Being at the cutting edge of all things design we thought it was appropriate that we embrace the changes that are afoot in website technology and practice what we are starting to preach by adopting responsive website design in our very own website.

What the heck is responsive website design you may ask? Well in a nutshell it’s simply the creation of one design to fit and respond to the particular platform, size and orientation of the display that will be rendering it, hence the name.

Responsive website design offers a way forward for designers and developers wanting to design for the mobile web. Instead of having the gargantuan task of customising and developing new designs for each new mobile gadget on the market seen with the recent boom in mobile internet and different devices*, the requirement is now to create website interfaces from the outset that will adjust the given content to smaller devices.

Given the high figures of mobile web users amongst the British public it’s quite startling really that 80% of companies in the UK are said to be ignoring the mobile revolution having failed to develop a mobile optimised website.**

Mobile websites shouldn’t be viewed with trepidation but rather they should be viewed as an exciting, growing channel to reinforce and compliment your existing website and brand. Now is the perfect time to think about your mobile marketing strategy and jump onboard an exciting web development that can’t and shouldn’t be ignored.

For more mobile website inspiration check out the following sites:
http://earthhour.fr/ – It may be in French but it doesn’t stop us loving this website and it’s for a good cause – tres bon.
http://www.dolectures.com – One day we’ll make it there, but in the meantime we have their website to inspire us
http://sasquatchfestival.com/ – Fun website for what looks to be a fun festival
http://8faces.com/ – I recently tweeted about this type loving magazine, their digital front ain’t bad either

* When asked about the ownership of mobile devices, the majority of UK consumers (59%) now own a smartphone, and 18% own a tablet device.
** The internet is clearly one of the main ways consumers are using these devices. Almost three quarters of consumers that have a mobile device (73%) said they have accessed a website on it in the last 12 months, 67% have used an app. In addition, when asked about what they are doing on these sites, 33% said they had made a purchase using a website on a mobile device in the last year,
while 26% had done so through a mobile app. Overall the surge in mobile internet usage, and the fact that consumers are using the mobile web to transact shows a further maturing of the industry and a willingness by consumers to take mobile functionality to the next level. (Mobile Report, EPiServer UK)

If you’re a bit of a print aficionado like myself then you’ll love this neat wee trailer for the official “Linotype: The Film”, a documentary about Ottmar Mergenthaler’s amazing Linotype typecasting machine and the people who own and love these machines today.  It’s currently in post production stage at the moment but you can find out more about it at http://linotypefilm.com/

Dear Santa….

Wacom introduces Inkling, a new digital sketch pen that captures a digital likeness of your work while you sketch with its ballpoint tip on any sketchbook or standard piece of paper.

The latest issue of dotMAG is out now with all our latest news and the chance for you to win some fabulous great design-inspired prizes.

To read a copy then please click here.

We really appreciate the importance of creating something that will ultimately fit the bill and be fit for purpose.

With this in mind we thought it would be good to share some of the working practises involved in the creation of a unique and original logo.

Nice to meet you

We usually recommend that we meet up with a prospective client if logistically possible. It’s always worthwhile as we gain so much more from meeting each other and are able to pick up on things that may get lost in translation were you to rely solely on email communications. We can also see if we ‘fit in’ with and ‘get’ one another.

We will usually ask the client a standard set of questions to get the background and potential scope of the business/organisation. It’s also a good time for the client to ask us any questions or think about things that they maybe hadn’t even considered. The aim of our questioning is to try to identify the personality, aims and values that the business/organisation wants to adopt and be communicated to the intended target audience through the final logo.

Once we have gleaned all the answers with regards the business/organisation (which may involve a bit more thinking on the part of the client after our initial meeting ) we can then begin the design research process.

© 2011+ logo design process illustration by dotRUN. All rights reserved.

Research

Before we put pen to paper and start brain storming we usually begin by looking at what is happening in the chosen industry and will look at industry competitors both locally and if need be at an international level. We will see how potential competitors position themselves and how they may be perceived – we will also make ourselves aware of any current trends happening in and outside the industry.

Let the ideas flow

We usually begin with pen and paper as it’s a lot more immediate to articulate ideas than working straight on the computer. It also gives us a chance to work out strong ideas and discard the weaker ones. Two heads can be better than one at this stage and ideas are discussed within the team to get the creative juices flowing.

Once we have a few promising initial ideas we then use them as a guide and basis for our design. We tend to use vector based software such as Adobe Illustrator to create our logo artwork as it’s important to be able to scale the logo to the required size whilst maintaining quality (resolution), which this software allows.

At this stage we will usually be looking at form, layout and typography and maybe one or two colour palettes.  We prefer to work without colour initially as this can be a big influencer in itself and may detract from the essence of the logo at this stage

I like it, but…

We will aim to send the client some draft mock-ups after about five days which is how long on average our process takes. Alongside the logos we will provide a small description to explain our thinking behind each design.

