The Super Productive Inhouse Designer

If you currently work as a designer or have another creative career in-house, you know it. The in-house creative accomplishes more with less. With over 15 years working as a designer in-house, I've learned a few tricks of the trade that have made me a little bit more productive. Unlike some articles on the internet, I won't concentrate on the use of apps or to-do lists. Instead, I will share my designer tips on accomplishing work swiftly and efficiently.

Know Your Stuff

The number one secret to productivity is not really a secret. You can accomplish more when you know your stuff inside out. There are multiple ways to accomplish a task, find the one that works best for you. You can take workshops, go to conferences, or search the internet for videos of what you want to learn. I highly recommend Lynda and Skillshare as learning resources; in addition, there are also plenty of books you can read to accomplish the same. Everyone learns things differently, the key to your productivity is finding what works for you and to keep learning so your skills are not left behind.

Create a Template for Success

You might think I'm kidding, but I'm serious. In order to produce in-house, you'll need a formula for success, and creating templates is part of that formula. The templates will free your time to create complicated projects and will allow you to hand-off easy projects to a non-designer. You can also create templates for your own personal use. This is where a Branding Manual becomes much more than just rules. By using some manuals, you can create layouts with grids at different sizes, you can save color files, and styles.

Reuse and Recycle

We've all done it. We created a million and one versions of a design for a client. And some of those versions were so incredibly bad to us that we refused to show those to our client. Because you're an inhouse designer you have the power to reuse materials used in a different year. If you have an event and are crunched for time, the best thing to do is to start from something perhaps a design used a different year. You can update that design a bit by using a different cover graphic and/or a change in color. The point is to change the design enough so that it's noticeably different but the same. 

In terms of recycling, you can use a discarded design for a different client. Yes, you heard me right. Remember those designs that a client never saw because you decided that there were other better choices, well now's the time to dig those designs from the past and start from there. And if there's something particularly wrong with that design, then you have the benefit of having been away from the project so long that you can easily make changes. 

Take a Break

Burn out decreases productivity. It seems counter-productive but you might benefit from a break to be a bit more productive. Our minds are not meant to be constantly working without a break. If you give yourself space, you'll be more likely to get that work waiting for you completed quicker. I schedule breaks into my schedule. 

I hope you learned a tip or two from this post. I'll keep sharing what I've learned. If you'd like me to cover any topic, please let me know below.

Take a Risk & Take a Picture (aka Photography with Purpose #2)

As the digital world turns even more social, knowing how to take a good photo is a great asset...well more like a must if you're aim is of a professional nature. Social media posts with photos get more clicks. I know you've heard that statement dozens of times by many bloggers and social media experts.  But what if you had more than the plain 'ol photo for your post or blog? Take a moment and imagine yourself as the author of one-of-a-kind photos no one can duplicate. Imagine how much more engaged your audience could be with your new found authenticity. In a previous post, I discussed photography with purpose where I was speaking to branding with photos and now I'm sharing the second part to that post, which is taking awesome photos. I will tell you why every entrepreneur, blogger and graphic designer needs to take steps to learn the basics of photography. I will divulge the little things I discovered on my little quest to improve my photography.

As a graduate of graphic design, I was required to take a photography course; but it was in high school that I had my first experience with a camera and developing in the darkroom. Since college, I hadn't been seriously interested in photography until I took a free photo class near my 9 to 5. After taking the class a few years ago, I bought my first digital camera, the NIKON 3100 and I'm glad I did.

My Experiment Starts Here

A few weeks ago, I decided to start one of my learning experiments to refresh my photography skills. I volunteered to photograph the talented blogger, Mercedes Sanchez, for her blog BeChicMag.com. My intention was to learn while giving and it worked. I have learned so much in a matter of weeks and here's how I did it.

Each week, I took 15 minutes out of my time to shoot Mercedes. The short amount of time helped me get much quicker at selecting my settings and starting to shoot. I could have stopped there and just do the same thing every following week, however, I wanted to improve. After each shoot, I evaluated the photographs, selected the best photos and retouched them using Photoshop. I've actually improved my Photoshop skills which was an added bonus of my experiment. I tried a variety different filters to make the photos pop as some were flat in the very beginning.

The Learning Curve

On my first day out, I decided to shoot outdoors by a park. Natural light is great and I will tell you that it is easier than lighting indoors. I learned that lighting under trees is unpredictable. I used a semi-automatic setting because it was easier to adjust given my time constraints and lighting difficulty. I completely recommend using aperture or shutter speed priority to those starting out.  I took pictures from high, low, and behind objects. I learned a lot about depth of field and how it affect how objects are photographed.

