Streamline Your Design Process and Avoid Burnout!

As designers, when we receive a brief for a new project, the information can come from multiple sources within a team, a company, or directly from a client.

Over many years I’ve discovered key ways to streamline my design processes by structuring how I receive and exchange information, automate my workflow and prevent deadline overwhelm.

Here are a few of my go-to processes that I have learned along the way:

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Brand guidelines

Why do we need it

Brand guidelines are essentially the brand bible of a business. It outlines the core business values, persona, tone of voice and design principles such as usage of typography, logos, imagery and colour.

How can it help?

It’s a key reference point for everyone in the business. A standard that must be held across all out going communications. As designers before we start any project this is what we need to give us an accurate guide to brand essence.

Content planner

Why do we need it?

Most large e-commerce businesses have a content plan. A content plan gives us insight to what communications are planned for the business over each quarter.

How can it help?

As designers we can use content plans to plan our time effectively and prepare in advance for any up coming work. Creating a timeline based on a content plan buys us time to:

• preparing our research

• Gather information

• Hire extra help if required

• Create templates in advance

• Prepare automation for faster turnaround

• Ask the necessary questions before a project

• Reduce overwhelming

• Highlight unrealistic deadlines

• Create realistic timeframes

• Plan out revisions

• Prepare with other team in advance

Keeping up to date with a business content plan can help us create a steady timeline for design delivery in stages and manage expectations from all parties involved.

Briefing document

Why do we need it?

The most important thing to do before starting a project is to get clear on the requirements.

Without a comprehensive design brief, nothing can go ahead!

Firm but fair! Why… because missing out on any red flags at the start can lead to budget problems, long drawn out projects and revision overwhelm

How can it help?

What should be included in a design brief?

Project owner

Deadline

Budget

Brief overview of the project

Deliverables

Projected timeline

Once this information is populated, we now have a clear of how to tackle the project and what tools we will need to complete it.

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Design system

Why do we need it?

Design systems have changed the way we work for the better. A design system removes many repetitive tasks, improves consistency and enables faster turnaround times if you have a good set up and sometimes useful plugins.

How can it help?

A design system includes:

The basics

Colours styles

Typography styles

Grids and layouts

Spacing and sizing

Components

Component variants

Buttons

Navigation

Icons

And more…

Documentation

Annotations

Collaborative working

Naming conventions

Team library

Layout

Auto layout templates

A design system enables you to quickly create designs that align with a brand’s look and feel without reinventing the wheel each time.

Template system

Generating a suite of commonly used designs are again a time saving strategy that you can tweak as needed.

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Automation

Why do we need it?

Save time by half! Using Figma software tools can help you automate your content creation.

How can it help?

By using specific naming conventions you can set up a range of components and variables. This can allow you to create assets that can interchange images, copy and layouts automatically. You can also use plug-ins to auto fill your text and imagery.

Production brief

Why do we need it?

I thought I’d add the production brief on here as it has been a total lifesaver when it comes to helping create a smooth line of communication from designer to developer!

How can it help?

A production brief is a detailed document that outlines the necessary design attributes required in order to transition a flat design to html.

It highlights the interactive sections, the function of every design element and the design attributes such as colour and fonts etc…

This document helps bridge the design to dev gap!

So there you have it! A a suite of processes that have been pivotal in my time as a designer!

Want to implement this into your business?

Get in touch! hello@jadefearondesign.com