Feedback is crucial at this stage. For some it may be something as primal as a gut instinct with regards to liking or not liking our designs, we understand this and don’t take feedback personally. As designers we are trying to encapsulate what the client knows, thinks and/or feels about what their logo should be so it is always helpful if the feedback is straight-forward, logical and constructive so that there aren’t any misunderstandings.

This is a reiterative process which may just involve a few tweaks – if the client is not entirely satisfied then it’s back to the drawing board to draft more mock-ups. Colour is also introduced at this stage and again feedback from the client is vitally important.

Good job

Once the client has chosen the final design they must sign off and approve the final artwork. Once signed off we will provide the final logo in file formats suitable for both web and print and also in Pantone and CMYK colour palettes.  We also transfer full copyright to the logo once the final payment has been made.

At this stage we can also assign the logo to other brand collateral if this is to be part of a bigger branding exercise, or if required, devise some logo design guidelines for the client if  they want to ensure that strict rules are in place for future use of the logo.

So there you have it, with these simple but effective steps in place we can ensure we get it right.

We hope this blog post has been useful and welcome any feedback, comments or your own experience of getting a logo designed.

Designers on the Run were approached by the Scottish Business in the Community to help create a pioneering online business tool designed to help businesses make energy and, therefore, cost savings across various areas such as water, waste, transport etc. and signpost businesses to the various organisations that can help with these topics.

The online tool had to be interactive, informative, factual, relevant and above all easy to use by it’s target audience and based on an existing hard copy tool which the SBC were already using.

Design solution

Adobe Flash was used to build the online Envirowheel due to it’s neat dynamic, interactive and animation properties that were necessary in creating an attractive and engaging signposting tool.

The tool incorporates additional design elements so that it can be tailored for individual businesses. For instance, a bespoke version might be created for a business to promote specific messages around how employees can take action on environmental sustainability.

The Envirowheel’s unique design allows businesses to ‘embed’ and host the tool directly on their own websites, in the same way as Youtube videos and Google maps. This added functionality enables the user to actively encourage its’ supply chains to act more responsibly, further supporting their own environmental credentials and allowing them greater control of their emissions.

Results

Launched in Summer 2011 by Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson, and key members of the 2020 Climate Group, it is hoped that the Envirowheel will help facilitate businesses from all sectors, and all sizes, to identify the key environmental issues and support mechanisms that are available to help them operate in a more sustainable way.

BT Scotland director Brendan Dick, who chairs Scottish Business in the Community and is a member of the 2020 Climate Group, said: “The Envirowheel will help businesses in all sectors to understand what’s needed and integrate good practices into their workplaces. It’s not just about being responsible or meeting obligations, but, crucially in the current economic climate, it can also save them money.”

Lady Susan Rice, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland, who is a member of the 2020 Climate Group, said “In a society which by nature tends to make things more and more complicated, the Envirowheel really stands out for its simplicity.  It’s simple to use, simple to understand, and I can see how it would be genuinely helpful to a business, particularly a smaller one which doesn’t have a whole unit specialising on environmental matters.”

Client testimonial

Designers on the Run are an exceptional young team who have worked diligently to create, what we hope will become, the most important tool for environmental businesses support in Scotland. Their knowledge of the design process, their technical expertise and their account management experience exceeded our expectations. We will certainly be working with Designers on the Run in the future. - Todd Henshaw, Mayday Marketing Manager, Scottish Business in the Community.

www.sbcscot.com/envirowheel

So what is it about twitter that keeps me going back? The following list of 14 twitter attributes and usage examples is compiled by myself based on my own experience and therefore subject to scrutiny and debate:

1. Keep it short and sweet. Twitter allows you to tweet/communicate to the world via 149 characters which should allow for thoughtful and a succinct choice of words. This should curb uneccessary waffling and boredom on the part of your followers but hopefully shouldn’t curb entirely meaningful messaging. Tools like bit.ly come into their own here as domain names that include the whole alphabet should be compressed. Sticking to 149 characters should also allow for more creativity on the part of the twit but like txt messaging may cause havoc with your punctuation and grammar. For a better user experience stay clear of text messaging lingo and use sparingly and as you see fit. Less of the LOL please unless you are a 16 year old who follows Justin Bieber (incidentally JB is the 3^rd most followed twit in twitter land after Lady Gaga – find out more at http://twittercounter.com/pages/100)

 

2. Be interesting and interested. I get to follow people and entities I have a genuine interest in. From designers to comedians, the world is your oyster and there are sure to be plenty of twits out there to whet your appetite for whatever tickles your fancy. It is also a really good way to get informed about news and events as they happen and conversely share your news and worthwhile information with your followers just make sure it’s news-worthy, tweeting about the weather does not make for very interesting tweets unless you are the met office or standing at a bus stop tweeting the stranger standing next to you. (Ironically I did tweet about the weather of sorts yesterday due to the impending volcanic ash cloud – take note freaky weather observations are ALWAYS allowed…)

 

3. Job anyone? You may get work out of tweeting depending on who’s following you and how you ‘promote’ yourself. Beware of old-school salesmanship tactics here, if you don’t have anything else to talk about apart from your own merits then you risk losing followers and can come across as rather one-dimensional. It’s always best to nurture the twitter ties you build through genuine, interesting tweets.

