Long before humans learned to write, they communicated. With The Big Idea in mind, our ancestors used hand prints and charcoal sticks to draw images on rock walls to tell future generations of conquests of the hunt, of collaboration with neighboring tribes, and details of common everyday life. They told us stories without words. I like to imagine that when they completed their creations, that Caveman and Cavewoman would stand back, admire their work and think to themselves, “There, that should be clear enough.” They expected everyone to get it. It was not long after that, Miss Communication was born, and humans have been in trouble ever since.

George Bernard Shaw said that the biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. Communication, as it turns out, is a lot harder than it looks, even if we draw pictures. The problem lies in the fact that no matter what story we tell, it only makes perfect sense to us.

Clear communication is the primary work of graphic design. We are visual storytellers. We are interpreters. We are visual chemists. We are educators. We are visual philosophers because we think deeply about the meaning of every mark, shape, and color; meaning held within a context, in society, in culture, in history, and to an individual. Because words are limited in scope, we use fundamental visual building blocks to create perceptions and provide understanding. 

Verbal communication is hazardous. Visual communication even more. So how are we to communicate The Big Idea? Part of visual communication is knowing what story should be told. Part of communication is knowing who to tell. Part of it is the delivery, and where that delivery takes place. Part is the reception and perception. Add to this the many things that convey meaning, including color, shape, style, position, symbols, patterns, and most importantly, context. Even if all these things work well together, you cannot disregard the obstacles. The viewer could be distracted, bored, or bombarded, or just plain tired. What you have, then, is a fine kettle of fish. 

Getting The Big Idea message out is the primary work of business. Determining the method to use to do this work is part collaborative mess making, part curiosity, and part transformation. It becomes highly important when we consider all that is at stake.

It is our privilege as graphic designers to help our clients find the gold in their business and to help them express The Big Idea. By solving these visual problems, we can affect the future of the company. No, we do not create magic. We provide a service. Future success is a collaborative effort. But no matter what, graphic design is a revealer. It is possible for us to create a design that makes visual promises, such as capacity or capability, only to have that same company fail to deliver on those promises. It is also possible for us to create a design that communicates and informs and allows entrepreneurs to enjoy the the return on their investment. The Big Idea is an investment. The thinking part is hard work, and graphic designers can only affect the externals. But when a company is prepared to communicate and deliver, good graphic design will water The Big Idea and help it to grow. The better designers and entrepreneurs can collaborate to tell the story of The Big Idea, the more likely it is that the audience will want to be a part of that story.

But imagine the obstacles and complications to communication when it is not clear what story should be told? When the story has not been considered, developed, or clarified? When the characters and the plot and the goal have not been determined? When no one is sure why the story even matters in the first place? 

To convey The Big Idea, you must have one.

Poor visual design is litmus that the underlying story lacks clarity. Good design can carry a company for a while, but it cannot carry a company that lacks a clear identity for long. How is your story coming? Is your story clear? Is your graphic design conveying the right perceptions? Honest design is always the best design.

Clarify your own Big Idea. Think about it. Mull over it. Devote your best self to it. It will help you to find the gold in your business. Better than that, you will find the gold has been there all along, just waiting for you to pan for it.

Did you miss any of The Big Idea posts this month? Check them out here:

What is The Big Idea? Part 1 here.

What’s the Big Idea? Finding Your Sweet Spot, Part 2 here.

The Big Idea- The Gravity of Purpose Part 3 here.

Need help for your business? Etc! Graphics, Inc has been doing business by design since 1988. Give us a call.

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Why do we at etc!graphics inc, a graphic design company, care about your business strategies?  Because no matter how beautiful we make your visuals, your graphics will never make more sense than the clarity of your own vision. The clearer your target, the more lucid your marketing will be, and the better connection your visual graphics will make with your target customer. We want to help you become the best you can be. Join us all this month as we share ways to help your small business sustain and grow in a crowded marketplace. Etc!Graphics is devoted to helping you, the small business owner, think like a marketer.