Why Mood Boards Matter

Good post.
Back in the day I did mood boards for every branding/re-branding corporate identity campaign. Really got away from them once I started doing mostly web stuff. What a dumb move on my part. Mood boards can save a lot of time and help focus in on what the client “wants”. Also fun for getting ideas out on the creative side.

Nice article with some real content, unlike lots of vacuous design articles! Thanks for taking the time, comes at just the right time for me…

I like this; good post.

You’re right in pointing out the value of a mood board. It can help give clients a more tangible idea of what you are visualising for the style and feel of a product/campaign/website.

And as everyone knows, finding that equillibrium between a clients desires and a designer/creatives vision is a very fine line!

Thanks.

C.

I think its a fantastic idea and one that I shall be using more in 2009

I’ve always looked at colour schemes more so than actual collages or explicit templates so this will be a good way to increase sign off.

I think the templated version looks more coherent to a would be client than the collage, the collage can look confusing if the client does not grasp the concept or takes the colours to heart. Emotions play a huge part when it comes to using colour.

I will be using the templated version as it captures the essence of how the page could look and gives the client more of an idea to bounce discussions off, considering that text plays a bit part of it too, putting in how the typography affects the look is really important

excellent post and one that should help keep mockup revisions low

I would also add that showing the revisions within the area they are being shown is also good, so that clients and designers can see how the mood boards progressed over discussion and then what the final outcome was from the mockup based on the mood boards

Great article. This gives me an idea to start a website that has mood board templates that can be easily created using common colors swatches/stock photos/screenshots/etc. Thanks!

Fantastic post about a great process that really helps with building client designer relationships.

You hit another point that really is important, so make sure when you hand off the mood board to your clients, to make sure that you let them know why you chose the colors, and also, make sure that you don’t say “what do you think”… rather “how do you think these colors and textures will work with the demographic that visits your site.

The focus should always be on the clients and visitors to the site you are designing, and by guiding the conversation with your client towards thinking outside what they like, and focusing on the demographic, the end result will be something that is focused on usability rather then personal likes.

Thank you so much Walter

I get so much inspiration and energy for new ideas and projects here, keep up the hard work!

Can’t wait to see the next post!

I’m not sure how this helps the “I’ll know it when I see it” client. I think if you hear those words out of their mouth you should walk. I look at the list on the last pic (”soft, warm, comforting”) and I think that is not difficult to come up with.

I like the template boards, but the inspiration boards don’t communicate much. I look at it and I see nothing. If I were the client, I’d be asking what the site is going to look like.

I do something called a competitive design analysis in which I take the sites of their top three competitors or inspiration sites and extract the colors, typography, image style, patterns, etc. Then I give recommendations based on that data. So far it has worked really well in getting feedback from clients that normally do not know what they want.

I agree with Tim. I’m a developer who has worked with a variety of designers over the past 10 years and found mood boards to be a waste of my time and the client’s money.

Mood boards are nothing more than a bunch of random crap in the designer’s brain spewed out on paper. Design is only worthwhile to a client in polished form. It’s impossible to tell whether a design idea will pan out until it has been brought to it’s conclusion. The mona lisa was just another boring sketch until davinci added the last coat of paint.

Having a creative process a way to generate ideas is important, but present something useful. Abstract art is for museums, not clients.

Wonderful article! I’ve begun institutionalizing our process and I’m going to have to borrow some of these ideas.

I’ve always done a digital mood board, but never thought of it in these terms. Clients never see what I pull beforehand, and instead I create three full designs based on these approaches. This way their first impact is seeing three unique and branded designs.

I’d agree that the way we work – a physical board would never fly. Most clients have a hard time visualizing when they see the final result, let alone a collage. But if it gets everyone motivated, I’m happy you’ve found such a nice method!

Jeff, I think that moodboards fail as a strict explanation of ‘what will happen’ in the final design, but moodboards become more valuable when you’re presenting a client with 3 or 4. Once you’re showing multiple moodboards, you’re giving clients say over the look and feel of their site without sinking the time required to make 3 or 4 full comps.

I’ve worked with both methods (3 designers, 3 comps / 3 designers, 3 boards, 1 comp), and the moodboard process often reduces the amount of time wasted. With a comps-only method, one designer might spend 15 hours constructing a careful layout that gets thrown out for being “too serious”, but a moodboard that gets the same response might take as little as 3 hours.

I think clients should be suspicious of a designer who wants to present *just one* moodboard, but multiple boards provide the contrast clients and designers need to really understand what clients want and how to make it.

Great post, great approach. I think boards with a clear articulation of the creative/design idea (words only), and then presenting ‘inspiration’ and then mood boards helps take clients on your journey and will give them structure to provide feedback in (eg they may like the idea but not the mood boards so you can have an easy, constructive conversation around specifics).

