Re: Mood Boards

I'm with Michael on this. When doing visual design, the graphic designer needs to walk 
tall. We are hired because we are experts and therefore must have confidence in our 
convictions.

I'll present more than one solution only when I think I've struck on more than one option 
with equal validity, or when there is an aspect to it that is utterly subjective. I try to avoid 
presenting solutions that I am not convinced are correct. Every time I've broken this rule, 
the result has been poor or compromised.

With regard to mood boards, I don't really subscribe to their use - though I can't discount 
it as an internal design tool especially for complex web design projects or multichannel 
applications. I would not expose clients to mood boards, especially as a way of asking 
them to choose the path to correct solution(s). If one is involved in a user-centered or 
participatory design project, that might be a different story - but I still say that mood 
boards are not to be used to empower the client to guide the designers' process. 

All too often I've seen mood boards used as a way to avoid making intelligent (or even 
intuitive) design choices and standing by them. When that happens, we are not designing, 
we are conducting focus groups.

_Ed
--
New York Chart & Diagram


--- In [email protected], Clay Bodine <claybodine@e...> wrote:
> Answers to Questions about Solutions:
> 
>    1. I always try for one. Two, when pressed (this hasn't happened very
>       often).
>    2. Rarely  are both rejected. When it happens it's usually because
>       I'm ignoring what clients tell me they need because I get
>       obsessesed with a concept.
>    3. I do initial concept sketches, usually 3 or 4 and then develop
>       one. I do check in with the client as I go along, though.
>    4. Revisions depend on the agreement I made with the client. Usually
>       not more than a couple.
>    5. I think the client usually isn't too worried about the fee when
>       they're happy with the result. They allocate funds for the project
>       and they want to get the result asap. They don't want it to be an
>       elaborate process. We as designers are into the process, they're
>       usually into the result.
> 
> 
> 
> Michael James Pinto wrote:
> 
> >--- Clay Bodine <claybodine@e...> wrote:
> >  
> >
> >>I've always tried to present one and no more than two solutions. I've 
> >>done this pretty successfully at four different business to business and 
> >>business to consumer agencies. Early on I used to present more, but 
> >>found that invariably clients presented with choices wanted to mix and 
> >>match from all the solutions I presented and ended up insisting on a 
> >>half-assed compromise. I think it's in the pitch really. If you believe 
> >>in the solution you're presenting, sell it. I think you get the best 
> >>results.
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >Questions:
> >
> >1. Why two and not just one? Do you ever break your own rule?
> >
> >2. Have you ever hit a situation where both are rejected?
> >
> >3. I take it that you still create multiples, it just that
> >   you aren't showing them?
> >
> >4. How many sets of revisions do you allow?
> >
> >5. I tend to do the multiple thing because I imagine that
> >   it justifies the fee on some level - since you only show
> >   two - does this financial point ever come up with clients
> >   in terms of expectations?
> >
> >I guess I've always aspired to just showing one thing, and 
> >when I did magazine and newspaper design not only could I do
> >that - but also as the art direction I could even (but not
> >always) push the editor or publisher my way as we were on the
> >same team.
> >
> >But running a firm/agency it feels like they sort of expect
> >the "dog and poney show" for their fee - and the three ring
> >circus of solutions seems to go over well. EXCEPT yes your
> >darn right it tends to result in weaker solutions.
> >
> >I also tend to work in multiple styles - so while I tend
> >to always have a favorite, should I just suck it up and not 
> >show all the work that went into it?
> >
> >Just thinking out loud - any feedback on this would be useful.
> >
> >
> >=====
> >Michael James Pinto 
> >Interactive Media Pioneer & Low-Budget Renaissance Man
> >http://www.vm.com | http://www.anime.com 
> >
> >This is a must read essay:
> >http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=602558
> >
> >Please join my Arts & Tech list: 
> >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EIA_list
> >
> >
> >
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> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





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