Here's what I've got so far...
Business
Card for a Software Company
Context/Background
The company that has employed me to create a business card
for them is “BestByte” (a fictional software company). My target audience will
have to include consumers who regularly frequent computer/electronic stores and
have a general knowledge of computers. I’ll also have to keep in mind that I
don’t want this business to look like it was only made for the tech-savvy. I
want this design to make technology buffs say “Wow, that’s a clever design”,
but I also want its design to be inviting to the not so technology inclined so
that they say “This looks intriguing! Maybe they can help me purchase the
software I need”.
Design
Goals
·
Must be sleek
·
Easy to read
·
Appealing to the eye
·
Stand out above the usual boring business card.
I’ll need to create something that will instantly catch
someone’s eye not because it is flashy or colourful, but because it displays
subtle beauty while still maintaining a high level of professionalism. I’ll
need to create a card that will intrigue potential customers before they even
know what the company does.
Design Problems
and Challenges
There is a plethora of other larger, more successful software
companies out there with tried, tested and proven business cards and logos that
work. It’ll be difficult to come to a final design with which I’m happy. As
stated in the context/background portion of this action plan, I’ll need to
create a card with a design that doesn’t scare off people with little to no
knowledge of computer hardware and software. I am confident in my Photoshop
skills, but that won’t make it easy to design something that seems welcoming
and inviting to all demographics. I think the hardest part about this design
will be making it clever to the well-versed and friendly to the uneducated all
at once. Of course, standing out above the rest won’t be easy either.
Design
Elements and Principles
I’ll need to look at a lot of business cards (not only
from software companies, but from other successful businesses as well). I’ve
got a keen understanding of Photoshop, so I’ll probably create it there. In my
experience, I know choosing to offset or symmetrize design elements on a
business card can make or break your overall aesthetics, so I’ll need to study
a plethora of examples before I set out to work.
TIME: I
will take into consideration the amount of time the average person takes to
initially glance at a business card and then how much time they take, if
intrigued, to read the card and see what it’s about.
SPACE: Generally,
business cards are in a landscape setup and I am not really given a lot of
space to work with. This means that I’ll have to make use of what little space
I’ve got to get my message across.
COLOUR: Sleekness
and Simplicity are represented with solid colours. This means I won’t be
using any tacky gradients or clipart images.
