Professional design usually starts with a brief. Then your designer will create mockups for approval, before producing the final design in the format you need. But the exact process will depend on the specific design service you need. Here are some of the most popular design services you can hire a designer for:
Branding & graphic design
A
branding designer specialises in developing visual brand identities. This can include
logo design and
typography design. But it might extend to consulting on a range of
graphic design tasks, as well as incorporating skills like
drawing and
illustration to create a truly unique look. Your branding designer will start by asking you a series of questions to dig deep into your goals and vision for the brand. They’ll talk about your audience, products, and services to find out what makes you unique and how that translates to a visual brand. They’ll help develop clear guidelines to help all future designs created to stay on brand and consistent with your style.
Print design
Need a specialist
print designer? Whether you need brand new
business cards designed,
packaging design,
brochures,
flyers, or
posters designed… or even an
invitation for your event, a print designer can help. They’ll find out the specs needed by your printer, including file format and dimensions. You’ll need to brief them on your task, including examples of designs you like, a visual brand style guide for your business, and information on how the finished product will be used. Then they’ll put together your initial design (proposing a few options), before making changes based on your feedback. Finally, they’ll send through the finished design in the format your printer needs.
Digital design
Need designs for online? A
digital designer may specialise in a range of online platforms and design styles, including
landing page design,
UI design,
UX design, and even
meme design to create content for your social media. Your designer will chat with you about your goals, audience, and brand. They’ll ask questions, like: what do you want to achieve from the project? Who is the audience for the project? What platform and specifications does the design need to fit? What are some examples of similar designs you like or projects you’ve done in the past? They’ll use software (like Adobe, Canva, or Balsamiq) to mock up your designs and present a first draft. After you (and/or your focus group) provide feedback, they’ll make changes and finalise the design so it’s ready to go live.
3D design & animation
Some designers specialise in
animation design, which is a mix between graphic design and video editing. They create motion graphics for ads, explainer videos, and similar projects. Or you might need to hire a
CAD designer who can do
3D modelling to bring your designs to life using software like
Autocad or
SketchUp.
3D rendering is used across a range of industries, including video game production, science, architecture, construction, and film production. Your designer may use pen and paper to roughly mockup the designs before producing them using their chosen software. You’ll get the chance to check over the design or animation and request changes before producing a final design, ready to use in your project or business.
