Terry Lee Stone

The Design Bitch is Terry Lee Stone, a Los Angeles-based writer, design manager, and social media content strategist. She teaches the business of design at Art Center College of Design. The author of several books on design, her recent series is called, Managing The Design Process. She's also the co-author of the cookbook, Booze Cakes, and blogs knitting and pop culture at sknitter.com.

Design Planning 101: Planning

Planning is the intellectual, psychological, and tactical process of thinking about each task that needs to be accomplished to meet a goal.

Topic: Design Reference

Managing Aesthetic Strategy: Strategic Thinking

Whether you are a designer or their client, you'll eventually need to review, analyze, and evaluate the appropriateness of any design solution in light of the objectives identified for the project.

Topic: Branding Identity

Design Research Is About Better Design Thinking: Design-Centric Research

Of all the design disciplines, graphic and communications design are routinely criticized for a lack of research rigor.

Topic: Design Reference

Measuring Design: Big Goals

Designers are always working on building trust with their clients.

Topic: Managing Design

Going without a Creative Brief: Creative Briefs

There are times when a formal creative briefing session, followed by a typewritten and comprehensive creative brief may not be necessary.

Topic: Profiles

Case Study in Planning: Haus Design Communications / Los Angeles, California USA

Haus Design Communications serves the network society by creating exciting branding for the Internet, mobile phones, social media, and print and broadcast media.

Topic: Profiles

Asylum / Singapore: A Case Study in Informed Risk Taking

Asylum is a creative company engaged in a range of activities — a design studio, a retail store, a workshop, and a record label.

Topic: Profiles

Case Study in Aesthetic Considerations: Modern Dog Design Company / Seattle, Washington USA

Founded in Seattle Washington in 1987 by Robynne Raye and Michael Strassburger, Modern Dog Design Co.

Topic: Profiles

Case Study in Experiential Branding: Imaginary Forces / Los Angeles, California and New York, New York USA

Design leadership is essential to any and all branding activities.

Topic: Profiles

Creative Briefs Are Strategic Tools: Creative Briefs

Computer scientists have a saying, "Garbage in, garbage out.

Topic: Professional Development

Evaluating Aesthetic Choices: Aesthetic Considerations

Presenting a design and explaining the aesthetic considerations and creative decisions in a business/audience context is a great way to increase a designer's approval ratings.

Topic: Professional Development

Research Aligns and Focuses Design: Design-Centric Research

The scale and complexity of the design research typically depends on several factors.

Topic: Profiles

Evaluating Design Strategy: Strategic Thinking

If the design is driven by the client's desire to achieve a measurable goal or objective, then it's pretty obvious as to whether or not the design succeeded in achieving the goal.

Topic: Professional Development

Case Study in Strategic Thinking: Good Design Company / Tokyo, Japan

Good Design Company was founded in 1999 by art director/president, Manabu Mizuno.

Topic: Branding Identity

Case Study Project Setup: COLLINS: / BIG, Ogilvy & Mather / New York, New York USA

COLLINS:, led by Brian Collins, creates experiences, products, and digital interactions that transform and strengthen the relationship between organizations, brands, and people.

Topic: Environmental Design

Getting Aesthetic Ideas Approved: Aesthetic Considerations

A critical responsibility of a designer is selling the client on a design as it was concepted.

Topic: Managing Design

Teamwork Basics: Assembling the Team

With the paperwork in order, the job budgeted and scheduled, and the creative brief in place, it's time to design.

Topics: Managing Design, Professional Development, Studio Secrets

Socially Responsible Design: Big Goals

Whether the goal is crossing cultures and uniting people through globalization or motivating and supporting environmental consciousness and sustainability, an understanding of various changing contexts is important for successful design.

Topics: Branding Identity, Color, Packaging, Professional Development, Type

Six Characteristics of Successful Design Teams: Assembling the Team

Complementary skills Team members are well matched but not identical copies of each other.

Topics: Layouts, Managing Design, Professional Development, Profiles

Case Study Aesthetic Considerations: Stanley Wong / Hong Kong, China

Stanley Wong Ping-pui, also known as "anothermountainman," is an award-winning, Hong Kong–based advertising guru, graphic designer, photographer, filmmaker, and fine artist.

Topics: Branding Identity, Color, Environmental Design, Professional Development, Profiles

Aesthetics in Design: Aesthetic Considerations

When many people think of design, what they are actually conjuring up in their minds is something much more analogous to "style"—the look of the thing, not its rationale or technical configuration.

Topics: Branding Identity, Color, Managing Design, Pattern & Palette, Product Design, Type

Well-Designed Goes Beyond Pretty: Aesthetic Considerations

Great design can be pretty.

Topics: Branding Identity, Color, Packaging, Pattern & Palette, Product Design

Ten Reasons Design Project Schedules Fail: Planning

Every design project brings its own unique challenges.

Topics: Managing Design, Professional Development, Random

Building Lasting Client Collaborations: Managing Clients

Creating a strong collaborative partnership with clients is critical for graphic designers.

Topics: Branding Identity, Professional Development, Profiles, Self-Promotion, Type

The Importance of Ongoing Design Management: Managing Clients

Design management is challenging.

Topics: Color, Environmental Design, Managing Design, Professional Development

Case Study in Managing Clients: 344 Design, LLC / Los Angeles, California USA

Stefan G.

Topics: Branding Identity, Managing Design, Professional Development, Profiles

Quality Control and Quality Assurance: Managing Creatives

Designers are driven to do great work.

Topics: Branding Identity, Packaging, Product Design, Professional Development

How to Manage Client Expectations: Managing Expectations

Great design takes great designer and client collaboration.

Topics: Branding Identity, Color, Managing Design, Packaging, Professional Development

Breaking Down a Budget: Budgeting for Design

When thinking about pricing a project, it's logical to consider who will be doing the work.

Topics: Managing Design, Professional Development, Studio Secrets

Case Study in Big Goals: Sustainability: smashLAB / Vancouver, BC, Canada

Vancouver-based smashLAB is an interaction design studio directed by partners Eric Shelkie, who plans and codes, and Eric Karjaluoto, who does strategy and design.

Topics: Branding Identity, Managing Design, Professional Development, Studio Secrets

Team Management Issues: Managing Creatives

Even with the best of intentions, lots of designers don't always play well with others.

Topics: Branding Identity, Managing Design, Professional Development

What Is Project Management?: Project Management

A designer can have a great project, for the most amazing client, with a generous budget, and still barely break even.

Topics: Design Reference, Professional Development, Self-Promotion, Studio Secrets

Defining Design's Power Role: What Clients Can Expect

Everything, but especially communication, is becoming increasingly complex.

Topics: Branding Identity, Studio Secrets

Design in an Ever-Changing World: How Good Design Motivates Participation and Action

Graphic design can't cure cancer.

Topics: Random, Studio Secrets

Design Supports Internal Communications: Create a Culture of Innovation

Some clients are so busy focusing on their products and services that they neglect their most valuable asset—their employees.

Topics: Branding Identity, Studio Secrets

How Designers Work: Wearing the Design Hat with the Business Hat

Every designer is both an artist and a businessperson.

Topic: Studio Secrets

Ways to Determine a Good Designer/Client Match: Key indicators for clients and designers to determine compatibility and competence

The following tips are key indicators for both clients and designers to use to determine compatibility and competence: Background: Research them.

Topic: Studio Secrets

Creativity in a Business Environment: Project Profile: HGM Branding designed by Alt Group/Auckland, New Zealand

Design is not just for designers.

Topics: Branding Identity, Studio Secrets