For a detailed information on what you will learn on this course please download our Commercial Design Consultancy Course Prospectus. However for a brief summary of what you will learn please click on one of the following links:
Communicating the Corporate Message
Design is essentially about visual communication; where the message is spoken through the visual impact of products, architecture, graphics and multi-media marketing materials. Wherever your design expertise lies, the truly successful result is one that meets the original client brief and also communicates and reinforces the corporate identity. But what exactly is a corporate identity and what relevance does it have in your role as a designer? The answer to this lies in a basic understanding of marketing principles and how to apply them practically in developing your design... Marketing is an in-depth subject in itself, but in this course the essentials are explained in common language with clear examples to illustrate the key points for you when operating in the commercial design arena. Throughout this course you will be taught how to combine fundamental marketing concepts with your design skills so that you can visually interpret your client’s corporate identity and communicate it effectively throughout your work. This is the key to developing designs that ultimately sell – both for your clients and yourself – and if you want to work in the commercial design arena, then this understanding is not just important, it’s vital. The following topics are among those covered on this course:
- What is Marketing? – a synopsis of marketing and the essentials of what you need to know and why
- Visual Messages – the relationship between marketing and design
- Corporate Image & Identity – what are they and why are they so important?
- Design Details – using the elements & principles of design to objectively assess what’s appropriate or not
- Team Productions – working effectively with other designers
- Corporate Committees – how to create unity & overcome objections
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Design Psychology & Neuroscience
Images and symbols have been used to communicate important messages throughout the ages. There’s an obvious truth in the saying that, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, but if your message is to be understood and interpreted the way you intend it to be, you have to take extra steps to ensure that the message is clear. Most successful designers have a natural sense about what’s right for their client, but few clients can be persuaded to spend large budgets based on design intuition alone. Business clients in particular, need a strong reason to justify their expenditure so it’s important for you to develop the ability to create presentations that support your design solutions in a way that is informed, persuasive and professional. A basic understanding of design psychology and neuroscience can help you to achieve this…With today’s advanced learning systems, clients often doubt whether visual communication has the same importance; in short, they want more than design intuition - they want the hard facts about what works, why and how your design will provide this. In this unique course, Maria Flynn draws on the latest research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology to cleverly illustrate how the brain interprets visual information, providing evidence that can persuade clients in a logical and objective way. If you have ever had to justify your design’s integrity, then you will appreciate how valuable this information can be and how it can give you an edge over the competition. The following topics are among those covered…
- Imagery and the Brain – an examination of how the brain processes and interprets visual information
- Cognitive Psychology - how psychological research supports the value of image
- Communication – what is it and how do we know when it’s effective?
- Symbolism – discover how simple and complex symbols convey hidden meanings
- Cultural Codes – how cultural influences affect our interpretations and the value of local knowledge
(back to top) Corporate Goals & Industry Sectors
The best way to achieve commercial design success is by helping your clients achieve their business goals, and the purpose of any business is to continually generate profits. If you’re serious about making a name in commercial design, then each detail of your work should ultimately aid your clients towards that goal, by positively influencing productivity, reducing costs and generating more revenue. It might sound like a lot to ask for, but Maria Flynn and her team have developed a formula for success, and you can follow in their footsteps by combining fundamental marketing principles with your existing design skills for practical and valuable results...Marketing industry sectors can be used to identify common goals; such as in the industry sector of guest accommodation, where a guest house and a 5-Star hotel will both want to reflect an image that appears clean, safe and welcoming to guests. Yet while they have some common goals, other details of their unique design concept will depend on different factors, primarily the available budget and the target market. Once again, an understanding of marketing concepts can compliment your design skills and help you to create a design that sells - increasing revenue for you and your client. With obvious advantages, this skill set alone can make you highly sought after and the following topics are among those covered…
- Establishing Client Requirements – designing for the consumer, the employees and the business owner
- Designing for the Target Market – interpreting marketing information and tailoring the design to maximise sales potential
- Setting Design Parameters – how to remain objective & avoid client confrontations
- Small & Medium Sized Businesses – special considerations for dealing with smaller organisations
- Large & Multi-National Organisations – strategies for approaching the big deals professionally
(back to top) Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the current buzz-word of the design industry, and in the commercial design arena companies are naturally drawn to the promises of increased efficiency and productivity, reduced liabilities and greater profits. Where many business clients view design as a necessary cost, ergonomics can be used to turn the tables in the designers’ favour, by helping us to develop design solutions that are as practical as they are visually pleasing. We can only expect ergonomic principles to gain even more importance in the future, and if you are a designer then you simply must keep up to date…To the uninitiated, ergonomics can sound highly technical and scientific at first, but in reality, it is based upon sound facts and common sense principles that can be practically applied to produce measurable results. In brief, ergonomics is detailed observation and analysis of human beings and how we interact with the various aspects of our environment. Using that information, designers can then develop furniture and products that are adaptable to the individual user, place advertising in the positions where they are most likely to be seen, and plan layouts that increase traffic flow and sales revenue whether in shops, malls or urban development programs. Ergonomics is the designer’s way of the future, and this course will cover the following important topics:
- Principles of Ergonomics – what they are and how they can be applied for practical results
- Understanding Anthropometrics – the study of human measurements and how to apply data in your field of design
- Interpreting Data Effectively – how to track down all the relevant data and how to avoid information overload
- Universal Design – what is it and what are it’s practical benefits
- Practicalities - balancing costs with long-term value
(back to top) The Design Cycle
Tight deadlines and complex variables are just some of the challenges of commercial design, and with big budgets at stake, designers and their clients simply can’t afford to get it wrong. Given the circumstances, it’s understandable that clients want to see what you are offering before they agree to hire you, but how much work should you do before contracts are signed? And how can you avoid simply being used for your ideas? If you want to win in the commercial design arena, then you can benefit from the experience and knowledge of other designers simply by following their steps to success…Like most successful organisations, Maria Flynn and her design team use a series of systems, to automate standard processes and provide a framework for approaching new design projects objectively and efficiently. A formula like this can help you to avoid expensive mistakes, and in this course Maria shares this knowledge with you, demonstrating how to use the design cycle to it’s full potential. While each design project is different, common stages can be identified and used to build a pathway of automated steps to success. The following topics are among those covered...
- The Design Cycle – the natural stages of design development and what’s required at each stage of the process
- Design presentations – what’s enough and how much is too much?
- Concept Design Development – ousting the competition with minimal time & effort
- Safeguarding your Intellectual Property – simple steps to protect your ideas
- Maintaining Design Integrity – managing changes without loss of style
- Safeguarding Your Reputation – preserving your design reputation when things go wrong
- Success Blueprints – a selection of templates for you to adapt
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