Outside of taking the photos, I was learning to be prepared for the next shoot. I freaking read the manual, not that I know it by heart, but I read it. I watched you tube videos on posing and read a million online articles about lighting. I took pictures every time I saw something interesting. It didn't matter whether it was good or bad but I did just to see the outcome. I practiced with my little family. Thankfully, they still love me.

You Can and Should Do This!

I can'tell you enough how much photography is important to your personal brand and getting your blog or business off the ground. Just take a look at your Instagram feed, paying close attention to the people you follow and try to evaluate their photography. Photos are especially important if you're not a celebrity. If your blog is your money-maker then photography matters. The more attention your photography gets, the more eyes you get, the more exposure and income you will have. For me, having this experiment has made an impact on how I see the world around me. As a graphic designer, it has opened my eyes. I can see the details even more than before. I can notice things in an instant. It's very helpful because it saves time and headaches. I know my faults though sometimes I accept them and move on because of time constraints. So take a risk and take a picture, it's worth it and you won't be disappointed.

See my progress on Instagram @may.wonders

Are you a professional photographer? Do you have any tips for me? I would appreciate your comments below.

Top 5 Lessons Learned at the HOW Design Conference

Fred Harrison, one of the conference speakers, gave the audience bags to explode. We're all record holders at recordsetter.com. One of the main messages of Sam Harrison's talk was to pay attention to surroundings.

I wondered if it was possible to actually learn something from everyone I encountered at the HOW Design 2014 Conference so I decided to take notes and see.

I love learning and although many people are turned off by conferences, I enjoy them. Going to the HOW Design Conference was a dream come true, not because I hadn't attended before, but because Stefan Sagmeister, designer rock star, was going to be there. I realized a dream and also learned quite a few lessons from everyone, but the five talks below made lasting impressions on me that will remain for a long time.


1. A Designed Life with Donovan/Green - This husband/wife team taught me that one can have better results working with the right clients.Their company grew and had a lot of success because they valued diversity of thought and hired those that were better than they were at their craft. But the most important lesson learned was to focus on what you want and to do what feels right.

2. Stanley Hainsworth's Stories of Success. Our most successful ideas can come after work hours. Infusing your passions into your work can yield great results. Everything you  do or have done,can inform your ideas and point you in the right direction.

3. Justin Ahrens Puts His Money Where His Heart Is. Mr. Ahrens is very passionate about helping the world through good. He devotes his time to charity and believes that passion brings out the best version of you. Ahrens thinks that we become what we repeatedly do so we must be aware of our habits. I was encouraged to listen to Drew Houston's commencement speech and it was the best advice. I'm paying it forward and have included it below:

4. Zing Zone with Sam Harrison - Our creativity ZONE can be achieved by following a five step process. The steps include Explore, Experiment, Exhale, Examine, Express.

5. Bob Gil on Ideation - This 83-year old reminded us that we're influenced by culture, but we should ignore it because trends are not ideas. Having a point of view brings out your best and most unique work.

I encourage everyone to go to this particular conference because you'll be surrounded by so many creatives that who knows... maybe you'll be the next Drew Houston!

Thirst Is Nothing, Image Is Everything

When I was in high school, one of the popular kids was selected to be in a Sprite commercial. I remember watching that commercial many times and until this day I remember the line "Thirst Is Nothing, Image is Everything." At the time, I didn't quite get the point  but now it has meaning. In the commercial, my classmate drank Sprite because he saw former NBA player, Grant Hill, drink and inferred that he could also be as good as Grant Hill by drinking Sprite. And that is the essence of image. It is the way someone/brand presents themselves and the impression it makes on us. 
So I wondered if it's at all possible to change our image even when people already have impressions of us. When it comes to design is image important? How do we use image to inform our decisions?

My Brand Is Really Your Brand

A Psychology Today web article states that our perceptions are "actually built largely on unconscious inferences that are made employing factors such as a person’s body language, voice, clothing, appearance, and social category." And these perceptions are the reason why I love and hate the existence of a personal brand image. The idea that success maybe linked to perception seems unjust to me. Although that is the case, being the maker of your own destiny can give you the driver's seat, it can give you power. A brand/personal image can also be created by a team of smart publicist/public relations department to change perception. But if you are a person, not a corporate brand, how can you be truly authentic when every decision you make at work needs to be carefully thought through and out. It's scary to think that personal or professional image--shaped by perception--can get us to go places or that it can harm us. Just ask Lindsey Lohan! 

It seems to me that there's more room to err with personal brands than with corporate brands. Not everyone is trained to be a brand and this means that their actions can hurt their lives and their careers. I think the quiet can get lost in translation, the young one's comfortable posture won't get them a raise, and wearing her lucky jeans might mean that she won't be invited to that very special event. 

