Mark Smith Creative, LLC

Transcription

1 Mark Smith Creative, LLC This document is being provided as an overview and reference guide to the company and services available from Mark Smith Creative, LLC. Any concepts or methodologies contained herein are proprietary to Mark Smith Creative, LLC unless otherwise noted. Duplication, reproduction or disclosure of information in this document without the express written consent of Mark Smith Creative, LLC is prohibited. Mark Smith Creative, LLC

2 Cover Letter Thank you for your interest in working with Mark Smith Creative, LLC. As a dedicated creative services company, we are passionate about good design and providing our clients with the best solution for their creative needs. Whether the project is a big website rebuild, or a small marketing initiative, we pride ourselves on our professionalism and dedication to delivering the highest quality solution possible. Big or small, we believe every project should have a solid foundation based on a specific set of goals. This foundation is reenforced with open communication and through obtaining solid requirements that both support and drive the final creative effort. Our creative approach is to work collaboratively with the client and their stakeholders in manageable phases according to our proven methodology that has been successfully utilized on countless other creative engagements. The project is then executed in an iterative process to ensure milestones are met and the project is kept on goal every step of the way. We have included a small sample of creative work in this service overview for your perusal. Additional samples, or samples that more closely match the type of project you are interested in, can be provided upon request. Additionally, professional references can also be provided if needed. Thank you for your consideration of Mark Smith Creative, LLC. We look forward to working with you and your organization.

3 Who We Are Mark Smith Creative, LLC is a full service creative consulting company that provides custom design solutions for print, web and application UI. Our creative experience spans many different industries and project types and uses a proven approach and a personal relationship style to deliver the right solutions for our clients. We pride ourselves in our ability to adapt to any type of engagement and still maintain a consistent, high-quality deliverable. Mark Smith Creative, LLC has over 15 years of applied experience in graphic and web design stemming from a formal background in Fine Art and education in commercial art and design. As a dedicated creative services company, Mark Smith Creative provides our clients with a creative solution that reflects our unique skills, experience and research as it relates to brand strategy, information architecture, interface design, and usability. We specialize in conceptualizing, designing, managing, and implementing front-end design solutions and uses a proven, repeatable methodology for all creative projects. Creative professionals that understand the creative needs of your business Our professional experience includes leading the creative process from requirements gathering to final design, and overseeing all creative project attributes such as project time lines, creative resources, and budget management. Our unique skill-set also spans all phases of the project s lifecycle including initiating and/or maintaining brand standards from the projects inception and initial design stages all the way through development and QA of the final project. Our organization has experience working in multiple design arenas including web/portal design, new media design, mobile/wireless design and print design for an array of industries including oil/gas, technology, healthcare, automotive, and retail/ e-commerce. Whether the need is for print or online design, our ultimate goals for any engagement type is to provide our clients design solutions based on a comprehensive creative strategy that delivers on a concise message and positive user experience - thus helping our clients engage and, ultimately, build stronger connections with their target audience. We know that Mark Smith Creative, LLC has the experience, track record and methods to deliver a successful creative solution for any type of project need - large or small.

4 What We Do In this digital economy, a company s perception is increasingly shaped by the messages and experiences it delivers online. Customers, employees and partners expect an intuitive and meaningful user experience when engaging with an organization s web presence, online application or other type of creative collateral. The creative professionals at Mark Smith Creative, LLC are graphic artists who understand concept design, consumer perception and human factors so that you can attract new business and build stronger connections with your end-users. Our approach to designing and building creative projects is to apply a disciplined set of design and production techniques that have also proven to be repeatable and successful. However, we are also business consultants who understand that a good looking web site is nothing if it is not intuitive to the business and end users. We help clients create a compelling visual UI to build stronger connections with your users For web projects, Mark Smith Creative, LLC help clients provide their users with an experience that encompass branding, information architecture, interface design and usability, as well as the integration of business functionality and supporting infrastructure. For print work, we understand the strength and importance of brand messaging and how to effectively communicate your message to your audience. Through web or print, we help clients develop creative solutions that successfully engage the user and deliver the brand message. This is what helps differentiate Mark Smith Creative, LLC from other creative firms. Traditional creative firms start by providing visual solutions with little thought or understanding about the actual business need. Before developing visual examples, We instead start by working with the client to understand what their needs really are, outline a goal that would satisfy the need, then design and build your solution from the ground up. Our designers and developers work hand-in-hand to craft a uniquely tailored solution based on your project goals. Whether it s a simple corporate brochure or a comprehensive web site re-brand, our experienced teams use a proven approach and repeatable methodology to deliver the right solution to our clients.

