“Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
– Steve Jobs
Most people think of design in very narrow terms. They tend to only see the physical output, not a well thought out process or strategy. This view is limiting to the potential of design to impact business results. Design is more than aesthetics. It’s more than just how something looks, it’s about how something works.
The sole purpose of design is to communicate ideas. How you use design to communicate, ultimately determines your success in the marketplace. Design must be involved at every phase of a product’s development. The product feature set, function, component layout, the positioning in the market; design must be implemented across every phase to create a market disrupting product. And without involving design in any one of these areas, the products chance at success will be hurt.
You can have a beautifully designed product, but if the website or packaging doesn’t reinforce that, then your product will fail to connect with your customer. Your service could be the most life changing thing on the planet, but if the message is hidden behind superfluous wording, confusing navigation, then people will fail to understand what you are trying to say. Successful design is being able to maintain a consistent voice across all areas of consumer touchpoints. The ability to have the vision to see how all areas of a business are impacted through design is the ability to create a brand that consumers love.
Design enables brands to adapt to an always changing landscape to maintain relevance and importance. The market is always changing; your strategy needs to change with it. Design strategy is a necessity in order to create a deeper emotional connection and loyalty among customers, and ultimately make a huge impact on business results.
At Ashcraft Design we build brands with strategic market advantages that significantly impact business results and brand awareness. Our unique vision and understanding of how to use design to create an accessible aspirational experience that will appeal to your consumer and build your brand can complement your team to create products that get results and get the greatest exposure for your brand.
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