The Book

The Strategic Designer: Tools and techniques for managing the design process

 

Published by F+W Media and HOW Design. Available April 2011

The design profession has been asking itself some important questions lately.

  • How do graphic designers deal with the increasing complexity of design problems?
  • What skills do graphic designers need to be competitive in the future?
  • How do graphic designers become co-creators with clients and audiences?
  • How do graphic designers prove their value to business?

The answer to many of these questions can be found in the framework of graphic design process.

As designers look for ways to stay competitive in the conceptual economy and address the increasing complexity of design problems, they are seeing that they must not only be experts in form, but must also have the ability to collaborate, to design in context and be accountable through measurement. By adopting a process that considers collaboration, context and accountability, designers move from makers of things to strategists.

The Strategic Designer uses visual design methodology as a framework for considering collaboration, context and accountability in design problem solving. The book offers accepted professional practices and acts as a graphic design process body of knowledge, guiding the reader through each step of the graphic design process. Designers will learn how to build strong client relationships, increase project success rates, boost efficiency and enhance their creativity.

The book is based on research conducted with over 100 designers, educators and researchers from across the nation. The interviews focused on the designer's workflow, ideation techniques, client relationships and methods for measuring the success of their projects. Design leaders also participated in interviews for the book, including Dave Mason, principal of SamataMason: Tim Larson, president and founder of Larson Interactive; Stefan Bucher of 344 Design; Ellen Shapiro, author and founder of Shapiro Design Associates; design management consultant David C. Baker of ReCourses Inc., John Bielenberg of C2; Rob Wallace, Principal of Wallace Church; Dori Tunstall, noted design anthropologist and strategic planner; Emily Carr, project manager and brand strategist at Gensler; and Sean Adams, founder of AdamsMorioka.

Each chapter covers a specific design phase and gives a practical step-by-step approach, complete with tools and techniques.