About Microcosm

We are a small, nimble and active studio of highly experienced design professionals. We draw on a network of creative suppliers, collaborating with local and trusted industry professionals to bring together a seamless world of creative expertise. This enables us to work efficiently bringing your projects to life and maximising your design ROI. 

We understand the importance of ‘seeing’ the entire project and keeping track of the details that ensure the success of that large vision. Understanding and managing a project requires experience with all the elements; vision, planning, materials and budget. We know how to manage and work with our subcontractors and suppliers for the success of your project.

We pride ourselves on sweating the small stuff, getting it just right, whether a small, simple project or large, time intensive, complex one.

Our philosophy

The age of the behemoth creative agency is over and the digital era has given birth to a world of cost effective and powerful communication tools. Theses tools can be anything from templated or custom built websites, email publishing platforms, Microsoft Office templates, social media platforms and even the new breed of DIY online design applications. Very smart people have developed very powerful tools which give business owners and managers the ability to publish their own communications without the need of engaging expensive creative agencies.

Unfortunately consistently presenting your organisation’s brand personality through these channels can be very challenging. Often the users of these systems are very busy and are skilled in other areas and don’t have the time to become super-users of these tools. Often there are whole teams of people across an organisation with different skill levels. While some individuals may have a ‘good eye for design’ and know how to present their information in an effective way, many lack confidence in these areas and make poor choices.

Our business idea is centred around bringing our skills as design professionals, coupled with our understanding of the latest tools and systems, to set up and empower our clients to manage their digital and print communications flawlessly and for the lowest cost. Whether we are building brands from scratch, redesigning and refreshing existing brands, or simply maintaining an existing visual identity - we create beautiful, engaging and useful branded communications templates which are functional, simple to use and maintain the organisations brand expression no matter who is publishing.

 Our process

1

Concept & Research

We begin by listening to our clients and gaining an insight of their business, purpose, objectives and challenges. We check out the competition and identify best practice in the field. We sometimes conduct research by interviewing users and customers and developing personas.

2

Design & Development

Now we bring the research and things we have learned to life! We sketch and draw and cut and paste and mock up, and drink coffee, and delete, and redraw, and drink more coffee, until we have a strong idea. Then restart the process until we have another idea.

3

Presentation & Feedback

We present our clients with multiple design concepts and begin a discussion. Our clients provide feedback and preferences. Selected concepts are sometimes a single complete concepts and other times comprise of a combination of features from a number of creative directions.

4

Revision & Iteration

Iteration is key and we refine the selected approach (usually a maximum of three iterations) closely with our clients to ensure the solution is precisely addressing the goals of the project.

5

Building & Production

Now we roll up our sleeves and get to work  creating page layouts, and screen designs, building templates, coding, styling and crafting. We ensure all deliverables are perfectly constructed, all copy is proofed, all image assets correctly published and packaged.

6

Test & Deliver

We thoroughly test to ensure everything works perfectly, and everything is in place for a smooth and successful go-live or delivery. We on-board our clients for use of any templates or tools and offer training and guidance to ensure smooth take-up.

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