Should design be simple? Not necessarily. Sometimes the correct design solution is very complex. What is complex in design though, can be simple in execution. Careful planning can keep a complex layout from turning into a design nightmare.

How do you make a difficult design into an elegantly executed piece of art?

• Know your tools.
• Plan thoughtfully.
• Execute carefully.

I often have a good idea what my final product is going to be in advance of the final content. This allows me to work out the finer details of a design without having to worry about any time consuming fixes of original content. With placement or greek text I can work out the details of layout, carefully craft my styles so that everything is ready to place when the final content arrives. Using global styles, whether it’s in CSS on the web or character and paragraph styles in InDesign, my design is often finalized before the content arrives.

There are always minor adjustments, but while preparation can’t always account for everything, it is the key. Without planning a design’s execution can be haphazard and incomplete. Mistakes get made. The most complex design can be made simple, by simply planning ahead.