 



© 2011+ twitter bird illustration by dotRUN. All rights reserved.

 

4. Create a dialogue. Following on from my previous point, tweeting is all about creating a dialogue between you and your followers and if your tweets are genuinely interesting then someone may ‘retweet’ them or reply to your tweet. Your comments may even become so popular that they’re coined into a hash tag (#) or your user name could start trending in the trend lists (although unless you are in the public eye, you stand a better chance of trending in your local list rather than at national level especially if you have a big following). If you want to refer to something popular or topical be sure to use the hash tag in return so that your tweet gets picked up in the live stream and trend lists.

 

5. Follow me. It isn’t a popularity contest although it’s always nice when more than a handful of people follow you. You may choose to follow in return all your followers or just follow the people that genuinely interest you – the rules of twitter etiquette are fairly open ended and you basically have the freedom to follow who you wish. To see how you are ranking against the Justin Beibers of this world go to http://twittercounter.com/ to see how you rank locally go to http://www.updood.com/

 

6. Professional v. personal profile. If you are using twitter for professional purposes it is advisable to separate your professional profile from your personal profile especially if you are assigned to represent your organisation or business. Your role and brand outlook should also define the ‘tone’ you take with your tweets and the level of professionalism you adopt.

 

7. Fight good causes. Twitter is a great tool to promote good causes and campaigns, and charities and NGO’s of all sizes have been quick to realise the power of twitter as a marketing tool to raise their profile in an already competitive market. Tools like Twibbon make it easy to promote your chosen cause by adding a twibbon (graphic) to your twitter avatar (your profile picture) that represents your cause which in turn increases the exposure of your brand, cause or campaign. Find out more about twibbon here: http://twibbon.com/

Part 2 coming soon…in the mean time let us know what you think.  To follow my tweets go to http://www.twitter.com/dotrun_uk

Sometimes an idea is best communicated with the use of both, as these infographics below demonstrate – they can really make the reader experience more engaging and enjoyable. There is also importantly less room for ambiguity or ill-communication as the visual should support the message and vice-versa.

The following are to be found in the GOOD website where they have a whole section dedicated to the medium of infographics that are often based on American public opinion about a topical issue that has social or political ramifications. Some of it makes for enlightening and surprising reading, but I find displayed through an infographic never boring.

Fair Trade: Understanding What's Behind the Label

Infographic: How Do Americans Feel About the Bin Laden Mission?

Infographic: School Cafeteria Food vs. Prison Food

We at dotRUN would love the opportunity to create a graphical way to display data and information, so if you think that this would be a useful for you or an avenue you would like to explore then please get in touch with us today!

The Waste Prevention team at Changeworks provides information to the public about how to reduce, reuse, recycle and home compost, in order to reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.

After winning the design tender, Designers on the Run were asked to redesign and revamp their current resources including the development for a new waste prevention project aimed at South Edinburgh – ‘Waste Free Edinburgh’.  This was to include the creation of a new logo and information booklet for the campaign.

Design solution

Logo design

The ‘Waste Free Edinburgh’ logo had to appeal to a mainly adult audience and be easily transferred to other media such as t-shirts, banners and umbrellas.  It also had to sit well alongside other resources we were being asked to design and retain the similar ‘family’ look and feel whilst also being able to stand-alone as a strong identity in it’s own right.

In our creation of the logo we have taken iconic landmarks of Edinburgh including the Edinburgh Castle skyline and interposed these with the ‘natural’ which includes the human, flora and fauna of Edinburgh.  The ‘hand’ represents the individual and community aspect of Edinburgh.

In the ‘Tree’ form you find the merging of the individual. community, place and nature which are all interdependant on each other.  The ‘Tree’ symbol is also an effective way to depict the aspirational ideals of the ‘Waste Free Edinburgh’ campaign.

Booklet design

The booklet was designed in keeping with the look and feel of other items in the suite. It was decided early on that each project would have it’s own signature colour and keep the typography and visual elements consistent across the board.

The booklet required the creation of individual icons, original illustration and art-directed photography to be used to sit alongside the text provided by the client.  The booklet demonstates an optimistic outlook for the vision of a ‘Waste Free Edinburgh’ through the use of bright, bold colours, positive imagery and useful and informative language.

Printing

Printed on 100% recycled paper with an ISO 1400, FSC and PEFC certified printer.

Results

During the summer of 2010, Changeworks’ Waste Prevention Advisors have knocked on the doors of over 12,000 households and spoken to over 5,000 residents in Prestonfield, St. Leonard’s, Newington, Moredun, Gilmerton, Hyvot’s Bank and Ferniehill. They have provided almost 4,000 residents with information on reducing the amount of waste they put out for collection.  Early results also suggest that they are on track to meet their targets to help get householders to reduce their waste by 10%.

For more information about the 10:10 campaign please visit http://www.1010global.org/

10:10 Chile from 1010 Chile on Vimeo.