What is it?
Concept boards are visual tools used to convey the design concept and creative vision for a project. Compared to a mood board, they're a more concrete and detailed representation of the design direction. They include specific design elements such as layouts, typography choices, color schemes, and sample content and are more like a rough draft or initial design proposal.
Concept boards make the design process easier and help with decision-making. They’re quicker and simpler to create than full designs, letting you explore and show multiple ideas without spending too much time or resources. By sharing concept boards with the client early on, you can make sure you're on the right track, avoiding misunderstandings and saving time by reducing the chances of major changes later.
They also work as a critical self-reflection and decision-making tool for designers themselves. By visualizing multiple ideas side by side, you can objectively evaluate strengths, weaknesses, and alignment with project goals, target audiences, and brand requirements. This facilitates idea generation and refinement before committing to a specific design direction, ensuring that the final product remains cohesive and aligned with the project's objectives.
When to use it
- To iterate and refine design concepts quickly without getting caught up in the intricacies of detailed design drafts.
- To allow stakeholders to provide input and feedback at an early stage, eliminating misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
Remember to
- Choose impactful and representative images, typography treatments, and visual aids to convey the essence of your design concept.
- Keep it focused and cohesive: While it's important to explore different design possibilities, ensure that your concept board maintains a clear and coherent direction.
Step-by-step
1 |
Gather inspiration and references Collect inspiration and references that are relevant to the project. This can include existing mood boards, Pinterest boards, existing presentation content, and any other presentations from the client. Also, look for other presentations that are similar in nature, format, or purpose to the project you're working on. |
2 |
Define design elements Identify the key design elements you’ll use in your concept boards. For a presentation concept board, these elements usually include charts, diagrams, typography (fonts and how they work together), color schemes, icons, images, and 1-3 sample layouts. Choose specific design elements that match the content of the presentation. |
3 |
Brainstorm and sketch ideas Start generating design ideas by brainstorming and sketching rough concepts. Don’t worry about making them perfect—focus on capturing the core ideas. Keep the brand’s identity, values, and target audience in mind. Think about details like whether to use rounded corners, solid or gradient fills, and the style of images. |
4 |
Select the strongest concepts Review your sketches and pick the ideas that best match the brand’s goals and visual identity. Select the concepts that most effectively communicate the message you want to deliver. |
5 |
Explore and refine concepts on digital boards Transfer your chosen sketches to digital concept boards. Create separate boards for each concept. Arrange the elements on the boards in a way that is logical and visually appealing, using layout techniques like grids to ensure consistency and balance. |
6 |
Select concepts for client review Choose 2-3 of your best concepts to show to the client. Make sure each one is distinct but still fits within the brand’s guidelines and the presentation’s purpose. |
7 |
Present and discuss Prepare a narrative or explanation for each concept. Clearly describe your thought process, reasoning, and the unique aspects of each design. Present these to the client and encourage discussion to gather their feedback and preferences. |
8 |
Make adjustments and finalize Based on the client’s feedback, make any necessary adjustments to your concept boards. Once the concept is approved, finalize the board, which will guide the rest of the design process. Make any last refinements before moving forward with the project. |
