4-Phase Design Process for Streamlined Workflows

At Funtown Studio, we believe exceptional design is a direct product of a well-oiled process. So, we’re delving into our 4-phase design process, taking you behind the scenes of how we bring ideas to life! 

These recommendations are the life source of our team's success! We’ve proven and tested these incredible tools for a holistic approach to design and marketing. 

If you’re equally passionate about streamlined processes and having a load of FUN while you’re at it, then this is definitely for you!

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Phase 1: Project Setup- Building a Strong Foundation

A smooth journey begins with a solid foundation. In this phase, we focus on setting the stage for success using the following tools. 

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Google Drive: Our central hub for organizing project files and fostering seamless collaboration with clients. This makes sharing files and keeping everything organized a breeze!

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ClickUp: This powerful tool is our project management companion. We use ClickUp to meticulously plan the design process, establish clear timelines, break down tasks into manageable chunks, and keep track of time spent, ensuring we stay on target.

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Google Slides & Pitch: Compelling presentations are key to effectively communicating our ideas and research findings to clients. We leverage Google Slides and Pitch to present our concepts in a clear and engaging manner.

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Phase 2: Brainstorming & Understanding

This phase is all about sparking creativity and gaining a deep understanding into our clients vision. We use these tools to craft mood boards and curate design inspiration on Figma (our design collaboration platform, we’ll get into that in a moment).

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Behance: Is our go-to treasure trove of creative work from graphic designers and illustrators around the globe. Behance serves as a springboard for discovering inspiring design trends and styles.

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Dribbble: Another platform teeming with exceptional design work, Dribbble fuels our brainstorming sessions with fresh ideas and innovative approaches.

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Unsplash & Pexels: High-quality stock photos are essential for mood board creation. These platforms provide an expansive library of epic visuals to set the right tone for projects. 

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Phase 3: Graphic Design

This is the place where ideas take shape. With a clear vision in mind, we dive into the world of graphic design using these industry-standard tools.

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Photoshop: The go-to software for editing images and crafting stunning mockups. We use Photoshop to bring your design concepts to life with precision and detail.

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Illustrator: Need a logo, poster, or eye-catching icon? Illustrator is our weapon of choice for creating vector graphics, allowing for scalability and versatility.

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Procreate: When a project calls for a more illustrative approach, Procreate steps in. This powerful app lets us create expressive digital artwork and illustrations.

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InDesign: For projects requiring print or digital publications like brochures or books, InDesign is our layout maestro. It ensures a polished and professional final product.

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Phase 4: Delving Into UX/UI Design

In this phase, we prioritize user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design to create intuitive and visually appealing websites and apps. 

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Google Analytics: Understanding your target audience is crucial for crafting exceptional user experiences. Google Analytics provides valuable customer insights that guide our design decisions.

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Hotjar: To further refine the user experience, we leverage Hotjar, a customer testing tool that helps us identify areas for improvement based on real user interactions.

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After Effects: For captivating web animations and Lottie animations (lightweight JSON-based animations), After Effects is our top choice. It allows us to inject an extra layer of dynamism into your project.

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Figma: As mentioned earlier, Figma is our design collaboration platform of choice. It empowers us to create user interfaces (UI) with pixel-perfect precision and promote collaboration throughout the design process.

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Midjourney: Embracing the cutting edge, we also incorporate cutting-edge AI tools like Midjourney to generate unique and creative imagery, further enhancing all our project's visual identities. 

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Conclusion

We value collaboration, efficient processes, and a design journey that's as thrilling as it is transformative. 

We recommend leveraging the powerful tools our team uses and adopt our 4-phase approach- which will definitely start to revolutionize how you bring ideas to life!