Being a full service agency that specializes in both the analytical and creative, we’re fascinated with the relationship between data and design. Last month, we hosted an event called The Value of Data-Driven Design in the Digital World that explored this relationship as part of SF Design Week.
The evening featured food, drinks, and live music, and culminated in a panel discussion on how integrating data into the design process helps create digital experiences that users love. On the panel, we had several of our clients join us including Amy Labroo, Director of Digital Marketing at Virgin America, Kimen Warner, Group Product Manager at Adobe, and Leah Allen, Senior Director of Marketing and Technology at Radius.
Moderated by our Executive Creative Director Burr Purnell, some of the questions posed to the group included how the panel treated existing users versus new users, if they have any channel-specific ways of integrating data into design, and how data informs design priorities and budget shifts.
If there was one constant theme to the discussion, it was that design and analytics don’t happen in silos. Too often, creative teams don’t incorporate analytics into their work, and analytics teams don’t always understand the need for establishing a strong brand identity, both visually and in terms of content.
“It was a pleasure hosting the event for SF Design Week. I think that for our team, it really validated that data and design need to work together. Across the industry, different departments don’t always collaborate, and the result is work that isn’t focused on the user,” comments Purnell.
Overall, it was a great experience to hear from leading design-focused companies in the Bay Area about how to bridge the gap between data and design, and we look forward to partnering with SF Design Week to host additional events in the future.
