Design plays a profound role in shaping perception, selling the intangible aspects of value and building emotional appeal for a product or service.
The challenge is not only about how something looks but also how it behaves.These 6 Core Design Principles inform the creative process and provide a whole approach to doing business and serving customers by considering the aesthetics and functionality.
1. Branding
What is the impression I want to give of my business?
This is the particular characteristics that identifies a company and it's products. It sets the tone and manner that identifies your business, communicate your core values and distinguishes your product.Branding is an effective business tool and a determining factor in what customers choose to spend their money on.
2. Visual Design
What is the Look and Feel?
The focus is on translating business goals and the concerns of the visitor into a visually satisfying experience. This takes planning:- Collect information & listen
- Research the competition
- Analyze and explore possibilities.
3. Content Design
What is the message?
Identifying, organizing and presenting the content so that the audience can easily use and understand the information presented. The goal of content design is to support information access.Consider content formats such as text, images, graphics, animation, video, interactive forms.
4. User Experience
Can customers find what they're looking for?
This addresses what the audience can do at the site. How easy is it for them to do these things – to browse, buy, fill out forms, navigate, search. Does the site respond quickly, facilitate problem solving and do all links work.?Present information so it's easy to find and understand. Look to your customers. Customers want to experience that they're getting a new way to live, to enhance their quality of life.
5. Merchandising
Are promotions and features reaching your audience?
How attractive are the offerings? How are your products, features and services are displayed, advertised and promoted.
Targeting
By selecting the most appropriate products, promotions can be targeted to the right customers, at the right time.
For perfect targeting, the retailer would have complete information on the specific shopper, including past purchases at other stores, known needs and even unarticulated desires.
Seasonal Presentation
What are the features that give people something to talk, to get excited about, something to keep customers coming back. If your customers anticipate that they will find something new on a regular basis, they will visit (and buy) more often. The concern for designers is that the site must be designed so that it is easy to apply a facelift that represents seasonal changes.
Positioning
What products should be suggested to the customer and when to suggest them.
6. Production
Are we building for the future and with the most appropriate materials, technology? Consider all communication vehicles to reach your customers – online, video, print, point of purchase.
- Technical Environment.
- Build & Test. Check functionality such as links and content for quality over and over again.
- Evaluate & Improve. Keep notes on what's working and what customers and colleagues are asking for. Keep in mind, it's never about what you like. It's always what the customer wants.
