods of problem-solving
There are different approaches that can be taken when thinking about design.
A design problem can be approached from various perspectives using different
methodologies, which can all aid a designer to develop a workable solution.
The approach taken will depend upon the nature of the job in hand, as well as
the experience and preferences of the designer. Experienced creative designers
refrain from following the same processes every time; using different methods
allows a problem to be viewed from different perspectives, which provides a
means for the unexpected to enter into the piece.
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Job No:01077 Title:The fundamentals og Graphic Design
2ND
Proof Page:83
Sources of inspiration < Design as problem solving > Creative thinking 83
Empirical
A designer can break down a problem into its
constituent parts to view its elements scientifically
and see how they function in relation to one
another. This approach reveals the important
relationships between different elements and the
functionality required between them.
Chunking
A complex problem can be simplified by breaking it
down into smaller chunks and working on it a chunk
at a time. Finding solutions to each small chunk may
provide a better perspective from which to decide
how to piece the elements back together in a
coherent way, and eventually solve the overall
design problem.
Clustering
While many clients ask designers to make a job
stand out from their competitors, the concept of
clustering counters this and states that a design
should fit into the established visual pattern of a
particular product niche or industry.
For example, on a street that houses various
estate agents – a cluster – that have conservative
visual identities, developing an entirely different
brand could be a risky strategy as people tend to
respond to what they are familiar with. Market
research often supports this idea showing that
consumers prefer new products that conform to
their perceptions of their old favourites. However,
there are opportunities for designs that break with
the established trend after careful analysis
and testing.
Lateral thinking
Lateral thinking is a term devised by psychologist
Edward de Bono. It involves changing the concepts
and perceptions one uses to approach a problem in
order to find a solution. Lateral thinking is used to
stimulate people and to escape the established
paradigms they dearly hold on to, which may
prevent them from finding workable solutions to
the problems they face. This method entails moving
from the predictable to something unexpected.
Opposition
Thinking about the absolute opposite of the
standard or accepted idea is a way of changing
perspective and inverting paradigms, and can
produce workable results. For example, if food
packaging for a particular product category is
typically red, why not try green?
Top down and bottom up
These are analytical approaches appropriated from
information technology development, with the
former looking at a problem from the system
perspective and then drilling down to add detail in
specific areas. The bottom up approach focuses on
the basic elements first and works upwards to link
everything together as part of a system.
Substitution
Substitution refers to the replacement of one
element of the design and/or design process with
an element from another creative or production
process in order to benefit from the different way
that tasks are structured or performed.
For example, the mass production techniques
established by Henry Ford in the early twentieth
century have been applied to most industries,
leading to developments such as fast food. In
design, drafting tables were substituted by
personal computers that provided greater flexibility,
allowing designers to produce designs quickly while
engaging in more trial and error. Designers
sometimes substitute their computer technology
for former ways of freehand drafting, Letrasets
and paste-up boards in order to produce
innovative designs.
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