Developing a Creative Brief Inspired by AI and a Facilitated Graphic

This is the third post in a series documenting my approach to logo and identity creation. You may recall the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) graphic from The Power is in the Process post.

Here you will see how the graphic has been customized to help guide the first client interview.

In addition to clarifying rounds 1-3 of the logo creation process (centrally located in the graphic) the four steps of the AI process guide the sequence of the conversation, complete with questions to ask for gathering information about the client's brand vision and needs.

Being transparent about the process by sharing this graphic with the client gives them the opportunity to see the process, helps set expectations and understanding the value each contributor brings, and builds trust.

Using the conversation as the first step, notes taken during this session are then used to write up the statement of work as the first deliverable to the client and inform the ideation and sketches step in round two.

Whether you are interested in collaborating on building your brand or a graphic designer looking for a resource for building your practice, I'm happy to share this graphic with you. You can download a set of these graphics here. They are available in editable PowerPoint, native Illustrator, and 11x17" blank PDF for taking notes on the fly.

Coming up...
We will explore the differences between logo, identity, and brand. Please let me know if you have questions and would like further clarification/details about the steps in this process (e.g., writing the statement of work, presenting the logo to the client, animating the logo—like in the previous video post, etc).

Remember, it's important to cover as many details in the first meeting as possible.

"If your project doesn't work, look for the part that you didn't think was important."
—Arthur Bloch, author of Murphy's Law books