The Graphic Design Process

Introduction 

The graphic design process is the steps taken in order to get a design to move from an idea to a finished product.  If done correctly, I will be able to output designs faster and more efficiently. 

#1 Start with the brief

This is one of the most important steps as the brief will set the tone for the entire project. It will include as much relevant information as possible to reduce any confusion. It's important to look out for the target audience, brand guidelines, company details, what the final product should be, timeline and deadlines, budget, what you intend viewers to do when they see the final product and show examples of similar work like and don't like.

#2 Conduct graphic design research 

The research phase of the graphic design process often includes looking at competitor designs, looking at what the intended audience is engaging in at the current time, such as social media sites and most importantly taking all of the knowledge you've learned and applying it to the project. A mood board is often the best way to visualise your ideas by collecting several designs and comparing them.

#3 Brainstorm 

Moving on from the research, brainstorming your ideas will reduce frustration throughout the project. Designers will often have 3-5 ideas from their brainstorming session, decide which one they want and then move with it. This will create a smooth design workflow process that gets you the best results.

#4 Review at the 10/50/99 stage

- 10% done: An outline of the final design. At this stage, you can ask for feedback on your work and see what direction you can go in next.

- 50% done: Most of the elements are coming together and the direction is no longer at the debate. This is the time to focus on whether or not the vision you determined is being visualized in the design.

- 99% done: The nitty-gritty design tweaks. You can start tweaking things like spacing and colours.

#5 Presenting your final product

Once the design is complete, its time to get the final files and put the designs into action. At this point, you might want to consider getting feedback on your final ideas to see if there are any errors or nitpicks that could be improved or tweaked.