Never underestimate the talents of an experienced designer

Too often, design is seen as the decorative part of branding, when in reality it is intrinsic to every successful product.

A key stage of the design process is locating a consumer need and then analysing what kind of product or service will not just meet this need, but supersede expectations.

It is important never to make assumptions. Douglas Adams wrote in his novel Mostly Harmless: “A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”

Brand owners must also avoid underestimating the talents of designers. As Bell’ s Ian Allison says, designers are frequently treated as suppliers, rather than collaborators.

Also in this supplement, design experts tackle other key issues in design today, including the impact of ethical consumerism, how to integrate creativity with effectiveness, and using packaging to win the supermarket war.

As described in the article about creating emotive work, eliciting a response is vital, because as all artists, composers and directors appreciate, connecting with emotions is fundamental to any great work.

We hope the following essays succeed in being engaging as well as enlightening, and ultimately help to inform your future design strategies.

Daney Parker

Special reports editor, Marketing Week