Graphic design is a visualization of ideas and objectives. It is a combination of symbols, images, colour, typography and layout that produces a message or result.

Clients who want “graphic design services” are often looking for products like:

• Stationery
• Print/online ads
• Packaging
• Websites
• Brochures
• Publication design

Communication design is more strategic. It includes not only the graphic design of products, but also their medium(s) and media channels.

Communication design is more of a brand identity (logo, brand elements, colours, theme, messaging) that is transmitted via a series of products (business card, tradeshow display, website) and outputs (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, press releases). Communication design involves strategic planning, market research and measuring results.

Clients who want “communication design services” are often looking for:

• Brand strategy
• Branding campaigns
• Marketing strategy

For more information on graphic and communication design services — and what to ask for — check out our list of creative services.

Related Information

 Is your brand feeling less than fresh? Check out our blog article about the 3 Types of Rebranding.

1. Your Numbers Are Down

Are you noticing a lack of traffic to your site? Visitors won’t linger long on a site that doesn’t stay current and fresh. And if they don’t stick around, they probably aren’t keen to return.

Maybe your website isn’t optimized for SEO. If it isn’t ranking well in search engines, no one can find it. And if no one can find it, they can’t find you or your business.

2. You’ve Changed

Have your company’s goals or products changed? If yes, does your current website reflect these changes? Your website should always reflect your brand. Consistency is one of the biggest drivers of brand loyalty. The extent of the redesign could mean updating some content, adding a new line of products or changing the look and feel.

3. Your Website Looks Out-Dated

Is your website layout optimized for 800 x 600 or smaller? Are you still using Flash? Take a look at some of the biggest brands’ websites. How does your website measure up in comparison? In the world wide web, design trends have a short shelf-life so it’s important to stay competitive.

4. You Aren’t Social

Social media trends come and go. But the persistence of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn means that social media is here to stay. If your website isn’t making it easy for visitors to spread your content on tried and tested social websites, you may need a refresh.

5. It’s Been Awhile

Sometimes, only time will tell. If it’s been 12 months since your last refresh, your website design probably needs some updating. If it’s been 3 or more years, you may need a redesign.

If you’re still unsure, survey your clients or customers. You may suspect that your website needs a certain level of updating, but gauging that level can be difficult. One of the best ways to be certain whether you need a refresh or a redesign is to ask the people who use your website. Usability testing will tell you what your weaknesses are, and the extent of the damage control required.

“Spec work” is work that is done without any guarantee of compensation. Sometimes, companies will ask designers to submit spec work in order to attain a job. Outsourcing design work to a large group of people in order to find the best execution (known as “crowdsourcing”) is another form of spec work.

Agencies like Burnaby’s HiretheWorld have popularized so-called design or idea “contests.” Rather than hire qualified professionals, these agencies put out a call for entrants on behalf of companies seeking design work. The designer who “wins”, gets the job. The others are out both time and money.

So, what’s wrong with a little friendly competition?

Competitions can be a good way to source ideas from creative minds everywhere. However, client-designer relationships play a crucial role in achieving marketing goals. Spec work is often incompatible with a client’s brand positioning, marketing strategies and target audience. This can result in inefficiencies and increased costs to the client. And according to the GDC, spec work “hardly ever gets to the market.” Clients who choose to foster a relationship with their designer will reap tremendous benefits and ROI.

Many clients may be unaware of the pros vs. cons of requesting spec work. Perhaps they have never worked with a designer before and want to make sure they are hiring the right firm. An alternative to requesting spec work is education. The GDC provides resources to clients seeking designers, including the design buyers guide. This guide addresses the design process, how to evaluate design needs, and how to choose and work with designers. Rather than crowdsource spec work, clients could interview certified designers and assess their portfolios.

Knowing your target audiences

Before you start creating a mobile marketing strategy for your company, you must first find out more about your target audience. Here is a list of the things you need to find out and be aware of before going onwards with your mobile marketing strategy.

• Whether or not your customers have the latest applications on their smartphones or if they are basic users without a smartphone.
• What kind of services do your customers use on their smartphones? Social media, gaming, web surfing, online coupons, or apps?
• What kind of service or information are your customers looking for when they visit the website?
• How long on average are they on the mobile web? (Daily, Weekly)
• Who is your primary target audience? What are they after when they visit your mobile website?

After understanding your customers’ needs and desires when visiting your mobile website, the second step in creating an effective mobile web experience is to take those needs and desires and turn them into an effective user experience for your customers when they visit your mobile website.

Factors to consider when creating a mobile website

Aside from the customers’ needs and wants, there are also other factors that you will need to consider when you build your mobile website.

