Dickson Fong

Design is about communication. Its aim is to present information in a way that makes it easily consumable. A skilled designer would create a proposal that meets the objectives of a project brief, while applying a keen eye to layout, typography, imagery, semantics, and usability. He or she would work with developers for implementation, and presto! Successful project, right?

Wrong.

Unfortunately, judging by a lot of the stuff I see on the web, it’s a common misconception. I see plenty of good design, but that’s all it is—good design. It’s nothing if executed without a cohesive concept. 

This is why projects need proper direction. 

The power of direction

You’ve probably heard of it as ‘art direction’. I prefer to more generically call it ‘direction’ because it can also incorporate aspects of design, development, and production.

Direction involves the ideation of a cohesive concept. It leads us to create messages—sometimes direct, often subliminal—that reinforce the information we’re trying to communicate. In the end, information is just words and images, which have no meaning without supportive media, context, people, and brand values. The integration of these elements should create a story, and the message piggybacks on this concept.

Case in point

For example, let’s look at the Coca-Cola Company. Design stipulates that we pay attention to properly representing their products, brand, and information. So we’ll follow the established style guide, make product information easily accessible, provide legible and readable content, bind it together with an effective visual hierarchy, and top it off with some artistic flair.    

But even the most perfect execution of design, art, and marketing can’t sell Coca-Cola. People don’t buy a Coke because of the website’s navigation or aesthetic whimsy. They buy it for the product experience. Think about the last time you enjoyed a Coke (or any other soft drink). What comes to mind? The thirst-quenching feeling? The tingle as it flows down your parched throat? Maybe the smooth, sweet taste, or perhaps the bubbles and fizz that tickle your nose as you drink from a foaming cup. This is why people consume the product, and direction is about creating a concept that builds upon these valuable attributes to form a story that people can identify with.   

More than the sum of its parts

Good design can stand on its own. Arguably, that’s enough, and in some ways, it’s all that a designer is really accountable for. But because we also have the responsibility of providing our clients with the best creative solutions, we need to make sure we approach our projects from multiple angles.

This is where direction steps in—to make the design more than just a vehicle for the communication of information, but of brand values as well. Otherwise, we’re just putting words and letters on the screen.

Our work should be more than that.

End

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