5 Our Approach Mark Smith Creative, LLC uses a proven methodology that ensures success by providing tools and processes that enable our creative team to exceed expectations for quality, delivery time, and cost. We employ a actionable methodology to provide an interactive framework for successfully delivering creative solutions faster, requiring fewer people and involving less risk, while enabling higher quality results. Our methodology helps us track and directly address the most common problems of creative projects in order to improve success rates, solution quality and business impact. Our methodology employs best practices from creative design, human factors and usability. Its main tenets are a focus on phases and actions that are iterative and actionable, roles and processes that integrate business, creative and technical disciplines, and management activities that govern time line and risk. The phases of our methodology allows us to group and focus common activities into specific goals. Closely following this defined process allows each phase to begin only after the previous phase has been completed and approved by the key stakeholders identified in the project plan. Our creative methodology uses an iterative approach with client involvement at every step The entire creative approach can be broken down into 5 main phases: Requirements, Design, Refine, Build, Deliver; each phase having measurable steps and trackable milestones. This phased approach allows Mark Smith Creative to take an iterative approach to the project, important to developing a creative solution that fully compliments the final deliverable. It also allows us the ability to work hand-in-hand with the client and key stakeholders in the project to identify and address potential hurdles around design or usability or to address necessary changes to requirements early. As each phase reaches it s milestones and receives sign off, the next phase can start seamlessly.

6 Creative Methodology REQUIREMENTS DESIGN REFINE BUILD DELIVER PROJECT GOALS/ OBJECTIVES Creative Methodology USERS AND USER GOALS/OBJECTIVES TECHNICAL PARAMETERS INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE CREATIVE DESIGN STRATEGY USABILITY CREATIVE DESIGN DESIGN COMPS DESIGN REFINEMENT DESIGN STANDARDS BUILD TEST CODE TEMPLATES DELIVERY CONTENT DEFINITION CORPORATE BRAND REVIEW Phase Outcome - Design Strategy Phase Outcome - Design Comps Phase Outcome - Design Standards Phase Outcome - Code Templates Phase Outcome - Final Delivery Our understanding of the client's brand as well as their visual goals and informational objectives for the project mapped out as "rules" for creative consistency. "Flat" design concepts (comps) suggesting what the final product might potentially look like. These are presented in screen-shot form as either JPGs or color laser prints. The repeatable visual aspects of the entire project based on design concepts and definitive items such as fonts, photo/image types and color usage. Fully translated design elements built into functioning code prototypes for web or finalized as print ready, high-resolution files for print production. The hand off of any final design and development files as defined in the project plan as well as any project documentation to the approved project team. Set/Confirm Creative Scope Define User Roles Define User Requirements Define Site Structure Define Content Models / Types Review Corporate Brand Definition / Standards Identify and perform competition analyses Assess current site info Set Design Standards Define Navigation Structure Confirm Usability and User Definitions Confirm Content Wireframe Comps typically consist of a Home page and secondary page unless otherwise noted Refinements based on client feedback and incorporated into updated comp designs Outcome is final design templates CSS Class Types / Definitions Print ready Files Functional Code Full CSS Integration Site Imagery and Support Graphics Functional Prototype Web testing ensures CSS definitions are consistent, design is flushed out correctly and confirms integrity of the design as well as company brand. Testing also validates navigation structure, site flow and usability are consistent with project requirements. Design Files Print Files Code Files Documentation

7 Creative Examples Attached you will find a small sample of creative work from Mark Smith Creative, LLC. The examples are broken into basic categories for easy scanning including custom web sites, intranets and portals, custom application UI and branding. Not included in the examples are samples of print work and custom mobile application UI. Additional examples can be provided upon request. Due to the nature of the web and its constant state of flux, some sites and intranets will not be available for public viewing. All client logos and content are copyrighted/trademarked by their respective company. We provide custom design solutions for client s creative problems

8 Creative Examples Internet Sites Creative examples of custom web site designs for clients such as BEMA Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, Beneath the Wreath and Spring Organic Cleaners and Tailors.

9 Creative Examples Intranet Sites Creative examples of intranet portals for clients such as Praxair, the Wood Group, Williams Gas Services and Stewart Title.

10 Creative Examples Custom Apps Creative examples of custom application interface design for clients such as Dell Computers, the Houston Police Officers Pension, Universal Weather & Aviation and Williams Gas Services.

11 Creative Examples ID/Branding Creative examples of custom logo designs for clients such as Talent Source Staffing, Spring Gardens Nursery, Beneath the Wreath and Brain Storm Shelter. talent source S T A F F I N G S O L U T I O N S CUSTOM DESIGNED WREATHS

12 Mark Smith Creative, LLC 1253 Springfield Ave. Ste. 196 New Providence, NJ T: