Contextual Blog Post: Template Media Project Development
The first stage of developing our template media project was researching. Our group discussed the most appropriate product category that supported the investor-focused presentation template. A clothing brand concept was selected because the fashion industry is highly dependent on visual identity to communicate the brand style, personality, positioning, and value which makes it effective for exploring template design as a persuasive communication tool. The research on existing brand trends and pitch decks also showed that color psychology, layout structure, and visual hierarchy have a positive influence on audience perception and investor engagement.
After defining the template concept, we moved to the empathizing stage, where we determined the target audience. We selected young adults because they represent a major consumer segment within the fashion industry and respond to aesthetics. Moreover, we adopted a user-centered approach and choose a clean, modern and minimal style template. According to color psychology, the color green is associated with freshness, sustainability, growth, luxury, and eco-consciousness so we chose it to position the brand as modern and responsible.
The next stage was ideation in which we brainstormed several design styles, layouts, slide structures, and typographic options such as font, spacing, informational hierarchy and organization to analyze which combination would best support persuasion. Our group tried different layouts on PowerPoint and explored alternative visual directions and finally selected a clean, structured format with bold headings and consistent slide formatting. This stage highlighted the importance of conceptual exploration in design methodology, suggesting that developing effective templates requires careful planning, conceptualization, and experimentation rather than immediate execution.
The next stage was making in which we constructed our template design using PowerPoint Slide Master tool, and translated our conceptual idea into a structured visual artefact. We recognized that the PowerPoint template including color theme and design choices also functions as a communicative medium and convey brand values to investors and audience even without any written content. Moreover, the template acts as a simulated brand image that enables investors to visualize brand style, values and personality before its physical existence. However, the making stage was more technically demanding than anticipated, it was not limited to aesthetics and emphasized useability, adaptability, and consistency to ensure design effectiveness.
After completing the template, we moved to the sharing stage in which we presented our templates to classmates for evaluation. We observed how individuals interacted with our design and realized how layout influences design usability. Our classmates reviewed our templates and suggested incorporating a SWOT analysis for daycare to enhance informational depth. This feedback led us into the iteration stage where we integrated the feedback and improved the design effectiveness and investor relevance. Moreover, we were assigned a second target audience of daycare infants that required a complete template redesign. We modified the color palette to peach and changed typography, spacing, layout structure, and composition to create a soft and playful visual design that was appropriate for a daycare. This shift in audience demonstrated that effective design is not universal, rather it depends on the context and should be aligned with audience expectations.
In conclusion, the progress through each stage of project development showed me that template design is complex and not limited to technical work, rather it involves continuous research, planning, experimentation, and revision. Every stage contributes to the refinement and improves the final product, and suggested that digital artefacts are dynamic and refine through critical thinking and feedback.
Figure 1 Template for Daycare
Figure 2 Template for Clothing Brand