Home » Design Philosophy

Design Philosophy

Purpose.

We believe design should originate from the perfect marriage of translation and functionality as it relates to the design’s purpose and intended audience. Our design philosophy follows our overarching perspective that everything we do should have a purpose and outcome for the betterment of our client’s mission and message.

The majority of our design work involves nonprofit digital media and marketing, where engagement with the audience is critical to the purpose of the design. The design must clearly communicate the nonprofit’s mission, and stoke the empathy of the viewer in order to gain support in the form of donations, volunteers, services, or greater exposure. Each nonprofit we work with has a sense of self – and much like a brand, they have a look and feel that must be accurately and compassionately representative of their mission. Our goal is to help or clients communicate their sense of self across the digital world in a consistent, and recognizable manner.

Design should be effective and meaningful, true to the original purpose, easily translatable to the audience, and built within the functionality of how the audience interacts with it. Our work aspires to achieve these characteristics through an authentic connection between us and our clients.

Approach.

To achieve this connection, there are many visits to the site, interviews with nonprofit staff and volunteers, as well as the recipients of their goods or services. This approach serves to capture the culture of the nonprofit and their community.

As mentioned earlier, the start of any design project begins with capturing the organization’s sense of self, and ensuring we exclude our own design influence from it. When the design becomes the translation of the designer’s looking-glass self, or how the designer thinks the audience interprets the work , the connection between the intended audience and the design’s purpose begins to fracture and skew. A designer who chases an imagined perception of their work is likely to create a less authentic and therefore less substantial version of their intended design.

We take great care – because we do care about the success of our clients – to ensure our design work meets industry standards of excellency, and the expectation and goals of our clients.

Get to know us.

Meet our Lead Designer, Tegan Hartman. She has over 13 years experience working with International Nonprofits, major Hospital Systems, NCAA Division 1 University Athletics Programs, Packaging, Food & Beverage, small businesses, music festivals, and custom project work. Tegan’s diverse background includes design work for booklets, brochures, business cards, marketing materials, advertisements, variable data, infographics, calendars, and more. Her particular talents include Logo Design, Brand Identity, and Marketing Campaigns.