Last Friday, the Splinter crew attended the tenth happening of Ignite Phoenix at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Coined IPX by its ingenious all-volunteer team, the event lived up to every expectation with the perfect assortment of stimulating presentations (hand-picked from almost a hundred entries) and a fantastic selection of local music, beer, wine and grub.

Here at Splinter, we look forward to every Ignite because we are the lucky ones who get to design the ever-evolving Ignite Phoenix programs! This time around, we did our best to take things to the next level by transforming a once static piece of paper into an interactive conversation starter.

The back of the Ignite Phoenix Program, with instructions for folding and playing the conversation starter.

Based on the grade school game commonly referred to as a fortune teller (aka cootie catcher, chatterbox, salt cellar, or whirlybird), we created a new diversion aimed at sparking conversation among attendees. Once folded, the person initiating the conversation would ask their new acquaintance to choose a category, pick and number and then answer one unique question. While not everyone seemed to have encountered the game during their childhood, it definitely made for an intriguing display of amusement shared by all.

The front of the program and matching CD face design inspired by old school mix tapes.

For the past three Ignite Phoenix events, the team has included with admission an amazing collection of local music on CD. We did our best to entice with a design inspired by old school mix cassette tapes. Matching the modernist style of the program design, the CD was imagined to look like a tape reel using very basic geometric shapes and colors.

Were you one of the lucky attendees of the last Ignite Phoenix? If so, did you engage others with your program?

A sizable chunk of my time is spent managing projects between the client and creatives. As much as I enjoy my responsibility of bridging the gap between the two, I sometimes feel like burying my head in the bull’s… No, wait, I mean the butcher’s… Yeah, you know what I mean.

Every designer dreams of working with clients who value design, provide constructive feedback, collaborate in a productive fashion, and yet at the same time, know when to step aside and let the experts do their thing. While this is ideal, it’s not the most typical behavior, especially within small design firms. Dealing with a customer that feels they are the “authority” on design can be problematic, especially if their opinion rivals the principles of good design.

The knowledge a client can provide on their business and industry can be invaluable, so I’m not trying to argue with their authority. Everyone is, or strives to be an expert in their own disciplines – But what weight should their opinion carry as it relates to design? At what expense of the final product? These are often the same customers that self diagnose problems. They know their problem, they know exactly how to solve it… So why are they hiring a design firm?

“If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.” Red Adair

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t believe the customer is always right. So how does one handle a customer who wants you to design a pile of garbage? If you can flush that out in the beginning, the answer is obvious – don’t take the work. But what happens when you find yourself thinking, “Please go away, I just want this project off my plate”? You’ve already lost interest in the success of the project and now relinquish creative expertise to become a “revision robot” — which can ruin creativity, morale, client relationships, and the overall quality of work.

Now, let’s take a look at the underlying problem; there comes a point when any designer or creative team becomes disconnected with a project like I’ve mentioned above. As a project manager, I get to see the frustrations and elations from both sides. If a business owner is adamant about his or her opinions, it’s likely that no amount of research or expertise can persuade them, and it typically goes something like this: “I’ve started oodles of successful businesses, I know what I want, and I want to pay you to execute what I need.” Seems pretty cut & dry, right? Try approaching your creative team with this (and make sure to bring a helmet). All kidding aside, it can be a very tough position for a project manager, especially if the design team has already lost interest. And as a PM in this situation, you’ll definitely earn your paycheck.

Ever had feedback like this from a client?

Client: “It doesn’t do it for me.”

Project Manager: “Can you tell my why? Or describe what you’re envisioning and why?”

Client: “Not really, I just don’t like it.”

Project Manager: “But we feel that the design follows the objectives outlined in the brief and represents a solid visual solution for you.

Client: “Do you have any other designs for me to look at?”

At this point, half of me does not want to fight a horse that won’t drink, while the other half of me wants to dunk my head under water and scream. If it gets to this point, I know I probably did something wrong. To avoid this happening again, it’s important to go back and try to pinpoint when it might have slithered away from my grips. Sometimes this situation may seem unavoidable, but there’s always something(s) you could have changed or approached in a different way. Luckily,  there are oodles of resources out there to combat this, including the AIGA. It’s a great resource for designers and project managers to reference when working through tough situations. Check it out. The AIGA offers helpful insight for everything from contracts to ethics to client management. You might be surprised what you learn.

In all reality, no process is bulletproof. Although we strive for a perfect process, there will always be hurdles. That’s just life as a project manager. But at what point does one feel a professional responsibility to steer the customer from the perils of a really bad idea and/or execution? We all have a boiling point – so when is it okay to pull your rip chord in the middle of a project? Is that an acceptable way to get out? How much time is reasonable to spend educating customers about what good design is, your process, or how it can help them? For me at least, it seems dependent on our workload, the size of the project, and the relationship with the client. How much “good” work do you have already? Can you afford to turn them away?

We’ve all dealt with customers that flat out don’t care about the design process, but still expect award-winning work to somehow be miraculously conceived. The obvious thought would be to not work with such clients. But let’s be realistic. Bills need paying, you’re contractually committed, and this problem may not have been obvious during the proposal or discovery phases.