Yes, all signs point to becoming aware of yourself and working on your entire image whether that is your body language, how people view you and what you wear.

Designing an Image

It's easier to work on a corporate image than your personal brand. With corporate brand, you're on the outside looking in and have much more data to build on and explore. And Design is just one piece of creating an image, a lot of it goes into PR territory.

As a designer it is important to define the brand whose image you are creating. Based on your knowledge of the organization, you can choose colors, type , paper and create a visual identity. Not a logo, but the identity. This visuals that will automatically relate to the brand and transmit who the company is faster than you can describe it. It's important to know the history of the brand, to take a look at materials and decide what worked and what didn't. Every decision you make is important. Once you've created the visual identity, everything is is simple. You can create marketing materials or advertising that tells the story of your brand through photographs and the visuals you created.

Change Is Good 

A a designer, I've learned to embrace changes. Image can be changed . Awareness is key when it comes to a personal brand. There are probably certain things we cannot change about ourselves but learn to embrace them or work them to our advantage. I for example use clothing with jewel color tones, not only because I like them but because they're known to look more expensive than other colors. 

When it comes to corporate brand, it takes a gradual approach when it comes to the visual identity. You ant to keep what works, and slowly transition other elements. If the perception of the product you're working on is that is cheap, you can create packaging can be so beautifully constructed that it can trick your audience into thinking otherwise. 

I no longer wonder, I know that I remember my classmate's commercial because I wanted to be cool.

Styling My Voice

Here's me. Yes, me. It's what I wore to a recent event at work. And there goes my tiny head which is an obvious lie. I have a humongous head in all sense of the word. Lie again!

Over the weekend, I was taking a shower and suddenly wondered whether STYLE really matters and if I have one at all. Working as an inhouse designer is difficult. It presents challenges that only some designers have working at design studios or advertising agencies. The inhouse challenge is greater because we rarely create from nothing. Mostly, we create from something already existing "a brand." At work, my focus is not thinking about my own graphic design style but rather about what has been done in the past and contributing to keep the brand fresh. I wondered if adhering to a particular style inhibits creativity and do I have a style of my own? I not only think about my professional life but in my personal life, do I have style of all sorts?

#1. Fashionably Me

A few years ago, my sister gave me a book, The Lucky Shopping Manual, hoping that it would help me in terms of selecting appropriate work attire. I glanced at the book, shopped a few items, and now the book is back on my bookshelf and hasn't seen the light of day since the early 2000s. The truth is I had to find my fashion style on my own. It takes years to find oneself and one's style. Actually, I can tell you that when I realized I had a fashion style was when I started to use Pinterest and noticed that I tend to gravitate toward graphic prints, bright colors, loose fitting bohemian looks. I'm not always on point, but yes I know what to wear.

#2. Coloring the Lines

Recently, I have been drawing more. As you know, I'm completely obsessed with my son so one of my initial thoughts was to create an invitation for his birthday party months away. I wanted to take a class to be better at illustration but a friend suggested going to a meet up and drawing live. I had been out of practice. I had not drawn like that since college and never nudes so I was nervous.  I was rusty. At first, I could not see the way that artists see beyond the obvious. I could not draw like artists draw, I was concentrating on the details rather than the whole. I was not able to capture a whole person. By the end of that evening, I was back in my element and proved to myself that it is possible to learn or rather relearn a lost skill. I needed to now find my voice, my style. Starting to draw again took me back to the beginning, I have no drawing style.

I haven't developed a drawing style but I'm working on it. So far, I am drawn to dark lines and real-life subjects. I've noticed that my perspective is off but I like it as part of my style. Through my search for style, I came across this page and some others with varying ways you can find your style. One important lesson I learned from the one linked here is that it can't be forced.

#3. Design

I leave the most important answer for last. Do I have a design style? I have no clue. Most of the graphic design work I produce is not for myself. I will actually have to test this. The only point of reference I have to examine my style is my personal logo. The reality is that more personal works are necessary for me to discover my personal graphic design style. I'll probably be able to answer this question in a future post but for now I don't have an answer.

This is only the beginning to answer the questions on matters of taste. I think having a style does not inhibit creativity, what can hinder is tying yourself a style and not growing. I think it is important to develop a style (cliche alert) because that's what is going to set you apart from the crowd. However, recently I saw this post by Austin Kleon, one of my current fave people, about Bob Ross and Bill his mentor which gave me a little more insight. Both teacher and student had the same method of drawing, however, Bob was far more successful than Bill, his mentor, which lead me to believe that what matters more than style is the whole the brand.