Event Apart: Design Your Way Out of a Paper Bag

by August 29, 2007

Jason Santa Maria’s Design Your Way Out of a Paper Bag highlighted some of his creative process when working on the redesign of popular Web destinations.

  • All the details of a design need to be on the mark. Art direction makes things stronger. That’s not something you learn in design school.
  • Discovery: you need to get informed about a project. Figure out the message a client is trying to convey. Do it in a place that is creative (an office adorned with inspiration designs)
  • Sketchbook: gives you a creative environment without being tied to details. Can use photo manipulation software for organizing inspirational images.
  • Research: need to be informed by a project. What does client want and users need? Get into the world of your client through field research.
  • Iterative design: you won’t get it right in the first go but you need to lay large brushstrokes to guide further iterations.
  • Gray box comps: used to prioritize visual information. You are not worried about color or type at this point just visual organization.
  • Girds: language for presenting content. Gives you a way to get people around your site. Compare grid layout of Philadelphia vs. London. Less chances will get lost.
  • Whitespace: use it.