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    • Before I start, I want to know the “essence” of the project. That’s usually a lot of thinking about the briefing, talking to the client, research, etc. After that the design is usually done quite easily.

    • Marcus Kraft

    • I like to start trying understand the problem and discuss about that. After that its a process of experimentations and analyse for a possible solution for the problem.

    • Guilherme Vieira

    • With my colleagues and partners by talking a lot and drawing sketches.

    • Alfonso Demetz

    • Conceptual thinking and analysis of an assignment. Typological research: looking at other books, mostly. Sketching.

    • Joost Grootens

    • Read, think, try, think, read, think, try – to be looped in shuffled order.

    • Ronald Fueglister

    • Research, discussions with my studio partners, collecting moods, try outs and read the briefing intently.

    • Julian Zimmermann

    • Read the briefing. Try to understand. Read the briefing again. Drink a coffee. Read the briefing again. Do some moods, and try to think further than needed.

    • Pascal Fedorec

    • We develop our ideas together. We are two people with different opinions and points of view – this is an important aspect in developing our ideas.

    • Niklaus Thoenen

    • By trying, by discussing, by putting inspiration up on the wall.

    • Dirk Heider

    • Read, run, cook, talk, walk, laugh, share, make, remake, publish, change, talk.

    • Daniel Eatock

    • I speak to client. I think about what they actually need. I think about how I can design probably while doing something else. I start doing.

    • Craig Sinnamon

    • Thinking, starting, dismiss, beginning again, thinking, speak with other graphic designers.

    • Nicole Schwarz

    • Talking with the colleagues in the office. Helpful: tee, coffee and sketch book. Or, later: wine and cigarettes.

    • Andreas Uebele

    • We develop our ideas together. We are two people with different opinions and points of view – this is an important aspect in developing our ideas.

    • Michael Mischler

    • Sketch, think, smoke, looking in to the wall, listening to loud music.

    • Stepan Prokop

    • Mainly from what’s there. But some ideas need even more.

    • Robert Lzicar

    • Go for a walk. Sit in a sidewalk cafe watching people go by. Do serious research. Travel (or just get out of the city). Talk to client extensively.

    • Stefan Sagmeister

    • Read, think, draw, look at stuff, talk about it, try it out, refine, reject.

    • Christoph Walz

    • To get a clear view on the topic I usually sort any information I get into one of three simple categories. Then I try to verbalize the problem as detailed as possible. On that basis I start to design.

    • Sebastian Klebe

    • A long period of thinking and research. Sometimes I sketch ideas on paper. Normally, when the idea rises up, I work on the PC directly.

    • Mimmo Manes

    • When I work with musicians I listen to their music, when I design stuff for motion pictures I watch the film. Everything I do is deeply influenced by the product itself, my work comes from that and then it is very easy.

    • Christian Pitschl

    • A mixture of research, intuition and trying out things. Motto: One step forward, two steps back and so on.

    • Frank Philippin

    • Realize the need of the client. if you really understand a problem, solutions come intuitively.

    • Marvin Klee

    • This depends on the project, but I love to sit together with my team to brainstorm and to start conversations.

    • Christina John

    • Deeply understanding the problem, making a lot of research, writing down some first ideas, relaxing, looking at the first ideas and evolving them, show to trustful friends, changing again.

    • Giovani Castelucci

    • Pen, paper, cup of tea. Short brainstorm-session with someone.

    • Linde Böhm

    • Researching, analysing, discussing and weighing the parameters of the project and also during the actual design work itself – I guess you could call it informed play.

    • Paulus M. Dreibholz

    • While taking a walk, cooking, during conversations with people which surround me.

    • Nina Magdalena Hug

    • Analysing, research, scribbling on paper, digital scribbles, presentation and further improvement.

    • Jörg Bruppacher

    • Think. Research. Rethink. Sketch. Discuss with the team. Rethink. Select.

    • Erwin K. Bauer

    • As a group, sharing multiple ideas and talking them through, OR on walks, in dreams.

    • Ryan Waller

    • Usually I begin with a series of really rough doodles on paper. I decide on a few directions to pursue and then go digital. Working in Indesign or illustrator, I create a first round of sketches to show a client.

    • Mary Voorhees Meehan

    • Gathering ideas through brainstormings, reading literature for designers, internet surfing.

    • Elmar Heidenberger

    • Designers have a concept in their head which they change many times to get the best solution.

    • Sabine Psaier

    • Inspiration from their environment, from the internet, from colleagues.

    • Manuel Egger

    • Probably every designer has its own way. In front of the computer, sitting on the toilet, doing sports, drawing and doing sketches, while sleeping?

