FLYING HIGH ON DESIGN
David Schelp
Owner of Alpha-Omega Designs
Washington, DC
Story: Conney Thronge
Photo: Susan Shan
It is all in the design for David Schelp, and
when he is looking for the next person to put
on his payroll, they better be able to let their
work talk for them. It’s all about what the
client is looking for in the people they hire
and the designs they get out of it. Putting his
Websites to the test, meet David Schelp.
What are the steps in making sure, you are
hiring a good designer?
First-ask for a portfolio. This should help gauge
whether they are experienced and up to par
with what your expecting from an employee.
One question I ask regarding a portfolio is:
What exactly was your part in producing a
particular piece? My reason for this question
is there is often a certain misrepresentation
of portfolio pieces. Ask specifically about the
work they represent as ‘theirs’.
When creating graphics, what do you feel
is the most important aspect: planning,
design or implementation?
It’s somewhere in the middle of planning and
designing. After coming up with the idea,
knowing what you’re saying, and to whom,
makes the design part easy.
What was your favorite project?
Whatever I am working on at that moment
becomes my dedication and favorite project.
Who is your favorite designer?
Right now I am really enjoying the work of
Jacob Souva, his attention to detail is amazing.
What are some ways that you overcome
creators block?
I look at my competitors sites, and at top
ranking sites in my subject area. Sometimes I
stare at a blank screen, play solitare, and fold
pieces of paper into different airplane designs
and send it flying across the room.
Any must have magazines?
I like flipping through Creative Review and
Communication Arts. But for real inspiration,
I like to go to the source. I like to talk to the
people my design has to serve, listen to what
inspires them.
Can you give us an idea of how many,
projects you handle and how you keep
track of them all?
I have to be involved in almost every project
in some form. We are a very busy studio,
handling on average 30 live projects at any
given time. In general, our designers each
work on three live projects at the same time, all
in various phases of development. Workflow is
one of the hardest aspects of running a studio.
The only way I have learned to manage it is to
follow a few core principles.
- Write it all out: Start with a creative written brief that everyone on the team agrees to and then present it to the client.
- Set expectations: Create a project plan right from the start that has clear presentation
dates with enough time built in for thinking,
reviewing and discussing work progress.
- Manage yourself: Every designer works
differently. Some like to slowly evolve an idea,
while others wait to the last minute and do
it all in the days before it’s due. It’s knowing
yourself and how you work.
If you can successfully implement these three
points, you will be in the best position to
create and put your best thinking forward. This
not only works for you, but the whole team.
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