Design 101
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- voiceof
I've been asked to put together a presentation w/ documentation for non-designers in our company. This is an attempt to raise the visual sophistication and overall quality of of work going out. It will also aid in the conversations between the design team and others.
What do you think are the most important things non-designers should know? It can anything from the most basic up.
Some things I'm thinking of adding:
1. Achieving Hierarchy
- Through Color, Size, Space, Position
2. Stop using two spaces after a sentence.
3. Typography
- Letters have character
- Limit fonts on a page
- Kerning Matters (The rapists vs. Therapists)
This one is mostly for fun.
4. Grid System
- What is it
- Why is it importantWhat else would you add?
- capn_ron0
Brand Image. Your company should not be sending out or showing anything that hasn't been passed through the art department.
Corporate Guidelines. Don't let them make a powerpoint presentation in Arial.
i've got more on the tip of my tongue but can't thinking of them all.
- +1akrok
- use ARIAL BLACKdoesnotexist
- Arial is better than whatever script or handwriting font they usually want to use.freedom
- monospaced0
There should be a section on how much the iOS 7 design sucks donkey balls.
- or just use it for the "Don't" section, accompanied by Android for the "Do" sectionmonospaced
- pff as if android is better. they both suck donkey balls.hans_glib
- calm down!monospaced
- sine0
follow the guidelines...
people are going to "make it pretty" in their own way, or they're lazy and don't give a shit about the aesthetics of their documents.
- d_rek0
Culture.
If your company doesn't have a history of embracing design or creativity then you've got a lot bigger headache than trying to educate people on foundational design principles.
Maybe explain how design and branding on a high level can have a significant impact on a businesses bottom line, affecting things like customer loyalty, brand image and perception, customer and user experience, etc?
From my last two years experience working in-house at an engineering and software development that is trying desperately to 'embrace' design and retrofit it to their business model it really and truly has more to do with if design is an integrated part of their business.
Also, if you think you're going to walk into the HR or Sales dept. and start giving them foundation design lessons you're going to be in for a bit of a rude awakening.
- Our company doesnt have much of a history, we are in the process of developing that history. We are still relatively small and can help to drive the culture.voiceof
- voiceof0
^ I'm looking to just add to their understanding and vocabulary in general. Following the guidelines is always preferred, but we all know it's not going to happen all the time.
- monospaced0
Follow guidelines, yes. But try to explain why they shouldn't just download shitty images from Google and to put them in their documents. It's not just aesthetic, it can be legal. They hate being told they can't make their program have the look and feel of the Survivor show, but they sometimes can't.
- The legal issues are definitely going on the list.voiceof
- aliastime0
Who's brand is going on these documents?
You shouldn't be teaching anything. It sounds like your task is calling for a standards guide. Fonts, sizes, colors, spacing, how to use imagery, etc
- hans_glib0
it's best to remember that they won't understand any of what you say. Most people can't even tell sans serif from serif, let alone grasp the finer points of layout. And as for white space... that's for filling isn't it?
- aliastime0
I'm giving a simple typography lunch and learn soon at my office. A lot of it will have guidelines from this site.
- i_monk0
Stress consistency.
- doesnotexist0
leave design to the creatives, i think that's the one and only rule isn't it? or appreciation. show them great design examples and bad examples. the others seem like they'd be way over their heads.
you really expect non-designers to know anything about grid-systems?
- i_monk0
Tell them they aren't the creative director, no matter how many months they spent on marketing at business school.
- monoboy0
That you are better off leaving it to the professionals.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xwqPYeTSYng" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
- monoboy0
Fail. Link instead.
- voiceof0
@doesnotexist, i_monk, and monoboy:
I don't want them throwing together campaigns or building brochures. But, I do want to ensure taht I don't start to getting the production and grunt work passed on to me. I would prefer to spend more time working on campaigns and strategy not spend time on formatting a proposal or updating sales sheets.
So I think I have two choices. One, I can have everything come through me, which is time consuming and mind-numbing. Two, I can provide them with basic design principles, the importance of consistency and why the templates are important and hopefully increase the overall quality of information leaving the office and keep my time free for higher level work.
- well... do you have team members? are you the senior one? sounds like a different problem than your original postdoesnotexist
- I should have said 'we' instead of 'I'. I have two others under me.voiceof
- doesnotexist0
biggest thing in communicating with these people is getting them to give you feedback in a way that tells you their problems with it, while allowing you to figure out the solution. they shouldn't be providing solutions, only pointing out possible conflicts and problems.
- voiceof0
I think I want to reset the thread. I appreciate everyone's comments. I believe I may have started the confusion by not providing a full detail of my situation. I was really just looking for the basic things you wished non-designers knew when they are preparing materials and when you are talking with them about a project.
@doesnotexist, thanks for your comments, there is no particular problem that needs to be solved I was just asked to raise the overall design knowledge (and hopefully in turn the visual quality) of the non-design staff (which isn't a lot, only around 20, and really only about 12 putting out work ).
- doesnotexist0
i guess basic stuff like...
1. I need all your copy before i start
2. I need all image requirements before i start&c