by built
Mar 30, 2016
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How we work - Our process
Design Factory tailors the approach to each new project to the client’s specific needs, enabling us to create unique design solutions specific to your requirements every time. However, the broad scope of our approach can be described in the following four stages:
1. Establishing the Design Direction
When starting each new project, we would
urge the importance of meeting with all parties
involved to further discuss the brief. This helps
crystallise the principal aims and objectives of
each project and establishes the core values
for the design stage going forward. A summary
report of information gathered from this process
forms the basis of the design phase.
2. Design Concepts
With the parameters of each project agreed, the
initial design concepts would be produced. The
initial design proposals would show treatment of
typography, photography, illustration (if relevant),
colour and, for printed literature, typical layout
design.
3. Design Development & Implementation
After presentation of the initial design concepts,
comments and suggested amendments would
be analysed and incorporated, the chosen
concepts developed and the preferred options
applied to the list of materials specified.
4. Production/ Artwork
This stage includes preparation of final artwork,
the supply of final proofs for approval, colour
specifications, supervision of film separations
and cromalin proofs. Final artwork will be
supplied on disc and in the required electronic
file formats for Mac and PC. All print items can
be quality checked on press and our production
team will liaise with printer on timelines and
delivery if you require us to manage that aspect
of the job.
Great design is rarely the work of one person,
more often it is a result of open collaboration
between the client company and the design
team. Typically, we will be in very regular
contact with you and encourage communication
directly between client representatives and
the designers actually doing the work. We feel
this makes us unique and helps engender a
closer working relationship as well as ensuring
the specific objectives of each project are met
precisely.
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Our experience
Design Factory has over 25 years experience in all areas of brand identity and visual communication. However, we particularly specialise in branding and communications design and in design for the built environment.
Design Factory is an award winning branding and
design communications company. Established
in Dublin since 1983, we are based in custom
designed studios on Capel Street. Our staff
profile comprises 80% designers including;
the two Directors, Conor Clarke and Stephen
Kavanagh, who both design every day and act
as Creative Directors; a dedicated print and
production manager; marketing communications
and other administrative staff.
Complementing our head office we have satellite
offices in Belfast - headed up by Creative
Director Alan Diver; New York - headed up by
renowned brand strategist Larry McNaughton,
and an associate office - Design Factory
Copenhagen, which principally deals with
packaging design.
Design Ethos
We believe that good design is key to the
creation and survival of any successful brand. We
live in a highly competitive sensory environment,
with visual and verbal messages bombarding
our attentions every day. Design Factory’s
unparalleled experience of working with
businesses from all facets of industry, combined
with our skills in effective strategic design, put
us in the unique position of being able to provide
the full range of materials you require, allowing
you to concentrate your efforts in other areas.
All our work is guided by the principal of ‘Logic
and Magic’. Without a logical and defined base
which identifies the core aims and values of the
client company, no amount of attractive design
can properly or fully address the brand needs.
Likewise, a wholly logical approach without
a ‘magical’ design ending will never serve
to inspire in the way a well branded piece of
communications material should.
Clients
Our branding and communications design clients
include some of the country’s best known
organisations and state bodies including; IT Sligo,
Waterford Institute of Technology, The Road
Safety Authority, Mater Private Healthcare, Fresh
- the good food market, the Royal College of
Surgeons, The National Gallery, 3V the safe way
to shop online and the Royal College of Surgeons
amongst many others.
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Our team structure
We believe that the importance of having a dedicated Project Manager who will be your principal point of contact throughout the contract is paramount.
(Creative) Director
Stephen Kavanagh,
is an honours
graduate of NCAD,
Dublin, and a
founding director of
Design Factory. He has served as a committee
member of the GDBA (Graphic Design Business
Association). In 1995 and again in 1996 Stephen
received the prestigious Donside Papers (UK)
Award for the Best Overall Entry from Ireland
for his ESB Annual Reports. He is currently
an external assessor to the Dublin Institute of
Technology. His work has been published in
respected international design journals such as
‘Graphis’ and ‘Novum Gebrauchsgrafik’.
(Creative) Director
Conor Clarke,
is an honours
graduate of NCAD,
Dublin. He worked
at BRS Design
Partnership in Amsterdam before founding
Design Factory in 1983 with Stephen Kavanagh.
He has served as a committee member of the
SDI (Society of Designers in Ireland) and ICAD
(Institute of Creative Advertising and Design). He
has been a regular award winner at ICAD with
his work featured in international publications
such as ‘Who’s Who in Graphic Design’, ‘Graphis’,
‘Novum Gebrauchsgrafik’ and the ‘New York Art
Directors Club Annual’. He has written a book on
the relationship between Ireland and Holland in
graphic design for the Dutch publisher BIS. Conor
has been closely involved at a Creative Director
level with most of the Annual Report projects we
have produced over the last twenty-five years.
Marketing and
Brand Strategy
William Hart,
is an honours
graduate from the
University of Kent
(UK) where he studied Politics and International
Relations. Before joining Design Factory in 2003,
he worked in a number of marketing roles, both
in the UK and Ireland, planning and overseeing
the implementation of marketing strategy and
developing new business opportunities. William
has worked on all Design Factory’s branding
projects for the past 5 years, helping identify
strategy and planning for the design stages.
These projects have included; The Road Safety
Authority, Mater Private Hospital and Blackpool in
Cork amongst others.
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Our commitment to design
We believe that good design is key to the creation and survival of any successful brand. We live in a highly competitive sensory environment, with visual and verbal messages bombarding our attentions every day.
Design Factory’s unparalleled experience of
working with businesses from all facets of
industry, combined with our skills in effective
strategic design, put us in the unique position of
being able to provide the full range of materials
you require, allowing you to concentrate your
efforts in other areas.
All our work is guided by the principal of ‘Logic
and Magic’. Without a logical and defined base
which identifies the core aims and values of the
client company, no amount of attractive design
can properly or fully address the brand needs.
Likewise, a wholly logical approach without
a ‘magical’ design ending will never serve
to inspire in the way a well branded piece of
communications material should.
Design Factory is an award winning branding and
design communications company. Established
in Dublin since 1983, we are based in custom
designed studios in Dublin 1. Our staff profile
comprises 80% designers including; the two
Directors, Conor Clarke and Stephen Kavanagh,
who both design every day and act as Creative
Directors; a dedicated print and production
manager; marketing communications and other
administrative staff.