• The layout of the information: most users use the mobile web because they want information in a hurry. Take out all the unnecessary information. It is important to figure out what the key pieces of information your visitors are looking for. Keep the number of pages to a minimum!
• Screen size: Screen size is an important factor when designing for the mobile web because there are so many different smartphones out there with different screen sizes.
• The simpler the better: Users are often easily distracted; do not include ads or unnecessary distraction on your mobile website. Avoid having links that open in a new window or horizontal scrolling on the page. In addition, keep the steps involved on the contact page as few steps as possible.
• Download speed and bandwidth: Avoid using unnecessary images or videos on your mobile site. This will obviously slow down the page loading time of your mobile site. Limit the byte size of images and the amount of text on the page in order for the website to load quickly.
• Visibility and Sensitivity: Do not have text or tabs that are small and hard to navigate. Links should be big and easy to click with fingers (finger-friendly).
• Consistency: Your mobile site should be designed with the same brand identity as your primary site. That way, users can easily identify your brand on the mobile web.
• Test, test, and test again: Try viewing your mobile website on different smartphones. Even though it may display fine on your iPhone, it may not look the same on Android or BlackBerry devices…or the new Windows Phone 7.

By knowing your target audience’s needs and desires, it will allow your company to create a more effective mobile user experience, which will lead to a greater return on investment in the future.

Mobile technology is one of the most rapidly growing industries in the world today. According to studies and research, mobile Internet usage has increased 30% every year since 2009. During the first half of 2011, there were approximately 4 billion mobile phone users around the world; 1.08 billion of those were smartphone users. And the numbers are only rising. Experts predict that mobile usage will exceed desktop Internet usage by 2014.

 
Image Credit: Digital Buzz Blog

 
Video Credit: Digital Buzz Blog

The difference between a mobile website and a normal website

The main difference between a mobile website and a normal website is that the mobile version is a “toned down” version of the website. The mobile version can be loaded and viewed faster on smartphones. Every mobile website is designed with easy navigation in mind. They only display important information in order to give users immediate access to information.

One significant design feature of a mobile site is a simple one touch feature for users. An example of this is “call us” or “find us,” which gives users the ability to contact and locate businesses with the push of a button.

 
Still not convinced? Here are 5 reasons you should optimize your website for mobile viewing:

1. Mobile search index: Google has a separate search index for mobile content. This means that when you search for a website on your smartphone, the businesses with mobile sites will come up first. This is especially important to restaurant owners as many people look for food on the go. If your restaurant’s website does not show up in the mobile search, you are losing out on potential customers.

2. Smartphone-specific features: Some features, like GPS and Google Maps, are specifically designed for smartphones. You don’t want to miss out on a sale because someone couldn’t easily locate your business.

3. Competition: If your competitor has a mobile website but you don’t, you are allowing them to get a head start in the mobile market.

4. Positive user experience: Browsing a normal website on a mobile device is a pain and it greatly hampers the usability of the site. Bad user experience might lead to dissatisfaction and frustration. By creating a mobile site, you also create better user experience. And a happy customer is a returning customer.

5. Location-based search: These days, more customers are finding your site through location-based search. This new technology connects users to your website when they are in close geographic proximity. In fact, Google research has found that 1/3 of mobile searches are local and 59% result in an actual visit to that local business!

Tips on optimizing your website for mobile viewing

When designing for mobile, here are some things you should know:

1. Users are not concerned about the details on a mobile website; they just want to get the information they are looking for quickly and easily.

2. Use small images and try to reduce the amount of pop-up windows.

3. Don’t use scripting languages, flash, videos or complex objects.

4. Don’t use tables or fixed size objects.

5. Don’t use large images. They take too long to load.

6. Don’t include lengthy text or paragraphs. Give people only the information they want.

Rebranding isn’t just a simple update of your company logo. It’s a process that can take weeks or months. It involves a reassessment of your brand positioning, core values and business strategy. This sounds like a lot of work, but if you are looking for that competitive edge over other businesses in your industry, rebranding can give you just the advantage you are looking for.

When you are considering a rebrand, you must be fully committed to it. This is why working with the right branding agency is so important. Once you’ve chosen an agency, you must commit to working with them throughout the entire process. Severing this relationship is costly and inefficient.

There are different types of rebranding, and the right agency can help you decide which one is appropriate for your business.

3 Types of Rebranding

1. Brand Refresh:

This type of rebranding is a refresh of your current brand; it is a tightening of your brand that keeps you up-to-date. A refresh is used when your company’s logo and image has become outdated and/or there has been a slight shift in your goals and objectives. Your branding agency will apply this refresh throughout your company, updating all print materials, websites, retail environments and packaging design.

The evolution of Apple’s logo is an interesting example of a refresh.

