Design Tips From the White House!

Being creative director at the White House is one of the most high profile jobs in the design industry. Until just a few weeks ago, the person in charge of the President’s creative output was Ashleigh Axios. Tasked with “conceiving and managing the execution of projects to engage the American public about Obama’s policies – as well as presenting the US President in a favourable light”, this is a job not for the faint hearted.

Make your content engaging

If there’s one thing that governmental design has to be, it’s engaging. The projects that Ashleigh Axios was working on were designed to connect with the public, explain policies and make the American people feel included and involved with the work the President was doing.

When President Obama revolutionised the American healthcare system, the creative team at the White House had him explain the changes and the new system on a popular YouTube show. This made the policy a lot more accessible to everyday people and made the changes seem more human and more relevant than if they’d been announced from a podium in front of the press.

Create a diverse workforce

In order to appeal to a diverse audience, you need to have a diverse workforce. The Obama administration was the first to include interns from the opposing party in its design team. Though they kept these Republicans well away from the Twitter account, this enabled the designers to come up with ideas that would appeal to a wider cross section of the public.

A diverse workforce is also better able to innovate and come up with new and exciting ideas, two things that can make a big difference to the quality and the effectiveness of your output.

Don’t be afraid to have fun

Though many of the design projects carried out by the creative team at the White House are serious and important, they haven’t shied away from poking fun at the President and the administration when appropriate.

Playing with your brand and being brave enough to make fun of your organisation is a great way to show a more human side of your company. It also shows that you have confidence in your business and that you have a strong corporate identity.

Embrace your mistakes

Whether you’re the head of a local design company or the President of the United States, mistakes will happen. Owning up to your errors and learning from the things that didn’t go quite right with help you to grow as a professional and ensure that the decisions you make in the future are the right ones.

For more design tips and ideas, have a look around our site today.

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