Strategy

Every project has a big vista and a point at which it must arrive. Your strategy defines that vista, and is a crucial step in embarking on any design adventure. Our clients often know their big vista strategy when they come to us, and if they don't we can help them with it.

We believe that projects also include 'little 's' strategy'. These are the ideas and techniques that are applied to each step within a project.

A little 's' idea can can relate to content, it can take the original brief and extend it to add value, meaning and impact for the intended audience. Sometimes it's devising extra campaigns to market a project. Sometimes it's devising extra functionality that can make a user's experience more useful and memorable. Sometimes it's suggesting a client scale down the size of their project.

We aim to take a brief and to stretch it in such a way. To see how far it can go, into new, feasible (and fiscally responsible) realms of possibility. It's why we're thinking about our clients' business goals when we're out doing other things, like staring at the stars and studying nature.

We like learning about the ways each business and organisation works. You can learn interesting things from the people you work with. You probably didn't know that the Vaquita is the smallest porpoise in the world, but now you do.

Project Plan

With the sonic intensity of an owl, Small Studio will listen to your brief, pinpoint areas for expansion and swoop down on potential weaknesses. Together we will fix the details of the project. With this knowledge we can write you a Project Plan that outlines the expanded brief, detailed descriptions of deliverables, milestones and responsibilities of everyone travelling on the expedition.

Project Theme

When a client feels like a caterpillar floating on an ocean, Small Studio can help. Together, using the ancient techniques of creativity and communication we can both distill and define your project into a memorable theme. A theme not only defines direction, but it ensures that everyone stays focused and enthused. Think of it as a vision statement for your project. We don't really charge for this, it's just one of those extra Small Studio things that helps.

A Bunch of Ideas

It's important to innovate and not just settle for the comfort of familiarity and routine. So we wander through the wilderness regularly with the aim to bring our clients back a bunch of ideas, with specific outcomes and benefits.

Research

We can ride into the hinterland to study your competitors/peers, market, the industry today and where it will be in years to come. On our return we will have a backpack full of statistics and advice on where and how to apply the information to your project.

List of Goals

When the size of a project doesn't justify a Project Plan we can help you keep it from the wilds with a nicely fenced list of project goals.

Product Names

For clients lost in a wilderness of what you think your product name should be, Small Studio can help. After a brief from you, we will devise a shortlist of names, then work with you to narrow it down to one.

Character Names

'Canis lupus familiaris' may be understood in biology circles but we think 'dog' has more meaning. Small Studio can help you with meaningful (and understandable) character names. We start with your brief, then devise shortlist of names which is distilled to the final one.