There’s no alternative to create designs without having to FIRST conceptualize. Pen, paper, or computer comes later. The first child of a thought or an idea passes on to conceptualization—mental representations in the form of abstract images within a thought or mind.

When it comes to design, conceptualization takes the front seat. Design is an umbrella term that brings into its fold different branches such as graphic design, web design, digital painting, product design, 3D design, fashion design and more.

The significance of conceptualization varies from the beginning of ideas to a mockup design that’s normally presented as the first draft to the client. Sometimes this is inclusive of the approval of the last draft or a finalized piece that’s ready for actual production. This also includes the collection of information of a given project otherwise called as specifications and processing it to make it into a mockup design.

Mockup or mock-up, according to Dictionary.com, is a usually full-sized scale model of a structure, used for demonstration, study, or testing. Mockup or concept can be attributed to all vertical designs of a digital production system including websites & logos.

Often, the importance of conceptualization is ignored by designers, and hence chances are there that the mockup or concept created with so much of hard-work and time fails to impress. There are certain very pivotal things that can truly enhance your conceptualization power and bring the difference that your clients can keep you praising. Presented below are the details in 11 points that can can help you empower your design conceptualization ability.

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The beginning of things starts small. When your idea is in the infant stage, push it up until you can visualize your abstract idea into what you want to see the design output. It is not that your visualization immediately jumpstarts into a full-fledged design right before your eyes. You first need to visualize each and every aspect of your proposed design step by step and that where’s more ideas lights up.

Once you understand that you have got an abstract idea bouncing in your head, go a little deeper until you can find a little clear picture. However, some designers sit down and start designing when they think that there’s something in their head.  The fact here, they are missing is, thoughts plainly flow as streams and tend to power up your visualization activity more and more. If we stop in the middle, the flow stops and when we get back to them after the break, we may not be as connective to it as in the beginning.

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Let’s elaborate more with an illustration on an abstract topic: To create a design on Desolation in Celebration

Here, there are two contradictory aspects of the design. First is desolation which, according to dictionary.com, is deprivation of companionship, loneliness, a desolate place.  Second is celebration, an act of celebrating, festive or happy mood . Simply, put the basic idea is both sad and happy ambience.

Well to start with, I have this as my basic idea for the design:  to show up a single bird on a “wire of thorns” in the backdrop that shows festive elements. On the whole, the ambience should be something bleak yet powerful to contrast the loneliness of the bird.

Note: Ideas differ from person to person.

The following is an illustration of the abstract idea and the thought flowing process.

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Well, let me clarify you the sleek different between inspiration and conceptualization. While inspiration is an outburst of an idea, conceptualization is a phenomenon or probably what you can call as the development of that particular idea (inspiration) into a design mockup. However, there always will be a remarkable consequence on an end-product or the resultant design when you exercise your power of conceptualization upon inspiration.

For example, there are several websites inspired by Apple.com design: the sleekness it carries, the gradients, the rounded boxes, the grey & white color combo, etc.  While others are the inspired designs the original and unique design always remain the Apple.com. It is because the design is well thought out and well conceptualized and thus holds the power to inspire others.

See: 22 Website Designs Inspired by Apple.com

Therefore, the difference between inspiration & conceptualization is as clear as the inspired design and original / unique design.

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When you keep thinking on a topic, things around you conspire to inspire you. This is not a myth or an exaggerated piece of philosophic statement; it is TRUTH. I present myself an example in this case who gets inspiration from things I see around. For example, when I visit a supermarket, I incline to see different design of the packages that are stacked neatly in colorful arrays, and then think of how a color combo on a certain package design will suit on a website, or on a logo, etc. There are several such occasions that keep me inspiring or at least assisting me to visualize.

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When you are hit by a conceptual thought, just write it down. Try putting as much information your visual thoughts generate as possible. Take help of mobiles, iPhones, laptops, PCs (Notepad, Word, Excel sheet), traditional notebook or a piece of paper and jot down what you accomplish to think. There are also online tools such as Google Docs that can help you note down your thoughts and keep them for yourself or share across. For example, if you see the logo design processes of top logo designers, they use pen/pencil and paper to put down their thoughts in the form of sketches that help them create powerful brands. This practice surely helps in the further development of the concept.