 
Image Credit: InstantShift.com

2. Brand Merger

A brand merger combines two or more brand platforms into one. This occurs when there is a merger or acquisition, or when your company undergoes new management. In some cases, the merger is a good fit, and the rebranding comes naturally. An example of this is when you can combine two existing logos to make one cohesive image. But if the two brands don’t work well together, you may be better off to undertake a full rebrand.

Kinko’s and FedEx is one example of a brand merger.

 
Image Credit: PRNT.D

3. Full Rebrand:

A full rebrand is the whole works. It involves a new approach, and a strategic direction for your entire brand platform. A full rebrand sometimes occurs when there is a shift in the leadership position of your company. In other instances, there might be a change in your products or services, or an expansion of your company into another sector of the market. Most of the time, a full rebrand is required when your current brand is failing to connect with your audience. This keeps your company from reaching its maximum potential. A full rebrand helps your company re-establish your brand image in the market, recreating that connection to your target audience.

For an example of a full rebrand, check out the City of Melbourne.

 
Image Credit: Corporate Logos

Starbucks image credit: Brainstorm9

What are QR codes and how do they work?

QR codes are two-dimensional barcodes that are read by smartphones. Similar to regular barcodes, QR codes were first used to keep track of inventory. But due to their efficiency and capacity for information storage, QR codes have emerged as an impactful marketing tactic.

There are a number of QR code generators. Once generated, the codes are strategically placed on diverse mediums and read by smartphone apps. This allows companies to share information and marketing initiatives with the public.

KIMBO Design’s QR code:

 
How to use QR codes in your campaign

Marketers can implement QR codes in creative ways in order to engage their target audience.

Customization: Some QR code generators allow users to customize the format and colour of their codes. This option allows marketers to match their codes with their company or campaign branding.

Placement: QR codes can be placed pretty much anywhere. This makes it easy for campaigns to connect with their target audience. QR codes have been placed on the following mediums for maximum engagement:

• Mobile website
• Product packaging
• Window and outdoor signage
• Television ads
• Company vehicles
• T-shirts
• Company stationery

URLs: QR codes are a call-to-action for your campaign. In addition to driving traffic to your campaign website, you can also link to the following destination URLs:

• Facebook page
• Blog post
• Image, music clip or video
• Sign up or feedback form

Examples of creative QR code use

Likify codes are an example of clever QR code marketing. Likify is similar to Facebook’s Like. When the scanner reads the QR code, it links the smartphone to a fully functional Like button on your campaign’s Facebook page. You can track your QR code scans via analytic websites such as QRStuff.com.

Food decoration is another example of creative QR code use. These codes link to the bakery’s website:

 
Photo Credit: Fast Company

For more great ideas, consult this list of creative QR code uses. And if you want to get really inspired, check out N Building’s QR code façade!

QR code usage and statistics

Still not convinced? Let the statistics sway you.

This pie chart demonstrates the percentage of smartphones and devices around the world that were equipped with a QR code reader for the first half of 2011:

 
Image Credit: YouScan.me

This bar graph shows the growth of QR code usage from Q4/2009 – Q1/2011:

 
Image Credit: 3GVision

QR codes make it simple and easy to connect

With such a rapid increase in the use of smartphones and engagement with social media, QR codes can put you well on your way to that ROI you’ve been aiming for.

In addition to practicing sustainable design and green printing, part of our mission is to implement HR and workplace sustainability initiatives. We practice the three “R’s”, we hire only when necessary – preferring to retain the skills and attributes of our dedicated employees – and we promote healthy living with office orders of local, organic fruits. But as an environmentally-conscious agency, we know that there is more to “going green” than reducing, reusing and recycling, so we invited one of David Suzuki’s ambassadors into our office.

The David Suzuki at Work program provides interactive workshops to businesses looking to demonstrate their eco-consciousness in the office. Most people spend more waking time at work than they do at home. This makes “greening your workplace” both logical and necessary.

As a small boutique agency with only five full-time employees, KIMBO Design already has a sustainability advantage over big businesses and corporations. To put it simply: we use less. But every organization, no matter how big or small, can make improvements. Our Suzuki workshop helped us adopt the following green practices:

1.    Walk, bike or take transit to work every day.
2.    Bring reusable water bottles and coffee mugs to work.
3.    Bring reusable lunch bags to work.
4.    Always print double-sided and only when necessary.
5.    Use refillable ink cartridges.
6.    Keep the blinds open for natural light.
7.    Use only compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), and remove unnecessary bulbs.
8.    Turn off all monitors at the end of the day and put computers on sleep mode.

At the conclusion of our workshop, we were awarded a “Certificate of Completion.” Having successfully created a greener workplace, we are constantly on the lookout for ways to enhance our brand by improving our space.

