Learn how to run your design business, work with clients, manage expectations, and handle your finances.
QR codes – once dead by all practical standards – are back in a major way. The little block of squares that link your mobile device to a website has become the new norm in the (post) pandemic world of “contactless” everything. Scan and buy. Scan and sign up. Scan to pay now.
So, what do you need to know to use QR codes well now that users are more readily accepting this web technology?
Let’s dive back into QR codes.
How does the design process start for you? If you want to take ideation and creation to another level, conceptual design may be the place to start.
Conceptual design can actually help you better design an idea so that when you start the process of creation, it is more developed and functional. It’s a great starting point for any project, and can help you lay a solid foundation on which to build.
Here, we’ll walk through conceptual design and how you can use it to ideate and create more effectively.
Universal Design is not new, but the conversations around it are reinvigorated in an effort to create more accessible and equitable design projects.
The concept isn’t specific to websites or printed creative work, it extends to every field of design.
Universal design is rooted in a set of core principles that – when used as a foundation for creative work – can help you design in a way that helps minimize the need for assistive technology and makes products more usable by everyone, not just people with disabilities.
The most successful design projects often start with a successful business foundation. Whether you work on an agency team with other creatives or are a freelancer trying to sell your own products and services a solid web design proposal can help you win clients and set expectations for work.
Here’s everything you need to know about creating a web design proposal that will help you land new clients. We’ll discuss what a web design proposal is, how to write one, and share some helpful templates to get you started fast.
It’s a tool that every startup business or entrepreneur needs – a great pitch deck. A pitch deck is a presentation that you’ll use to help explain or showcase your product or service and potentially drives sales or investment. It needs to be polished and professional to do the job well.
Today, we’ll take a look at what a pitch deck is, how to make one, and how to establish a design that will wow people who come in contact with your new business.
We’ll also feature a few stunning pitch deck templates along the way, to help you get started fast.
It’s a common question: What does a new website cost?
It might be for a new brand or company that’s never had a website before or for an existing organization looking for a website design refresh. And the answer is a bit complicated.
It all depends on the path you want to take and your timeline for getting a new website online. Here, we’re going to break down the options available to you and the costs associated with a new website.
Plus, a few tips and rules to follow as you begin the process.
A good pitch deck is designed for specifically one thing – to help your startup get funding from investors. But how do you stand out from the crowd, and make a memorable impression?
There’s a delicate balance to creating a deck with just enough slides to entice potential funders, without providing so much information that they are overwhelmed.
Most pitch decks contain less than 20 slides. So how do you create a pitch deck design that stands out? Here are our ten tips to help you get started.
Whether you’re a designer wanting to show off work or have a request to create one for a client, a lookbook can be an effective way to showcase a variety of elements in a single design.
A lookbook is a portfolio of sorts and has wide application in a number of fields, including website design, graphic design, and development.
Here’s a guide to what a lookbook is, what to include in one when you start designing it, and some examples that are sure to help you find a little lookbook inspiration.
It can be hard to keep up with the latest trends in video marketing. Formats, apps, devices, platforms, and their features have moved lightyears ahead of where they were even a year or two ago. Sometimes it feels like the one thing that’s remained constant is the fact that including video as part of your strategy to increase your audience is crucial for every marketer. Video on mobile, laptop and tablet is only increasing year-on-year.
“The consumption of online video is growing rapidly,” asserts Jonathan Barnard, Head of Forecasting at the Zenith agency, “and the average person will spend half as much time viewing online video as they spend viewing conventional television this year.”
He may very well be right. And if he is, it means you’ll need to take a hard look at what your video strategy is, and consider giving it a major reboot, to ensure you’re getting the optimal chunk of viewers possible.
Congratulations, your freelance business is proving successful. But how do you handle talking about it or explaining freelance work to potential employers, or on your resume? It can be a hard subject to explain as a single entry on paper, and you don’t want freelance work to look like an employment gap.
There are some things you can do to on paper (and on LinkedIn) to help present freelance work in a way that is more understandable to others. The key for many freelancers – especially those working part-time – is remembering to include freelance work as part of your resume and design portfolio. Sometimes those jobs can be just the thing you need to help land the next big gig!
It might be the worst thing to happen to a design budget. Scope creep can bash timelines and obliterate budgets.
The best way to avoid this chaos is to beware of the causes of scope creep so that you can better manage projects.
But we all know that things are bound to go off the rails at some point, and we have some advice for how to manage those scope creep issues when they do happen.
This is not another article about how the pandemic has changed the way we work.
The reality is that plenty of creative professionals – especially freelancers – have been working from home and in remote environments for a long time. It’s probably why so many of us were quick to adapt when so many others hopped on Zoom or Slack for the first time.
But there are some skills you need to stay relevant in today’s job market in addition to that adaptability that you likely already have. If you are thinking of advancing your career (and who isn’t) as a freelancer, at your current job, or by changing jobs, keep reading.