Finding the one… design concept.

The Curious & Co. Creative design process does not begin with design. It begins with the discovery and research phase. After a good amount of time is spent on that, we move onto mood boards and strategy overviews. What is traditionally thought of as “design” doesn’t begin until all of those other steps are completed. That may sound odd, but in order to build a truly effective brand, it’s imperative to understand our clients’ business, goals, challenges, competitors, and target audience. That’s why we spend so much time asking our clients questions up front, before we even pick up a pencil. That is also why we practice the One Design Concept approach.

One Design Concept doesn’t mean that we only have one idea or one sketch — it means that we focus our efforts on one effective solution to present to our client. In order to do that, we take the answers to all of those questions we asked, reference the mood board, get very familiar with our clients’ ideal target, and we discuss and research. And sketch. And gather colors and textures. We experiment with multiple ideas, constantly refining and holding them up against our clients’ goals and challenges until we find the best solution, because when it comes down to it, we are hired to solve a problem. Our solutions are strong, effective visual identities.

What does One Design Concept look like to our clients?

The design proof we create showcases the best solution in multiple ways. It includes several logo formats, a well-considered color palette, pattern, secondary marks, stationery, and additional mock-ups to illustrate how the design concept might appear out in the real world. We provide a lot to our clients in that design proof.

But that doesn’t mean the process ends there. Constructive feedback is always welcome and encouraged. Refinements may be necessary, but our goal is to understand our clients, their business, and their audience so well that refinements are minimal and final designs are strong, effective, and totally hit the mark.