10 tips for good design

On this page we share our ten best tips that generally have a positive impact on a design.

# 1: Reduction

Everything that isn't absolutely necessary should be removed. Once you've reached a point where you can't leave anything out anymore, you have a clear layout and can still work on a few details here and there. But the general rule is: remove anything unnecessary; it only distracts people from your message.

# 2: Be careful with logo design

As a design agency, we know that when developing a corporate design or branding, the logo design must be tested in black and white, as well as in small and large sizes - ideally on a screen and in print.

# 3: Grid

Every good layout is based on a good grid. Various elements can be arranged and aligned along the grid. Furthermore, it's helpful to have a flexible grid. For example, in magazine layouts, we work with 12-column grids, allowing me to work with 2, 3, or even 4 columns.

# 4: Target group

It's very important to design with the target audience in mind. Colors, round or square, regular or irregular shapes, fonts, the arrangement of design elements, visual moods, the ratio of text to images, etc. ... all of this plays a role in a layout and must be coherent and appropriate for the people you want to attract with a design.

# 5: Contrasts

Contrasts create tension and break up a layout. Depending on whether a layout should appear subtle and quiet or loud and striking, you can work with more extreme or softer contrasts. We believe it's best to limit yourself to one contrast so that it has enough visual impact (for example, combining a handwritten font with a sans serif font, where the entire font is displayed in one color and the background is also solid).

# 6: Repetitions

Repetitions in the layout create orientation and thus generally contribute to a better reading experience. Recurring elements can include heading bars, large letters that always hang in the same place on an imaginary grid line in the layout, repeating image arrangements in very specific places, or other design elements such as symbols or even text beginnings placed always in the same position on a page.

# 7: Screen vs. print

If you're designing something on screen that will be used in print, it's a good idea to do a test print. Things often look different in print than they do on a screen. Font sizes and color contrasts, in particular, are often easier to judge when printed than on a screen.

# 8: Sleep on it

One of the most important tips in our opinion: When a design is (supposedly) finished, you should definitely sleep on it and look at the layout again the next day with fresh eyes. Every good designer needs to step back from their work to ultimately deliver quality. A good night's sleep often allows you to see things more objectively than if you're working on it for hours and are "stuck" in the middle of the design process.

# 9: Beware of too many fonts

While, as mentioned earlier, contrast is generally a good thing, one should exercise caution with fonts. You should never mix too many fonts in one layout. It's better to use fewer fonts in different weights (italic, bold, etc.) than to randomly combine too many completely different fonts. Two or three fonts are usually more than sufficient. Furthermore, you should consider which font and weight should be used for what kind of content before you start designing. We like to work with Wolfgang Beinert's typography matrix; it has proven very useful in our daily design work.

# 10: Tip for advertisements

Another tip specifically for advertisements: Before you even begin designing, you need to be clear about the following: What is the core message of the advertisement? What is the specific "call to action"? What is the goal? Is it to click a certain button? Is it to buy a ticket for an event? Is it to call a phone number to schedule an appointment? Whatever the case, an advertising subject should always have a clear "call to action" (a request for action), which must be displayed prominently; it must immediately catch the eye.