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Apart from your mind, take things from others’ mind. It’s possible when you share the topic with your family members, friends or colleagues and seek their ideas and thoughts. There’s nothing wrong in it, instead it is a good practice, because you’ll get an opportunity to take a peek into how others think of the same thought.  Even if their thoughts are bizarre, do not laugh off, as their thoughts track back your own topic.

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There are tons of design galleries that showcase works from other designers. Normally, when a designer receives requirements on a design, he/she looks for inspiration or visits the URLs the client has sent as design references.  The exploration serves as the basis for design inspiration and that’s where the love for inspiration starts.

The impact of direct design inspiration if much stronger and substantial than it takes time to envision the design concept on your own. There are tons of inspirational sources across the web that can help kick-start your concept power. During this process, prepare your own keywords from the notes you make during the initial conceptualization and search with the terms. For instance, in the above flow chart of Desolation in Celebration I’ve used the words gothic, surrealistic, fantasy art, bird silhouette, swirls, swooshes, circles, brushes. These are actually the situational invention of keywords relative to the specific design. You can use these search terms or keywords to find ideas and resources relevant to your design.

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So how do design blogs help you in the context of conceptualization? Ironically, design blogs are an exceptional source for design inspiration and conceptualization. The main role of design blogs is to make things specific and cut down your search time. For example, if you are looking for inspiration to get started with a brochure design you normally search for various design galleries or showcases or even several portfolios of websites that offer brochure design services. But how about if you find, say, 22 beautiful examples of brochure designs? This is made possible by design blogs.

In addition to that, design blogs center around such specific topics including articles that can help you improve your learning and gaining of knowledge. The more you are informed and knowledgeable, the more you are acquainted with the process of conceptualization. So, hug design blogs, subscribe to them, visit them regularly, spend time to read the useful articles, and keep the habit of interacting with other readers via comment section.

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Experience is not the whole conceptualization; it is only a corner of the block.  To conceptualize you don’t need to be a pure experienced designer. Experience is all by means the know-how of doing similar things or participating in several different activities and get them into your knowledge that you gain by spending some time of your life.

Experience makes things easier, enhances your productivity, help organize the work and do it faster.  However, the actual “seed of conceptualization” still remains a mystery even for the experienced designers unless it is unveiled through strong ideas and visual perceptions.  Therefore, conceptualization is not an exception to the experienced artists, rather paradoxically, it becomes more and more mandatory, because the more you become experienced and famous, the more creative designs your clients will expect from you.

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With new trends and technologies, software and growing skills, the IT world is moving like a superfast train.  Keep track of the latest trends and most happening things in the design industry and adjust the levels of your concept power accordingly. If you do not follow the trends, you’ll be abandoned at one point of time, because people want to live in today than yesterday.

There are several websites and blogs that post about the trends. Search them, read the trends, and keep yourself up to date. Especially, it is very important for web designers as technology and coding languages are the fastest trendsetters.

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I have heard stories from clients that they spent money on fruitless designs by their previous designers. Although I was not sure of what had transpired between those clients and designers, I was sure that the clients were not happy with the output of the design.

One acceptable cause for a bad design is lack of creativity. There are a number of causes for it, but one dormant cause is (freelance) designers struggle to handle too much of work. When you have too many clients to handle by your two hands, the situation irresponsibly disturbs your concentration. There may be short deadlines, the client may be calling you to check back the status and you might be showing off your IM status as invisible or send an automated email telling you are out on an urgent personal work or checking with other designers to outsource some of your work but you find that the designers are not up to the standards you follow.

Conceptualization is not diversification, ironically it is the unification of several abstract thoughts into one stream to produce a unique design. So if you are walking the tight rope then either be prepared to fall down or to balance your life and make things easy for yourself and your customers.

Conclusion:

The purpose of conceptualization is to improve your thoughts and take them to higher level, so you can find gems within the frame of your mind. As a result of higher conceptualization, you’ll be able to make unique designs and can impact other designers to take inspiration from your own designs.