Designing for Impact: The Art of Design Thinking and Beginning with the End in Mind
What does “success” mean to you as a graphic designer?
In the nonprofit world, success hinges on more than just aesthetics; it's about impact and problem-solving. Over my many years designing and art directing for the Southern Poverty Law Center—and now as the principal at Square Lightning—I have learned to rely on the transformative power of design thinking and the importance of commencing every project with a clear design goal in mind.
Nonprofit designers must help solve urgent problems, often under tight deadlines and with limited resources. That means our design process must be intentional, and the journey starts with envisioning the destination.
Beginning With the End
Design thinking is not just a methodology; it's a mindset that places the user and their needs at the core of the creative process. It involves empathy, ideation, iteration, and prototyping, ensuring that every design decision aligns with a larger purpose.
1. Clarifying Objectives
Starting with the end goal in mind provides a roadmap for the entire design process. What message do you want to convey? What action do you want the audience to take? These questions guide the creative journey, ensuring that every design element serves a specific purpose.
2. Streamlining the Creative Process
Design thinking streamlines the creative process, preventing the project from wandering aimlessly. By defining a clear endpoint, each step becomes purposeful, fostering efficiency and coherence in the final design.
3. Iterative Refinement
Beginning with the end allows for iterative refinement. As ideas evolve, they consistently align with the overarching goal. This iterative process ensures that the final design is visually pleasing and strategically effective.
Building a Narrative Journey
At Square Lightning, one of the first questions we ask our nonprofit clients is, “What is the story you want to tell about your work?”
We believe even the simplest designs should tell a story, evoke emotions, and drive action. Design thinking, coupled with starting with the end in mind, empowers us to craft cohesive, resonant visual narratives. From the initial concept to the final execution, every step moves that narrative forward.
Take, for example, our redesign of the Girl Rising logomark.
The mark is based on the concept of ascension and flight—a nod to the belief that “when girls rise, the world thrives.”
The shading is evocative of a globe, indicating the international nature of their mission to educate girls around the world.
The concentric circles indicate the ripple effects of their work and the strength of many hands and voices working together as one.
Even if someone didn’t know everything about Girl Rising as an organization, the strength of the narrative captured in the wordmark immediately communicates the affirmative and inspirational nature of their work.
Design Thinking Supports Creativity
Design is not just about making things look good; it's about making things work. It may feel, at first, like design thinking is procedural: asking you to limit yourself or adopt too many parameters to allow for a natural creative workflow.
However, over time, I’ve actually found the opposite to be true. Fusing design thinking with a clear design goal is a creative endeavor in and of itself. Embarking on a design journey, where every element serves a purpose and contributes to your organization's success, is a challenge that can stretch us creatively and make us more sophisticated thinkers, storytellers, and artists.
Russell Estes is the co-founder, principal, and creative director for Square Lightning. Artwork by Cierra Brinson.
Ready to infuse purpose into your designs? Contact us for a consultation, and let's talk about where your organization wants to go and how we can help you get there.