    • Lena Richter

    • Mainly trough research (about the company, the new product, references, etc.).

    • Katharina Kofler

    • I don’t know. It depends on the designer, some of them do simply always have ideas, some have to create a new concept by hard work.

    • Michael Graff

    • Research, inspiration, checking practicability, checking back with the client.

    • Nico Keller

    • Firstly they do some research to get inspiration and then they get some crude idea and start improving it step by step.

    • Steven Sillamaa

    • Mind maps, inspiration by walking, discussions in a team, reading, watching, trying and testing (includes presentation).

    • Silvia Zieger

    • They get their ideas from their surrounding, from family, friends, adverts, internet, books and from their improved thinking about a thing.

    • Barbara Kofler

    • They gather ideas from their own large pool of creative thoughts and their experiences, do researches on the internet or in other media, and take their inspiration from other designer’s work.

    • Ariane Löbert

    • Brainstorming, talking about their ideas together in groups, searching the Internet, traveling and visiting new and inspiring places.

    • Hanspeter Augschöll

    • Process: research, talk with others, sketching, talk with others, refine, talk with others, refine and complete.

    • Annelies Furtschegger

    • Staring at their computer, sketching on paper with special pencils.

    • Patrick Seelaus

    • By keeping themselves in motion, which means that it might sometimes be better to leave the office and have a run in the park to not get stuck in an idea.

    • Marian Izsak

    • Through other projects as reference, research about the product, object, the company, the client as person.

    • Martin Fischnaller

    • Inspiration through environment, media, family, friends, colleagues.

    • Lisa Psaier

    • Not a clue. It will remain an eternal mystery to me.

    • Luca Baldini

    • I think they start with a brainstorm. Then research on the topic, collecting pictures and inspiration. Then they start to shape their project.

    • Paul Gruber

    • They work constantly on the projects: reading, writing, drawing – they manage the format.

    • Nina Maccariello

    • Brainstorm session and inspiration from architecture, books, internet, photgraphy etc.

    • Lars van Susteren

    • Meeting with the client > research about the theme (internet, books), look for inspiration, gathering ideas for the design > sketching > design the product > presentation > being satisfied.

    • Harald Roalter

    • Read magazines, observe the environment, inspiration by music, nature, colours – everything around them.

    • Doris Wisthaler

    • First by research and idea gathering, refining the ideas in their head and then finally the designing.

    • Stefan Profanter

    • Doing research and combine that with the organisation they work for. Trail and Error.

    • Sabrina Drosten

    • Inspiration, research, brainstorming methods, while listening to music, discussions.

    • Claudia Deimel

    • Looking at preexistent concepts, visual art from all periods of history, established ideas in the field of aesthetics.

    • Tim Jäger

    • They first talk to the client about their ideas, then do research about the audience and the field. Then do some brainstorming (alone or in groups), start writing or drawing and designing.

    • Ruth Wieser

    • They think twice, garner ideas, speak with people, make a plan (sometimes), collect materials and start.

    • Helmut Fluck

  • With my colleagues and partners by talking a lot and drawing sketches.
    • Alfonso Demetz

  • Talking with the colleagues in the office. Helpful: tee, coffee and sketch book. Or, later: wine and cigarettes.
    • Andreas Uebele

  • I think about it.
    • Anna Creamer

  • Thinking, sketching, discussing, looking around.
    • Bernd Hilpert

  • By my personal interest and knowledge.
    • Chrissie Muhr

  • Only with pen and paper.
    • Christian Begusch

  • Thinking about them while going for a walk with my dog.
    • Christian Hundertmark

  • When I work with musicians I listen to their music, when I design stuff for motion pictures I watch the film. Everything I do is deeply influenced by the product itself, my work comes from that and then it is very easy.
    • Christian Pitschl

  • This depends on the project, but I love to sit together with my team to brainstorm and to start conversations.
    • Christina John

  • Read, think, draw, look at stuff, talk about it, try it out, refine, reject.
    • Christoph Walz

  • Shower.
    • Cornelius M. Uerlichs

  • I speak to client. I think about what they actually need. I think about how I can design probably while doing something else. I start doing.
    • Craig Sinnamon

  • Read, run, cook, talk, walk, laugh, share, make, remake, publish, change, talk.
    • Daniel Eatock

  • By trying, by discussing, by putting inspiration up on the wall.
    • Dirk Heider

  • Thinking.
    • Erik Spiekermann

  • Think. Research. Rethink. Sketch. Discuss with the team. Rethink. Select.
    • Erwin K. Bauer

