As we already described on the previous article and the question whether a graphic design is always a creative design; a creative designer has broader scope of work and maybe involved in a wider variety of design tasks.
A creative designer needs to have management skills such as planning and project management, problem solving skills, communication and organization skill as well. In starting a new project, a creative designer can help their client finding or applying new design ideas according to their needs. For example, a creative designer who works with marketing managers – thus a commercial creative designer- can make visuals for businesses that need logos, product packaging, marketing campaign or advertisement materials.
In software design, a creative designer work with clients to understand their expectations and needs, and then create designs that communicate clients’ message or solve their problem in a visually appealing way. In entertainment business, a creative designer can help making posters or headings for website pages or visual graphics for online streaming. In publishing industry, a creative designer can make visual graphics to help writers and illustrators in completing their page layout or their illustrations in promotional materials. One of the most important skills a creative designer must have is the ability to think outside the box.
Furthermore, creative designer must have outstanding communication skills. They must clearly and persuasively able to explain their design choices and ideas to clients and their team members; and actively listen to their feedback and reviews to incorporate is into the designs according to their needs and goals.
Responsibilities of a Creative Designer
Different companies might list widely different responsibilities for the same role, and sometimes different roles will have an identical description. Creative designers play a critical role in shaping our experiences and perceptions, from the products we use to the advertisements we see. Here, we’ll look closely at one role, the creative designer and the responsibilities of the role.
The roles and responsibilities of a creative designer vary widely from company to company and project to project. You will likely find some combination of the following tasks in the job description:
- Doing research to gather information about target audience, industry trends, competitors and other relevant factors to make and complete design decisions.
- Cooperate and collaborate with clients, stakeholders and other team members to better understand the project requirements, goals and objectives; and then translate them into design briefs
- Developing unique and innovative design concepts that fulfill client’s brand image, identity and vision; and then present them to clients for feedback, review and approval.
- Create initial sketches, building prototypes, wireframes or mockup models to better visualize the design concept.
- Creating and preparing high-quality design for different medium such as websites, mobile apps, billboard or print materials.
- Make certain that the final design meets all technical specifications needed such as in file formats, color profiles or design size.
- Test designs for usability and functionality by conducting user testing; and analyzing metrics such as engagement or conversion rates (in terms of web or application design).
- Rearrange designs based on feedback and review from clients and/or users until the final product achieves its needs.
- Cooperate with team members to ensure consistency across all aspects during the project.
- Maintaining complex projects at the same time; while also meeting deadlines and providing support and updates for clients as needed.
A successful creative designer should balance creativity with technical expertise and collaboration skills; and think critically about design challenges while remaining flexible and adaptive as projects evolve. The collaboration between creative designer, client, stakeholders and the whole team must develop unique ideas that stand out in a crowded marketplace which requires creativity, imagination and willingness to take risks.