When I attended the HTML5 Summer DevFest at the Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver, I was amazed by all the information presented at the seminar. One particular topic of interest was CSS3.

I wrote an article about the introduction of HTML5 not long ago. At the time of writing this article, CSS3, just like HTML5, is still fairly new. Even to this day, Firefox 4.01 and Internet Explorer 9 does not fully support CSS3. I must emphasize the word “fully.” Take, for instance, the ability to create animations using CSS3. Of all the web browsers I have used to visit websites that contain CSS3 animation, Google Chrome 12 is the browser to use because it displays these animations flawlessly. Try some of the links below and you’ll see what I mean.

www.paulrhayes.com/experiments/cube-3d
3D CSS3 transformation only works in Chrome and Safari – other browsers display an error.

www.joelambert.co.uk/morf
CSS3 transition effects only work in Chrome and Safari – other browsers display an error.

With CSS3 and HTML5, websites are becoming less static and more dynamic. At the same time, these new markup languages make it easier for web developers to utilize creativity and general awesomeness. For example, with CSS3, you can implement text shadows, rounded corners, box shadows, 3D effects, 3D animations and multiple columns of text on a webpage.

Now, I am not going to get too much into specifics here, but take, for example, a rectangular box on a webpage with rounded corners. The process of changing a value of an attribute in CSS3 just to make a rounded corner more or less round is quick and easy. It is much easier than modifying an image in Photoshop and then re-exporting it.

With CSS3 and HTML5, web developers can do special effects on web pages. Because these markup languages are still evolving, KIMBO Design is developing websites utilizing HTML5 and CSS3 for select clients. In the meantime, I will just have to wait for Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera to come out with versions that fully support these markup languages. When this happens, CSS3 and HTML5 cross-browser issues will become a thing of the past.

Be Consistent
The user interface should reflect the prevailing standards. Most software programs have operations that are common across each application. For example, the copy, cut, and paste functions. These functions are always placed under the same drop-down menu. This helps maintain user productivity as the user does not have to struggle with learning the fundamentals of each application.

Following common user standards also helps to prevent user frustration. Let’s take for example the hot key Control-C. Most of us know that Control-C is commonly used to copy something. Now, if a new program uses Control-C to exit, this will no doubt cause users unnecessary hardship and frustration. If the user experiences enough of these frustrations, he or she will eventually turn to an alternative solution and ditch the application altogether.

Reduce the Workload
Operations should be achieved with minimum user activity. Too much “mousing around” and too many mouse clicks will most likely discourage the user from continuing to use the application.

You can reduce the user’s workload by building intelligence into the application or platform. Like in a word processing program, the spell check function should not require the user to enter the dictionary path each time it is used. The program should be set up intelligently so that each time the user uses the program, he or she should not need to repeat the same procedure over and over again.

Reduce the Skill Required
In many cases, the user goes through a learning curve when navigating a new desktop website or mobile website. The user must first come to terms with how to navigate the elements. Like many basic functions in a paint program, drawing tools are gathered together in a panel of icons. In the user’s mind, the toolbox metaphor reinforces the idea that in order to apply a function, that tool must first be selected.

One of the most important and effective means of making it easier for a user to learn how to navigate a website or platform is to provide the user with visual choices. Let the user select from a panel of options by allowing the user to point and click away. Try not to make the user memorize the available options.

Two way Communication
Keeping the user informed at all times is a vital component. During long operations, provide continuous or regular progress reports. Provide an accurate description of the problem when an operation fails or has gone wrong. When an error occurs, help the user recover from that error and restore normal operations as quickly as possible.

It is also important to present available options in a clear and concise manner. Don’t be ambiguous.

What You See Is What You Get
In a what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) environment, the user has the ability lay out a document without the need to constantly invoke preview mode. A WYSIWYG environment usually shields the user from unnecessary information. If text is to be in bold, it should show on the screen as bold rather than displaying codes or other technical jargon.

Test…Test…and Test…Provide a Stable Environment
The existence a consistent menu bar or environment will keep the user in a familiar territory – one that makes learning a lot easier. However, this does not mean that a dynamic menu bar cannot be deployed successfully. For example, in a multi-application environment, there should be clear distinctions between the different aspects of the program, such as an integrated word processor, a spreadsheet, and a database program. When the program is about to switch mode, alert the user that the program is about to enter one of the other fundamental modes.

Graying out the unavailable options in drop-down menus or dialog boxes is also effective for maintaining a stable environment while limiting options.

Visual Aesthetic of Good UI and User Experience Design
Every visual element that suddenly pops up on the screen could potentially distract the user’s attention. If you design and develop an environment that is pleasant to work in, the user will most likely understand the information that is presented and enjoy using the application or platform.