  • While having a discussion with my team.
    • Eva Thiessies

  • Talk about it, fail and error, talk about it.
    • Fabian Köper

  • Dreaming. writing ideas away from the computer.
    • Fanette Mellier

  • A mixture of research, intuition and trying out things. Motto: One step forward, two steps back and so on.
    • Frank Philippin

  • From my head.
    • Fraser Muggeridge

  • Think, research, design.
    • Gerwin Schmidt

  • Deeply understanding the problem, making a lot of research, writing down some first ideas, relaxing, looking at the first ideas and evolving them, show to trustful friends, changing again.
    • Giovani Castelucci

  • I like to start trying understand the problem and discuss about that. After that its a process of experimentations and analyse for a possible solution for the problem.
    • Guilherme Vieira

  • Intuitively and spontaneous.
    • Holger Jacobs

  • Analysing, research, scribbling on paper, digital scribbles, presentation and further improvement.
    • Jörg Bruppacher

  • Analysis of the needs of the customer.
    • Jörg Hemker

  • Going out.
    • Johannes Bissinger

  • Conceptual thinking and analysis of an assignment. Typological research: looking at other books, mostly. Sketching.
    • Joost Grootens

  • They result from the process.
    • Jürgen Graef

  • Research and finding connections. The rest is creativity.
    • Julian Weidenthaler

  • Research, discussions with my studio partners, collecting moods, try outs and read the briefing intently.
    • Julian Zimmermann

  • In my head.
    • Kate Moross

  • Translating visually or typographically the content.
    • Leonardo Sonnoli

  • Pen, paper, cup of tea. Short brainstorm-session with someone.
    • Linde Böhm

  • Before I start, I want to know the “essence” of the project. That’s usually a lot of thinking about the briefing, talking to the client, research, etc. After that the design is usually done quite easily.
    • Marcus Kraft

  • Realize the need of the client. if you really understand a problem, solutions come intuitively.
    • Marvin Klee

  • Usually I begin with a series of really rough doodles on paper. I decide on a few directions to pursue and then go digital. Working in Indesign or illustrator, I create a first round of sketches to show a client.
    • Mary Voorhees Meehan

  • We develop our ideas together. We are two people with different opinions and points of view – this is an important aspect in developing our ideas.
    • Michael Mischler

  • Walk around.
    • Mike Fuisz

  • A long period of thinking and research. Sometimes I sketch ideas on paper. Normally, when the idea rises up, I work on the PC directly.
    • Mimmo Manes

  • Research, analysis, sketches.
    • Nicolas Bourquin

  • Thinking, starting, dismiss, beginning again, thinking, speak with other graphic designers.
    • Nicole Schwarz

  • We develop our ideas together. We are two people with different opinions and points of view – this is an important aspect in developing our ideas.
    • Niklaus Thoenen

  • While taking a walk, cooking, during conversations with people which surround me.
    • Nina Magdalena Hug

  • Read the briefing. Try to understand. Read the briefing again. Drink a coffee. Read the briefing again. Do some moods, and try to think further than needed.
    • Pascal Fedorec

  • Researching, analysing, discussing and weighing the parameters of the project and also during the actual design work itself – I guess you could call it informed play.
    • Paulus M. Dreibholz

  • Through research and observation.
    • Philipp Putzer

  • Copy – transform – combine.
    • Ralph Burkhardt

  • Mainly from what’s there. But some ideas need even more.
    • Robert Lzicar

  • Research, sketch, read, listen.
    • Romilly Winter

  • Read, think, try, think, read, think, try – to be looped in shuffled order.
    • Ronald Fueglister

  • Talk to the client, do serious research, go for a walk, have an idea.
    • Ruediger Quass von Deyen

  • As a group, sharing multiple ideas and talking them through, OR on walks, in dreams.
    • Ryan Waller

  • To get a clear view on the topic I usually sort any information I get into one of three simple categories. Then I try to verbalize the problem as detailed as possible. On that basis I start to design.
    • Sebastian Klebe

  • Talk, talk, talk.
    • Stefan Mayer

  • Go for a walk. Sit in a sidewalk cafe watching people go by. Do serious research. Travel (or just get out of the city). Talk to client extensively.
    • Stefan Sagmeister

  • I sit in a cafe. Lots of cafes.
    • Stefanie Posavec

  • Sketch, think, smoke, looking in to the wall, listening to loud music.
    • Stepan Prokop

