5 exercises to do before starting a design project

Preparing the mind and the creative process before designing

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This article presents 5 practical exercises to organize ideas, find inspiration and focus your next project, helping you avoid blockages and make better decisions with clarity on any project.

1. Mental map of inspiration 2.

Objective: Visually explore key project concepts.
How to do it: Write the main theme of the project (e.g., "visual identity" or "fabric collection") in the center of a sheet of paper and begin branching out with keywords, styles, emotions, visual references, or colors.
Benefits: This exercise helps you discover unexpected associations and clarify your visual approach from the start.

2. Moodboard express.

Objective: Create an initial visual atmosphere.
How to do it: Choose between 5 and 10 images that resonate with the overall idea of the project: textures, photographs, color palettes, typography, illustrations or even GIFs. Use platforms such as Pinterest, Milanote or do it analogically on a poster board.
Benefits: It will serve you as an aesthetic compass to maintain visual consistency throughout the process. It can also be an excellent tool for aligning expectations with the client.

3. "What is not" exercise.

Objective: Define creative boundaries.
How to do it: Make a list of what your project must not represent. For example, "must not be childish," "must not look technological," "must not include serif typefaces."
Benefits: By defining what it must not represent, you can better focus your decisions and avoid conceptual or visual deviations.

4. Sketchbook without filter (15 minutes) 5.

Objective: Warm up your hand and unlock ideas.
How to do it: Spend 15 minutes drawing whatever comes to mind related to the project. No judgments, no deletions. It's just a free space to release ideas.
Benefits: This type of creative warm-up can help break the ice and discover spontaneous visual solutions.

5. "Interview" the project.

Objective: Fully understand the purpose of the project.
How to do it: Imagine the project is a person and ask them key questions such as: who are you for? What problem are you solving? What emotion do you want to elicit? Then answer in writing.
Benefits: This exercise connects you to the strategic purpose of the project, thus facilitating decision making.

Why do these exercises?

Preparing your project is an investment that will save you trouble. Apply these exercises to any design project.

Related resources:

Domestika design courses
Designing without seeing: how blind designers think
Why "less is more" in design