There are a variety of tools we can utilize during the Creative process – one of them I am most drawn to is the Mood Board. A roll of butcher paper, a stack of magazines, and rolls of tape?! Sounds more like art class than business you say? What is the value? Here are some of my top reasons for taking the time to utilize a mood board on your next web site project.

1. It is a great brainstorming activity with the client at the kick off meeting.

Mood Board Brainstorming Exercise

2. A mood board requires people to be engaged, and to think about something a different way.

3. The activity gets people out of their seats, literally. After what can be hours of sitting, this is a usually well received.

4. With a room full of people, it gets each and every one involved in the process. Not just the loudest one.

5. It is a great tool for the creative team to visually capture the audience, and vision of a company.

6. Once the final mood board is complete, it is presented to the client as a visual snapshot of their brand. With a quick glance, it becomes clear if we have missed any key components. It is easier, and cheaper, to adjust things at this stage than during the middle of the design process.

Final Mood Board

7. An approved Mood Board becomes a key input for the Creative Brief. Without a well written brief, you are walking blindly.

8. If you don’t slow down to consider the audience of your site, you take the risk of designing a site that doesn’t sell the right experience, to the right person.

Margaret Cyphers is Creative Director at RTP Interactive. Follow her on Twitter @margaretcyphers

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