All design has to work for the user November 25, 2009, by Chris Pelicano in Design
In the rush to the Web over the last dozen years, much attention has been given to the website "user experience". To a certain degree, this extensive dialogue has been reapplied to print marketing pieces as graphic designers strive to combine traditional print design with visual elements familiar to web users.
The bottom line is that both mediums share these identical functional demands: the piece/website must handle well and must draw the eye to important information.
At the end of the day, every marketing piece has to work for you and your constituency. At times, this means pulling back on the artistic reigns for the sake of effectiveness; restraint is an artistic virtue. Sometimes the focus of the design needs to be white space and convenient access to information rather than a lavish design theme. A "sparse", high-contrast design that focuses on function has a high chance of attaining success.
Whether designing print pieces or designing for the web, the user's experience is the most important element in building a successful brand. Make sure that you consider all of your marketing pieces, not just your website, from the perspective of the user.
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