What is Strategic Design?

Many people give us that long, “ooooh okaaaay” (you know that one where you know they are just going along with it) when we introduce ourselves as a strategic design agency. We then often resort to saying we offer graphic design and marketing services, and then everyone “gets it”. Unfortunately, for us that definition is selling us short. 

Graphic design and marketing are simply tools used within the creative process of strategic design. Consider strategic planning, looking at the overall mission and goals of an organization and then developing a business plan to reach those goals. Similarly, strategic design, looks at a goal, redefines it to meet a human need, and then applies the creative problem solving process to design a solution. 

Our strategic design process is deeply rooted in the history of our founder. Trained and educated first as an Industrial Designer – discovering unmet human needs in order to design products and service that elevate function and form to create enhanced experiences. Teamed up with a passion for solving organizational challenges driven by the entrepreneurial spirit that started it all, ABE Studios was born.

Design Process

STEP 1: PROJECT BRIEF

Project Brief It all starts here just like putting on a fresh pair of underwear at the start of each new day (or so we hope). Be prepared to have your brain picked as we begin by getting a grasp on what, how, and why.

STEP 2: DEFINE THE NEED

Define the Need Strategic Design is grounded in uncovering the unmet need of the target audience. At this stage we do further research to uncover and understand potential opportunities discussed during the project brief.

STEP 3: IDEATE

Ideation Consider this the mad scientist phase. Grab your markers, some snacks, your tools, anything and everything you can carry and clear some space! It's time to ideate! You never know what might come out.

STEP 4: BUILD

Build This where we break out our fancy design software and build a solution to fit your need. We turn all our mad science creations into solutions that seem effortless.

STEP 5: REVISE

Revise With a solution built it's time for testing. Does it work? Did it do it's job? Do you get lost? We make the tweaks, get everything tight, and then send it off for delivery!

STEP 6: DELIVER

Deliver It's bright, shiny, and smells like new! Maybe it's a new website, new branding, a brochure, catalog, or a whatcha-ma-call it.

NEws & Events

Untitled design-5

Digital Marketing Managed!

Are you struggling with digital marketing? Is it all too overwhelming? Which channel do you use? What hashtags do I need to be tracking? We at Abe Studios hear you!…