Oct 3, 2016
Douglas Davis (@DouglasQDavis) is a graphic designer, professor, consultant, and author of the new book Creative Strategy and the Business of Design. The book, which follows his recent talks and workshops, explores business issues that face creative professionals, especially those which may not even seem apparent.
In this conversation, we explore the business culture exposed creatives, the shortcomings of our design education system, and how Brooklyn is becoming the home for creative thought.
Check out Douglas’s book, Creative Strategy and the Business of Design, now available where fine books are sold.
"Everyone has that story of when they were first taken advantage of."
—Douglas Davis
"Design school doesn't teach business, and Business school doesn't teach how to inspire designers."
—Douglas Davis
"Clients expect us to answer their problems with creativity that's on-brand, on-strategy, and on-message."
—Douglas Davis
"Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan."
—Russian proverb (or maybe Tacitus c. 98 AD)
"Do it right or do it thrice."
—Douglas Davis
"Business is annexing design. Our design jobs are more important because of that."
—Douglas Davis
"Design is the spoonful of sugar that makes marketing & business palatable to the public."
—Douglas Davis
"'I love it' is not a compelling business rationale."
—Dr. Marjorie Kalter
"We're here to inject art into commerce."
—Tibor Kalman
"It's almost a rite of passge to make every mistake in the book."
—Prescott Perez-Fox
"Begin with the end in mind."
—adage
"Think like they think to do what we do."
—Douglas Davis
"The short hand comes later; first you have to use the long hand."
—Prescott Perez-Fox
"I've seen ideas die on the table because creatives weren't able to set the context."
—Douglas Davis
"Some people are better at other things than I am."
—Douglas Davis
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