Design Process

Author: Hand-Heart Design Firm editorial team | Published: 2026-08-28 | Last updated: 2026-08-28

The process is not there to look professional. It is there so that you get the chance to say “hold on, this direction is wrong” before you spend a lot of money.

What stages does the Hand-Heart design process have?

1. Discovery interview and free consultation

   First we work out exactly what problem needs solving. Many partners come to us saying “I want a new logo”, and by the end of the conversation the real problem turns out to be “our branches don’t look like the same company”. If the problem is defined wrongly, everything after it is wasted.

   What you prepare Your brand as it stands, the problem you are facing, the expected schedule and budget range

   What we deliver A record of the clarified requirements, an initial scope recommendation, a quotation
2. Information gathering and research analysis

   We take stock of the existing brand assets, survey the target audience and analyse competitors. Public-sector and large-company projects also include internal interviews and an all-staff questionnaire — ask only the managers and you get “how it ought to look”; ask the front line and you get “how it actually looks”.

   What you prepare Existing material, an internal point of contact, a list of people available for interview

   What we deliver A research report, a competitor analysis, an inventory of the problems
3. Strategy development and concept proposal

   From the research findings we define the core value and the design direction, usually presenting two or three directions for you to choose from. This stage is about direction, not detail — shades of colour and whether the type should be a little larger or smaller all wait until the next stage.

   What you prepare The decision-makers attend the proposal meeting

   What we deliver A strategy briefing, concept direction proposals, confirmation of the direction
4. Design development and refinement

   Following the approved direction, we complete the core design and roll it out into the application system. This stage includes one full round of revisions — revision is part of the process, not an extra request.

   What you prepare Feedback gathered into one round, rather than piecemeal changes

   What we deliver The final design, the application system, the revised version
5. Validation and final artwork

   Different services validate different things: packaging needs a physical white model tested for load and drop, wayfinding needs a 1:1 mock-up on site to confirm the reading distance, and an identity has to be checked at sizes as small as a favicon to see whether it is still legible. What works on the drawing does not necessarily work once it is made.

   What you prepare Confirming specifications and quantities, taking part in the on-site validation

   What we deliver Prototypes or full-size mock-ups, validation records, final artwork files
6. Handover, rollout and site supervision

   Handing over the files is only the minimum. A complete handover also includes the guidelines, training for the people who will carry it out, and on-site supervision of printing or construction. A project done well has to outlive the next project contact — that is why the guidelines and the training exist.

   What you prepare Naming the unit responsible for ongoing maintenance

   What we deliver The complete files, the guidelines, the training briefing, site supervision and acceptance

Who signs off at each stage, and what a change costs

The table above covers “what you give, what we deliver”. This one covers the other half: who confirms at each gate, what it costs to go back and change something after that confirmation, and when a gate can be skipped. When a project drags, it is usually not because the design is slow. It is because the person who confirms is not in the room, or because a change was not made at the cheap stage and only came up at the expensive one.

Three principles run through the whole table. The direction is confirmed by the decision-maker in person — a direction confirmed by a delegate is usually overturned during development. Revisions come in one round — piecemeal changes leave every version incomplete. The later it is, the more it costs — so at every gate we spell out what it will cost to change this later if it is not changed now.

How does the process differ between services?

The six stages are the skeleton; the actual number of stages is adjusted to the nature of the project. The difference comes mainly from whether physical validation is needed and whether the work goes on site:

Why confirm stage by stage instead of doing it all at once?

What do you need to prepare before starting?

You do not need everything in place to start. Give us as much of the following four as you have; Hand-Heart can work through the gaps with you during the research stage:

• Your brand as it stands, and the problem: what the situation is now and what you hope to solve. This one matters most; the rest can follow later.
• Existing visual assets: the current logo, standard colours, typefaces, existing guidelines and applied items.
• Use and specifications: the deliverables you expect, quantities, sizes, and the channels you will publish through.
• Schedule and decision process: when you would like it finished, and who has the final say — the decision-maker not attending the proposal is the most common reason a project goes back and forth.

Frequently asked questions