  • By enjoy doing.
    • Tino Graß

  • Benchmarking, “let it flow”, cross thinking.
    • Wolfgang Töchterle

  • Going for a walk and listening to music.
    • Alessandra Vicentini

  • Process: research, talk with others, sketching, talk with others, refine, talk with others, refine and complete.
    • Annelies Furtschegger

  • They gather ideas from their own large pool of creative thoughts and their experiences, do researches on the internet or in other media, and take their inspiration from other designer’s work.
    • Ariane Löbert

  • They get their ideas from their surrounding, from family, friends, adverts, internet, books and from their improved thinking about a thing.
    • Barbara Kofler

  • I don’t know.
    • Benjamin Prantner

  • More deliberately than I suppose.
    • Bernhard Kasseroler

  • Scribbles.
    • Christine Ladstätter

  • Inspiration, research, brainstorming methods, while listening to music, discussions.
    • Claudia Deimel

  • Firstly collect. Secondly sort. Thirdly create.
    • Daniel Weger

  • Read magazines, observe the environment, inspiration by music, nature, colours – everything around them.
    • Doris Wisthaler

  • News papers, magazines, adverts, experience.
    • Elisabeth Batz

  • Gathering ideas through brainstormings, reading literature for designers, internet surfing.
    • Elmar Heidenberger

  • Creativity techniques, looking at projects from the past.
    • Galina Bankova

  • Brainstorming, talking about their ideas together in groups, searching the Internet, traveling and visiting new and inspiring places.
    • Hanspeter Augschöll

  • Meeting with the client > research about the theme (internet, books), look for inspiration, gathering ideas for the design > sketching > design the product > presentation > being satisfied.
    • Harald Roalter

  • They think twice, garner ideas, speak with people, make a plan (sometimes), collect materials and start.
    • Helmut Fluck

  • Thinking differently.
    • Jakob Oberrauch

  • Through art and what they see around us.
    • Jane Treial

  • Mainly trough research (about the company, the new product, references, etc.).
    • Katharina Kofler

  • Brainstorm session and inspiration from architecture, books, internet, photgraphy etc.
    • Lars van Susteren

  • Probably every designer has its own way. In front of the computer, sitting on the toilet, doing sports, drawing and doing sketches, while sleeping?
    • Lena Richter

  • Bring them on paper.
    • Leo Noel

  • Inspiration through environment, media, family, friends, colleagues.
    • Lisa Psaier

  • Not a clue. It will remain an eternal mystery to me.
    • Luca Baldini

  • Thinking all day long, 24/7.
    • Manfred Thaler

  • Inspiration from their environment, from the internet, from colleagues.
    • Manuel Egger

  • Gather experience. Being keen and living keen.
    • Manuel Lambacher

  • By keeping themselves in motion, which means that it might sometimes be better to leave the office and have a run in the park to not get stuck in an idea.
    • Marian Izsak

  • Through other projects as reference, research about the product, object, the company, the client as person.
    • Martin Fischnaller

  • I don’t know. It depends on the designer, some of them do simply always have ideas, some have to create a new concept by hard work.
    • Michael Graff

  • Fantasy and internet surfing.
    • Michael Rauter

  • Research, inspiration, checking practicability, checking back with the client.
    • Nico Keller

  • They work constantly on the projects: reading, writing, drawing – they manage the format.
    • Nina Maccariello

  • I don’t know. It seems to come from inspiring magic.
    • Oskar Profanter

  • Staring at their computer, sketching on paper with special pencils.
    • Patrick Seelaus

  • I think they start with a brainstorm. Then research on the topic, collecting pictures and inspiration. Then they start to shape their project.
    • Paul Gruber

  • They first talk to the client about their ideas, then do research about the audience and the field. Then do some brainstorming (alone or in groups), start writing or drawing and designing.
    • Ruth Wieser

  • Designers have a concept in their head which they change many times to get the best solution.
    • Sabine Psaier

  • Doing research and combine that with the organisation they work for. Trail and Error.
    • Sabrina Drosten

  • Mind maps, inspiration by walking, discussions in a team, reading, watching, trying and testing (includes presentation).
    • Silvia Zieger

  • I have no clue, I’m impressed that they can.
    • Sophie Zijistra

  • First by research and idea gathering, refining the ideas in their head and then finally the designing.
    • Stefan Profanter

  • Firstly they do some research to get inspiration and then they get some crude idea and start improving it step by step.
    • Steven Sillamaa

  • First is a basic idea, which is adjusted during the manufacture
    • Thomas Fischnaller

  • Looking at preexistent concepts, visual art from all periods of history, established ideas in the field of aesthetics.
    • Tim Jäger