Mark
Digital strategy on Twitter

Loved the article; it’s the best explanation to date I’ve seen of what mood boards are and why they’re important. We use the templated style and actually have the client sign off on it. This locks in some design elements such as fonts and colors and allows us to focus on other aspects of the design. Just one disagreement, and that’s where you talk about doing up three very diverse mood boards. If you don’t know by this step the general mood of the design, you’ve missed a step. Before you even start with a mood board, you should have already met with the client and gotten an idea of what direction to go, be it through a questionnaire, competitive analysis, audience profiles, etc.

Jeff, it may seem like a bunch of random crap, but if you’re a good designer you haven’t chosen things at random and thrown them on the page. You’ve crafted a (very rough) style that you can follow through on when it comes down to the real layout. It’s not for everyone, but I’ve found them immensely helpful for communicating with clients. It also kick-starts the final mockup design – you get to jump in with some direction, not just a blank page staring back at you.

Also, I’m with Doug – I would always present at least 2 if not 3 mood boards. Variety is important and sparks a lot of good discussion. It also helps bring the client into the feedback loop early and gives them a sense of ownership.

I’m constantly amazed at the great feedback I get early on when using mood boards. I think it shaves a lot of time off the layout reviews. Our review cycles seem to be very short and easy (mostly minor updates only, no “replace everything blue with yellow and make it glossy”) when mood boards are used.

Also, questionnaires are great (we do those too) but if you are dealing with more than one stakeholder during the early stages, you’re likely getting competing ideas about what the site should be. Mood boards can help get everyone on the same page.

I like the general concept of the idea but I think there are valid points in all of these posts.

A clear direction and strategy for what the site is to accomplish should come first. Then, the content. Once those are known, flavors for the visual and actual structure/working (moo tools, flash, just css? etc) come into play.

I find that clients need to see what I’ve always called ‘flat screens’ which are just polished virtual sketches. For me, I can put together ideas and designs as quickly as I can basic color schemes and modular thinking so with the screens, I’m one step ahead when development starts.

I’m also fairly lucky when initially speaking with most of my clients as they have examples in mind of sites they like and do not like. I simply question why on both accounts and it really helps zero in on my next move.

This is an amazing post!

I am a Fashion student who has recently gone freelance design work, and Mood Boards are a life saver! I go to the first meeting with 3, and than I create two drafts.

What a wonderful article, thank you.

I’ve been using website mood boards for the past couple of years with great results. They have really helped to streamline the design process and help the client to focus and understand the core elements of the design, rather than getting lost in the details of the layout in early phases.

The key to success with this technique is to do as the author suggests, “clue your client in to the inspiration behind each of your boards.” Let them know that you’ve spent time considering their goals, needs, their brand, their message and their target audience. Explain how your choices are going to create the mood they’re looking for.

I posted some of my early examples along with a template file here at the URL below if you’d like to take a look. http://tinyurl.com/5qy34j

Nice article… I like this approach

Excellent write-up on a great subject! Looks like you just fed me my New Years resolution. USE MOOD BOARDS.

A great article! Moodboards are really important to establish an effective art direction. They can easily be dropped in the process, so it’s great to see them explained in detail here.

Thanks very much.

Stu.

Hey, Thanks for the article on mood boards. I heard of the idea somewhere else, but there wasn’t really a good explanation of what they were and how to use them.

I kinda get stuck in the same kinda ballpark in terms of design when I just start a project, so hopefully mood boards will help me get the right idea straight away.

Mood boards are a waste of time, when time is a factor. In the professional design world time is money. If you’re a professional designer you should be able to deliver a strong concept without wasting time with such a trivial approach. It’s better practice to put together 3 rough comps from you’re professional instinct, and pitch them to you’re clint, not a mood board. If you have to do a mood board keep it in the studio.

james is pretty much right, but there’s no questino or doubt that this is a great way of approach to the client and a great link between the designer’s ideas and concepts and the later work

Inspirational Boards should be in-house as a preliminary visual tool for each designer.

Mood boards should be prepared with “key words” and attempt to find a general area for the look. No doubt (3) should be done with the intent to gain better client/designer focus for the mock up/roughs.

Style Boards should be a part of a client hand off package at the end from which future marketing campaigns can be drawn.

Does this seem to work for a distinction?

Jeff, if it is ‘random’ crap you are putting down, YOU are doing it wrong.

I’ve found mood boards are always great for kick-starting ideas when you need inspiration.

I love creating mood boards… but I have only done them (apparently) ‘the old fashion’ way… glue sticks, foam core, exacto knife and all!!! I believe somebody near the top of the comments said something about creating a website for software for making mood boards…??

What does everybody use to create the online/computer generated mood boards?? Software?? Website?? I’m not sure what to use (that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg)!!

