When I was first getting started, I would receive a lot of comments and questions like;

"Do you do logos?”
“I have a logo and need a website, is that something you can do?”
“I don’t need a brand, just a logo.”
“I created the logo myself, can you make it digital?”

The answer to these questions as an expert in Adobe Creative Cloud is Yes, I can do all of those things. However, as a designer the answer is No. Why? Because designers do much more than just a logo, they are creators, storytellers, and branding experts.

If you are someone who has asked this question before—it’s okay! Even designers have asked these questions before they started building meaningful brands.

Knowing what all a designer actually does will help you have a more in-depth conversation about your brand.

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So what do designers do?

Designers work through creative processes to problem solve. Though every designer's individual process is unique to them, an experienced designer's process should follow this structure;

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• Collaboration & Strategy
• Brand Story Generation
• Moodboard & Research
• Drafting/Sketching
• Typeface Research
• Logo Marks
• Color Exploration
• Branding Elements
• Brand Identity

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The purpose behind the process is to ensure that the identity we are building will align with the goal of the brand. That’s why “I don’t need a brand, just a logo” doesn't work except if you go to 99designs. Understanding what goes into this process will also help you find the designer who is right for your project. Someone who doesn’t take the time to understand the story your brand is telling may not be the best fit to building a purposeful brand.

Do all designers have the same specialties?

No. Everyone is different, and that’s the beauty of having a collective with so many unique badass creatives. Designers may all have a similar creative process but our individual skill sets can vary from;

• Brand Identity
• Print Design
• Typeface Development
• Product Design
• Packaging Design
• Website Design
• UX Design
• UI Design
• App Design
• Illustrator
• Motion Designer
• Animator

Depending on what you need, you may need a few designers to collaborate on a project. You may find someone who dabbles in a little of everything, however, find designers who specialize in the areas you need. A jack of all trades may seem like the more efficient way to work but for higher quality design find experts in the design disciplines.

And now you know what it really means to be a designer and what it takes to impress us.

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