Here are few of my thoughts on how to prevent being “butchered”:

1. Explain your process up front and make sure they understand what you do and don’t expect from them.
2. Keep them involved as much as they desire or as much as the project requires them to be.
3. Get approvals in small, incremental phases. This will prevent any surprises. If they are approving each baby step, it’s much more difficult for them to change directions on you. It’s also much easier to bill more when they do.
4. Provide an explanation of how the proposed solution fits the problem. This should already be outlined in the brief or in a Scope of Work document.
5. Don’t work yourself to death trying to educate or explain to someone that believes they know everything. Do what they ask and move on. Even if you’ve provided this type of client the best solution in the galaxy, they wouldn’t know it.
6. Take deeper breathes. Keep it professional and stay poised. Complete the project per their instructions. Then, once all the deliverables are completed, refer them to another firm. Make sure to explain why you may not be a good fit and thank them for their past business.
7. Go back through your process and change something to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Learn from it!

I recently received feedback on a logo proof we spent a considerable amount of time on before presenting initial concepts to the client. The response from the client was, “It doesn’t look like you spent any time at all on the logo concepts.” Given that the client requested a clean and simple logo, I took that as a compliment. This was the same client that didn’t complete the creative brief – because he was “too busy.”

“Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication”
- Leonardo Da Vinci -

Your first inclination might be to start explaining how design works. Go ahead and stop yourself right there! Your time would be better spent putting your shoestrings into a French braid.

I can’t imagine any project manager or creative professional achieving very much fulfillment from being a “key stroking slave”. Continue seeking customers that are engaged in the process, value good design, and have a genuine interest in the success of the project. This type of client provides a critical perspective needed to arrive at the best solution. And to be honest, I just don’t want to live any other way.

So how do you deal with a project when the client doesn’t know what they want? Or when you’re expected to keep designing until they “see something that resonates?” Feel free to weigh-in with some of your own experiences. I know I can’t be the only one that has trouble getting the client to “take the butcher’s word for it”.

We are excited to announce the launch of a newly re-designed website for CRUZ Tequila, a local company that produces an ultra premium tequila with a uniquely soft flavor profile. CRUZ approached us wanting to update their online hub with a fresh look, and develop a brand presence that invited users to find out more about this distinctly different tequila.

While the old site contained a lot of valuable information, the design was cluttered and the site flow was unorganized. We wanted to take the existing content and present it in a more engaging and accessible environment.

CRUZ Tequila has a broad range of clientele, from punk rockers and rodeo fans to affluent doctors and animal lovers. We wanted their site to speak to everyone, so we created a presence that was fun, honest, and approachable to a wide range of people.

After months of research on the adult beverage industry, we structured the content to highlight several important elements for the end-user including drink recipes, spirit awards, and where to purchase CRUZ Tequila. The end result is a site that offers clean, easy-to-access content that can be comfortably built upon over time.

To compliment the website design and overall painless navigation, we set CRUZ Tequila up with a content management system to make updates on the fly. The CMS gives CRUZ the ability to edit most aspects of the site, most importantly their upcoming events and list of retailers.

All that being said, what are your impressions of the new CRUZ Tequila website? Love it? Hate it? We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section.

If you think the Cruz Tequila website rocks, and want us to help out with your next web design project, drop us a line.

Recently, we launched a new website for Great Caterer’s of Iowa, a catering company based in Pleasant Hill, Iowa that specializes in BBQ. When they approached us, their existing site was difficult to navigate and felt as though it had been pieced together instead of thoughtfully designed. We wanted to improve the flow of content throughout the site, as well as create a more visually compelling website design.

We began by condensing the main navigation options and re-organizing the flow of content throughout the site to be more user-friendly. We removed unnecessary content that was cluttering the site, such as weather widgets, a search bar and event specific menus that were more confusing than they were helpful.

Once the site map was worked out, we developed a wireframe that was more suitable to the functionality we were looking for and began thinking about the design. A style was created that blends the formality of the catering company with the friendly, laid-back BBQ cuisine they are best known for serving.

We limited the color palate, focusing on blending formal event catering with casual backyard BBQ. The majority of images on the site were replaced with impressive photography that represents Great Caterer’s style and selection. We kept the interior pages clean and accessible, with text that is easy to read and graphic elements that enhance the user experience.

Overall, we feel that the site better represents the company, while functioning in a way that is easy for users to find the information they need and get in contact.

When the W Scottsdale approached us about adding some visual interest to the front of their hotel at Scottsdale and Camelback, we jumped at the idea of giving a little life to an otherwise dull arrival experience. Their dramatic 2nd floor WET® pool, which can be seen from the street below, had an empty acrylic box just begging for some attention. The W wanted us to embellish this box with imagery that resembled water, movement and the sexy style they are so well known for.

Working with the existing 3-dimensional red W that, strangely enough, seems to be the only red W anywhere in the hotel. We created an illustrative graphic element that captures the essence of the hotel’s water features and wraps all five sides of the acrylic box. Visitors to the W are now welcomed by a serene splash of purple and blue, accented by a pop of red! You can see the dramatic transformation in the before and after pictures above and below.