One of the misconceptions I hear quite often is that graphic designers just make things pretty.
And yes, while that is true for some designers most of us are more than just pixel pushers. I do want your logo, business card, brochure or website to look great - absolutely. But there is a lot more to graphic design than choosing a nice colour and a pretty font.
Good design is about solving problems
When I start a design project, I am thinking about much more than how it will look. I am thinking about what we need the design to achieve, what the objectives and goals of this project are, how that fits in with any future plans and, most importantly, who needs to use and understand it.
Is the information easy to understand?
If you have a brochure with lots of information, for example, my job isn't to squeeze every last word onto the page.
It is to work out what is important, what needs to stand out and how we can make the information easy to follow and easy to read.
That might mean changing the layout, breaking information into sections, using headings, adding space or making some information more prominent than other information.
The same goes for a website, just adding extra content to a website without thought for the customer journey, easy and logical navigation and readability is a is a recipe for a confusing and frustrating experience.
The aim is to help people find what they need without having to work too hard and keep it looking great.
Does it communicate the right message to the right people?
This is when I become a part-time detective and start looking for clues. Who are we talking to? What do they need to know? What matters to them? And what do we want them to do next?
Your visual identity says something about your business before anyone reads a word.
Colours, fonts, images, layout and even the amount of white space all contribute to how your business is perceived.
Thoughtful, considered design, not just pretty makes sure those visual choices are helping to communicate who you are and what you offer.
Is it going to be printed?
Designing something for print involves a whole other set of decisions.
What size should it be? What type of paper will work best? Does the design need to work on a standard office printer, or will we be sending it to a commercial printer or both? How will it look when it's folded, trimmed or bound? Will there be enough space for important information and enough margin around the edges?
There are also practical considerations like paper weight, finishes, colour reproduction and the number of copies you need.
And the difference between what colours look like on screen and then when printed can be quite profound. Your designer should know this and be able to
A design might look fantastic on screen, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will work well as a printed piece. Good print design considers how the finished item will actually be produced, how it will be distributed into the hands of your target audience and how they will use it.
Does it work for the people using it?
This is where accessibility comes in.
A design can look fantastic and still create barriers for some people.
Maybe the text and background don't have enough contrast. Maybe the font is difficult to read. Maybe important information is only shown through colour. Or perhaps a beautifully designed PDF is difficult to navigate using a screen reader.
These aren't just technical details. They affect whether people can actually access and understand your information.
That's why I think about accessibility as part of the design process, not something to add at the end.
So what does a graphic designer actually do?
A graphic designer helps turn your ideas and information into visual communication that works.
That could mean:
Making complicated information easier to understand
Creating a clear visual hierarchy
Helping people find the information they need
Choosing fonts and colours that are appropriate and readable
Creating a visual identity that reflects your business
Making sure your marketing works across different formats
Creating consistency across your communications
Considering accessibility so fewer people face unnecessary barriers
So yes, I want your design to look good.
But I also want it to work.
Because pretty is nice. But if people can't understand your message, find what they need, or use your content, what is the point?
Good design looks good. Great design works hard.
