Initially,
I adopt the vision of others and embrace their talents and skills rather than
apply mine. With each client, I search for something particularly engaging to
me whether it be within their business, their history/legacy, people, products,
and/or services and drive my stake in to that. I research the competition and
discover any potential to capitalize on weaknesses. I've found, that no matter
how skillful you are in communications, you can't invent an advantage that doesn't
already exist. It's about articulating what is inherent and true but unique. Capturing
the identity or the "corporate aura" (as I call it) of an organization
requires exploring, uncovering, and leveraging those ideas that can either turn
to dust or magic depending on how you rub them. Sometimes I have to use a light
touch, sometimes force. Above all else, the secret to communications is to have
a firm grasp of what the competition is saying and doing - right and wrong. Unlike
fundamental business operations, communications isn't about about working harder,
smarter or even better, in many cases it's just about being different - because
it's true what they say "familiarity breeds apathy".
There
is much more to being a graphic artist than being creative. When I began my professional
art career, it was enough to be skilled in concept generation - today, it's necessary
to know what it takes to execute those concepts. In today's environment, if you
want to be truly successful, you have to bring a lot to the table. Yes, graphic
design is about communicating visually using typography and images to present
information. However, I've found that graphic design embraces a range of cognitive
skills, aesthetics and crafts, that it's important to recognize the psychology
behind the visual arts and that when it comes to page layout, the unused white
of a page is as important as the black of text that gives it meaning. I have a
refined graphic art background and a lot of practical traditional experience which
allows me to create engaging interactive and print media. I do this for a range
of business models and requirements/objectives. From time-to-time I'm still required
to design and develop independently, in virtual vacuums - in fact, some of it
is my best work artistically. However, more often than not, the quantifiable value
is provided through using my "people" skills to addresses challenges
and close gaps versus applying my artistic and computer skills.
Although
writing is an aspect of what I've been providing for over a decade and something
I thoroughly enjoy, "writer" is a narrow description of my role. I write,
yes, but if I made it my business to write and only write, I'd likely be less
than satisfied. I enjoy being in the room when the strategy is being baked. My
clients depend on me to help them figure out what to say, as well as how to say
it. And in the pursuit of insight, I often ask questions that they've never been
asked before and the determine the best way to put everything into the words and
phrases that makeup headings, subheadings, body, taglines, and boiler plates.
Are others better at this than I am? Absolutely. However, as I said, "writing"
is only one of my abilities.
I
provide expertise in all four areas of web design: content, usability, appearance,
and visibility. I don't really focus in one area over another. The content of
a site, its substance and information - I ensure is relevant to the site and designed
according to the target audience. Usability is a word that gets overused but essentially,
it's about ensuring the site is user-friendly (another overused term). However,
typically, the focus of most designer/developers is that the interface/navigation
be simple and reliable, I add a third component that most overlook - that it be
predicable and intuitive. Arguably one of my strongest areas is around the appearance
of a web site, although this is largely a function of getting to know my clients
and their business. Yes, the appearance is of course is the graphics and text
of site. My designs are 100% custom and include a single style that flows throughout,
to show consistency. I usually create a style that is professional, appealing
and relevant, and clearly ties back to other marketing components. The forth component
is viability. It's surprising to see in this day and age but there are many corporate
sites out there that do not pay enough attention to visibility. Its relatively
easy to get out there in the public domain these days, however, if the site isn't
easy to find via most, if not all, major search engines and advertisement media
- it won't do a good job of extending a company's reach.
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