It was a simple animated gif. It didn’t look great. It would have annoyed the hell out of users. The branding consultant reasoned that it worked because, he interpreted, it matched the brand values.

But he overlooked something else - this was part of the design and the other version looked better. No interpretation, just simple aesthetics - part of the design objective. Plus it was simpler which is less annoying for users - also part of the design objective.

And the design objective was an important part of the brand.

After explaining this, there was a long pause and he said quietly 'Oh, I think I got lost in branding’. I agreed that he indeed may have gone ‘all brandy-wandy’.

Its easy to get caught up in our own world, with its own agendas and lose sight of the obvious things. And you’re not immune.

That’s right, you could go designey-whiney if you’re not careful!

How can we step outside our own perspective and make the best decision? 

We all know that too much feedback can dilute the effectiveness of design (otherwise known as 'design by committee’). But getting feedback from someone outside our world can be invaluable, especially if they can offer insight into the brand.

The brand consultant from our story showed self-awareness, humbleness and willingness to learn. Great qualities to grow professionally and live outside of your industry perspective.