Today I’m working on a direct mailer for a company working in the medical field. It will be one of a series of four.

Careful consideration went into the content so that a consistent theme carries throughout. DDA writers worked with the client to create content that has the right message and contains accurate data.

It has been satisfying to find out that previous printed mailers we’ve created have received a very positive response for DDA clients. We know we’ve done our job well when we receive that feedback!

DDA also receives similar feedback about websites we’ve created that generate increased traffic, product awareness, and sales. On a personal and professional level, it’s rewarding to hear from a happy client that we’ve built a relationship with over time!

Many processes are regulated at DDA so that things don’t fall through the cracks, and the day goes smoothly. However, our individuality is welcomed and encouraged.

At our old office, I didn’t like the bright fluorescent light above my desk, and I asked if I could hang a kite or something above my desk to filter the light. I settled on the idea of a Chinese paper parasol, and Elizabeth suggested I pick several parasols so it would be a theme. I had fun going to China town and picking out several different colored parasols, and they worked like a charm to soften the light!

Trade show graphics are in a unique world by themselves. Sometimes the graphics convey particular messages, and sometimes they provide backdrop ambiance. Sometimes the world is an Alice in Wonderland one.

For a previous medical trade show we created a forest of trees out of larger-than-life-sized needles. For the same show, I created several 10-foot by 17-foot trompe l’oiel backgrounds of surgical rooms, with 3-D mannequin parts sticking out of the drawing!

Creating graphics at such a large size has unique challenges and rules. The fonts must be readable, the file must be examined carefully for image quality, and the file size has to be manageable.

Today, I’m working on a 10-foot high, 4-panel graphic and wrap-around pedastal for a company for which we have created other printed literature. I like that the literature and other graphics we’ve created for them are visually integrated with each other. We’re also photographing a product for this company today, so that it will be large enough to use for the trade show graphic I’m creating, and now they’ll have the photograph on file to use in any future projects as well.

I hope that people visiting their trade show booth will, at least for a few moments, feel immersed in a unique world.

Since I’ve worked at DDA, the staff has increased quite a bit. You might think that policies would change or become more standardized with the more people who work here, but that’s not the case regarding the time we arrive and leave work.

We’ve always been gently encouraged to arrive exactly on time, and promptly shooed out at 6 p.m. When I’ve shared this outside of DDA, people are often surprised this policy is strict. However, it doesn’t feel that way to me, even though I’ve never been a morning person, and I might be frequently late if given the chance!

Once I figured out how much time I needed for variations in commute time, arriving at 8 a.m. sharp became a habit, that, now established, is actually easier to stick to than if I had more flexibility to be late.

Oh, and asiago bagels every Monday morning, provided by DDA, helps too!

One thing I like about working at DDA, is the diversity of clients and projects that they attract. But sometimes clients and even DDA’s internal staff suggest ideas and make design requests that not only do I not see, but initially want to completely reject!

Outside of DDA, looking for ideas is a harmonious, abundant process. I’m always scanning what is around me, in the form of media, advertisements, shadows on the pavement, or the colors and shapes of a landscape on a hike. I get to decide what I like and what I don’t like.

However, following an idea I am initially resistant too is just as, or even more rewarding. I invariably find that the process of incorporating this kind of request from a client has a way of making me do things I’d never do on my own, and stretching my creative limits. In the end both the client and I are more satisfied than before.

This past weekend a friend showed me his collection of old movie posters. All of them were painted or colorized photos, and I was struck by the beautiful compositions.

By contrast, most movie posters today use photographs or highly modeled digital illustrations. I wonder if traditional, dramatic illustration will come back into vogue, or if a new style of illustration will become popular for this form of media.

All of the graphic designers here at DDA have illustration backgrounds, so we would enjoy that! I was surprised to see that the popular fonts for that time did not look dated at all; in fact they were very similar to fonts that I use frequently, like Helvetica Condensed!

There must be hundreds of more fonts than 40 years ago, but the fonts from the past are just as inspiring.

Organization and prioritizing is key to juggling many different projects with time deadlines.

At DDA, we have established ways to be organized and we’re always looking to improve. For example, we just moved into a new office, and we were encouraged to ask for things like bulletin boards and other desk accessories that will help us be organized.

On a larger scale, we have an everyday practice of making a list of projects on-hand and reviewing them internally so that we can prioritize. This practice also enables us to give more accurate projections to clients regarding their deadlines.

Yesterday Carrie, Melissa and I came up with a better way to organize our graphic design files on our computers! According to our workload, or if one of us is on vacation, we sometimes work on each other’s projects. So, we mutually agreed on a standard way of organizing our files so that there is no question what stage the project is in. And, if any of us ever need to go back to an old file, we’ll know where to pick up. Finally, when the project is over, the files are archived.

We often need to access old files for clients who want to build on a previous project, and when there is organization, this process is a cinch!

Today I will be creating design concepts for a new website. I look forward to this process because it is always a unique experience.

The focus of the process is on what will make good navigation, creating an intuitive hierarchy within that navigation, looking ahead to ensure the design will allow easy optimization, and creating a visual look that is outside of the typical template website box.

After a meeting with the client to discuss their goals and any design preferences they may have, I create several different concepts, review them in-house, and then present them to the client. Every client is different, so it is natural to end up with unique design solutions, enhanced by DDA’s internal collaborative effort between the Web Designers, Programmers, Writers, and Project Coordinators.

After a few moments in the office, it’s not uncommon for us to hear a visiting client say, “Wow, it’s so QUIET in here!” That’s because we really love what we do.

When I first started working here, about 4 years ago, I had the usual adjustment to a new job, and I remember my face feeling a bit frozen by the end of the day from being in such a focused state all day. We really are a fun bunch, but outside of lunch we don’t linger around and talk very often.

But the truth is, that we are, in fact, communicating all day. From a design perspective, my goal is to hone a message until it is succinct and engaging to a particular audience.

Isn’t that what good communication is all about — distilling a message or an idea into a clear, direct language?

Just came from a meeting to discuss a series of direct mailers.

This is one of my favorite parts of the graphic design process—working with the writers and the Project Coordinator to come up with a theme and a catchy visual/verbal slant. Everyone’s input is welcome but at the same time I know I can rely on my coworkers’ copywriting expertise.

Arriving at a theme that the client and our staff is happy with is very satisfying, and working with so many ideas allows us to arrive at a creative solution that we wouldn’t have reached on our own.