wrc-db-prototype-02

Q: Michael, what's the collaborative process for you and
your team when you start working on a new project?
Michael: Every partner at Pentagram manages their own
small team, and I’ve noticed that every team approaches
collaboration a little differently. When I get a new
assignment, I usually bring in one of my designers to work
with me on it. That designer will take the lead on the
project management and ultimately has the responsibility
to see that it’s going to be done right.
Sometimes a project is complex and will require a bigger
team. For instance, if a project combines identity and
environmental graphics, I might bring in two designers,
one for each area. Other times one designer takes a lead
and others are pulled in, often to provide specialized
assistance for a specific part of the job. Because we all work
together in a big open plan office, people are making
connections informally on a continuous basis.
Q: To follow up on that, can you provide an example of an
ideal collaborative experience with a client?
Michael: Having a client participate in the creative process
is a way to increase the chances that they’ll understand,
and fully commit to, the final recommendation. Because so
much work depends on the quality of its ongoing
implementation - work that is often done in house, or by
other agencies - we invest a lot of time in making sure the
client sees the solution as something they can take full
possession of. That said, our clients seldom expect to be
“co-designing” with us: they come to Pentagram because
they respect our expertise and look to us for leadership.
In my experience the key is to avoid “presentation mode”
- those sessions when salesmanship overtakes empathy -
and keep actively listening through the whole process.
Q: How has your creative process evolved over the years
when working on identity design projects?
Michael: Although the technological context of brand
identity has changed radically in every possible way since I
began in 1980, I honestly can’t say my creative process has
changed that much. I think as I’ve gotten more mature,
I’ve come to realize that clever solutions sometimes work
beautifully at the moment of launch but don't stand up to
the test of time. Simple ideas tend to endure, and it takes
restraint and even humility to stay simple.
Q: From what I can remember, 20 years ago, when an
established company changed their logo, it barely
registered outside the design community. Not so today.
What's changed? Is it a function of social media?
Michael: It may not be only social media, but it is
technology. Logos are no longer just things that people
encounter (and usually pay no attention to) on the sides of
trucks or the ends of commercials. Instead, they’re icons
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