So, while you can advise and guide your clients, you can’t get too precious about your work – and that is something that your education doesn’t prepare you for. Of course, you still need to take pride in your work and bring your skills and ideas to bear. The trick though, is fitting them into a client’s budget and time constraints. In addition, designing has far more to do with selling than you might think! If you can get clients to buy into your ideas, it gives you greater autonomy for the next project. Which brings me back to my current role, designing in insights and consultancy. Ironically, I seem to have come full circle. I have the privilege to work with the NeedScope tool which answers many of the foundational questions a designer would ask themselves: “why have I chosen this audio for this brand?” and “why am I going with this typeface instead of another?”, “what do these visual elements say about this brand?”. Although it’s pretty intuitive for those who choose to work in the design field, it is something I would have appreciated knowing and understanding right from the start. Research consultants and agency creatives sometimes seem to mix like oil and water. But it’s clear to me that neither one can do without the other and neither should they try to. We both have vital roles to play. Although we may sit on opposite ends of the spectrum, finding ways to work well together and respecting each other’s role will go a long way toward successful branding and campaign outcomes. It is a future that we will need to venture off into together, not only to stay ahead of your game, but to do better for our clients.
CHAMMY FUHRMANN
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
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