As a web development company, we live, eat, sleep, talk, read, and debate design. It’s a subject that takes up a significant portion of our day. Many small business owners are cluing into the power of design and what it can mean for their brand, their products, and their company. But, many aren’t. They aren’t “designers” and that’s something that should be “left to The Creatives”. I get that… because I’m not a designer. I exist comfortably in the business side of the design world… sales, marketing, leadership, and God forbid, Quickbooks. You don’t have to be a designer in the traditional sense to understand design and its value.
Design for non-designers like me is much more about a thought process than an execution, though it certainly affects how I do what I do. What it boils down to is intentionality. Design is about the intentional elements used to communicate a message, eliminate a problem, streamline a process, beautify an item and a whole slew of other uses. There are many definitions of design, but I love the one from the book Do You Matter: “design is the choreography of experience that people have of your company across whatever possible points of contact they can find.” As a small business owner, I encourage you to begin thinking like a designer even if you’re not one. You’ll be amazed at the difference it can make in the communication of your message or just the way you see the world.