How to Set Design Goals for the New Year
Why Design Goals Matter
As another year begins, it’s important to align your business goals with your design strategy. Setting design goals for the new year can help ensure consistency in your brand’s visuals and set the stage for stronger client acquisition, retention, and growth.
Reflect on Last Year’s Designs
As we discussed in the previous blog post, it’s important to identify and review what was successful about your current designs for this year and address the challenges you experienced along the way. Once you’ve completed your audit of your design materials for this year, single out the ones that underperformed and establish how they might have been improved and provided a stronger impact. Locate the gaps or areas where the visuals for your brand could be better aligned with your overall messages.
Identify Key Design Priorities
Once you’ve identified your underperforming designs and reflected on what worked and what didn’t, it’s time to refresh the things that are outdated. This is especially true for design pieces that might have a recurring use, such as discount advertisements, new product lines, regular social media posts, etc. If refreshing an old design is not to your interest, than it’s time to get out the drawing board and try something new with your designs. Market research is key here. You’ll want to make sure your new designs resonate with your target audience. For example, you might not design for younger folks the same way you might design for an older generation. Make sure you use your branding guide if you have one (if not let’s talk!) when coming up with these designs to ensure consistency
Break Down Goals into Actionable Steps
When it comes to taking action, it can be easy to be overwhelmed by how much work might be involved to reach your goal. Thus, it helps to have a structured approach. For example, instead of looking at your project on a macro scale, break it down into step-by-step tasks, and only focus on what your next step is. Every task you accomplish gets you closer to your goal without constantly reminding yourself of the magnitude of your goal.
For example:
Goal: Redesign website
Steps: Research trends, create mood boards, redesign header graphics, etc.
Goal: Launch a new product
Steps: Create promotional graphics, update packaging, design launch emails, etc.
Establishing reasonable deadlines for these tasks will also help you to stay focused and on track. If a step-by-step approach doesn’t work for you, I also like vision boards, project trees, and word clouds. Choose what feels right for you.
Stay Inspired and Accountable
Now that you have a structured approach, you’re on your way to reaching your goal. Sometimes along the path, it’s inevitable, we are going to get exhausted or have a hard time finding inspiration. That’s right, good ol’ artist’s block. Everyone has experienced this at some point, so it’s important to have options in your toolkit to help you move past that block. Sometimes I like to pull open my old design books for inspiration. One I recommend in every designer’s library is Logo Modernism by Jens Müller and Juluis Wiedemann. This behemoth of a book is a repository of many kinds of logos over the years. This book has helped me see how timeless trends evolve, inspiring designs that are both modern and rooted in proven aesthetics. If that’s not your thing, then I might recommend looking up designers of artwork and styles you like. It’s fascinating to see what things are popular with artists and what seems to garner attention. You could also join some creative communities locally or even online and see what’s been cooking in the heads of those in said communities. Some examples are sites like Behance and DeviantArt. One local venue I’ve recently joined is called Creative Mornings which has chapters all over the world. See what’s near you and go find some inspiration. Once you have an idea, work with your designer to stay on track and get a design that matches your vision.
Start Strong, Stay Consistent
Setting clear design goals is an essential skill for long-term success. By creating a structured, consistent approach, you can ensure your designs align with your business’s vision and stand out in the market. Not sure where to start? Let’s connect—I’d love to help you review your designs and plan for success in the new year. Remember, every failed design is a stepping stone to growth and future success.
