The design has become the minutes of the meeting

Three design options go into a meeting.

One comes out wearing everybody’s clothes.

The first is clean and minimal. The second is bold and colourful. The third has a completely different idea.

Naturally, we want the simplicity of the first, the energy of the second and the main feature of the third.

Also, can we retain everything?

The designer starts combining.

The quiet, elegant concept now has a giant headline, festive graphics, a metallic finish and six messages of equal importance.

Minimalism has been given a very full agenda.

I understand the temptation. Choosing one direction means letting go of two others. What if the bit we rejected was the good bit?

So we keep it. All of it.

Eventually, everyone can point to something they contributed.

The audience, unfortunately, wasn’t in the meeting. They have no idea that the purple circle represents a very successful internal negotiation.

They just see a purple circle.

I’m all for discussing the work. But at some point, someone has to choose what we’re trying to say.

Preferably before the design becomes the minutes of the meeting.

Anyway. I’d like three options for this post.