Please let me know what everybody is using!! Thanks! PS: I’m a MAC user!!!

I’m going to chime in and agree with Jeff and Tim. Mood boards area waste of time. Can you use them to end up with a comp the client will like? Sure! However, can you do it with a proper consultation and gathering the right information? Yes, and it takes less time from your team and the client. Time = Money and any time you save is valuable.

We use verbal communication to get the clients needs identified and we don’t have trouble pleasing even the dreaded “I’ll know it when I see” clients.

When I meet in person with someone who wants a website I always bring a mood board with me. I just use some old paint samples from home depot with some magnets on them and a magnetic dry eraser board. Usually the client has fun playing with the colors and all I have to do is stand there.

Great article! And lots of great stuff the comments – particularly this one:

“When I meet in person with someone who wants a website I always bring a mood board with me. I just use some old paint samples from home depot with some magnets on them and a magnetic dry eraser board. Usually the client has fun playing with the colors and all I have to do is stand there.”

Brilliant. Talk about getting the client involved!

I am a big fan of mood boards myself. I like you how you define 2 distinct styles. Love the site, great posts.

Wonderful article, thank you.

Another great article.

While some felt mood boards were a waste of time for them, it should not be deemed a waste of time *period*.

I feel mood boards are going to be helpful to a designer, based on what type of client they have on their hands.

Some people you just know not to bother with a mood board- while others will welcome it.

Many clients have a vague notion in their head of what they want.

It feels fuzzy to them, but they still have a gut feeling and a diffused vision of what they have in mind.

Imagine how frustrating it is, for them to not be able to articulate what they are looking for!

And that is why you hear the infamous line of” I will know it, when I see it.”

The designer’s job is to bring the clients fuzzy idea & diffused vision into *focus* and get a clearer idea for all concerned, if by showing them a mood board, if they are heading in the right direction to what the client is looking for.

Mood boards offer a way to steer them to conceptualizing their design goals more clearly.

I would never knock something that works for some- and doesn’t work for some.

That tells me it apparently does work!

And anything that works, should not be discarded as useless.

I believe we should use all that is at our disposal when trying to assist the client.

As for mood boards? It is ultimately up to each person as to whether they want to use them.

I just figure it is better to offer them and see if it helps, than to never even bother to implement them.

You want to make your job easier- not harder.

And if you don’t bother to use them, you’ll never know if your job could have been made easier.

Just my 2 cents.

Janice Sclafani

Great article!
Hey, Thanks for the article on mood boards. I heard of the idea somewhere else, but there wasn’t really a good explanation of what they were and how to use them.

I kinda get stuck in the same kinda ballpark in terms of design when I just start a project, so hopefully mood boards will help me get the right idea straight away.

Instead of making mood boards, ask the client to point you to 5-6 websites and ask which one he/she likes and ask them to tell what they like or dislike about them.

The client’s taste is what matter and not your “mood board”. If the client shows you sites that look like crap, you can throw away that creative mood board you showcased in your post and try to make your client happy by creating similar quality he/she wants.

I agree, time is money, mood board is just making too much fuss about a the creative process. Client’s taste and wishes is what counts!

This is a great approach. Thanks for sharing this. It brings me inspiration and enthusiasm. Good positive stuff.

Wow, what a dashing tips by all of them.

http://www.designingstudio.com

I’m all in for client buy in! I’m always battling with clients who want 20 phases of design refinements! Mood boards are the obvious process to help with this!

HI. Nice article. I do mood boards for every Identity or Branding job we get. But it takes time so today I was looking for a Mood Board Generator or something like that and just came upon your site. It would be nice to have a website or software application automatically layout the selected images and swatches in a collage style. Does anyone know about such a site / app?
thanks
Manuel

I can see both points. Time is money, however, I think mood boards can have a use on a client-by-client basis. If a client has only a concept, it can help them visualize their vision. Certainly it would be helpful to get a list of sites that a client likes, but for the clients that don’t know the nuts and bolts of web design, those nice sites on the flip side can be more of a design investment than they may be willing to make–heavy on Flash, lots of scripting, etc. Time is money for both parties.

Great article Mrs Wagner, thank you very much.

I will definitely start using mood boards from now on, I am sure it will save me time and the outcome will be better too.

Btw I love the desing of this site

Cesar
http://www.sagie.es

This is a great article. I am an interior designer who has been putting together traditional cut and paste mood boards for years. More and more of my business is done online now. Can you recommend an easy entry level way to start making my first mood boards digitally so they can be e-mailed to clients?

Thanks!

Mood boards are an excellent spring board to get the project headed in the right direct

Good article. Very helpful. I’m not a designer but I would say a student and find this article very helpful. thanks! I’ve bookmarked your website and will check things out.

Good post! thanks for sharing. I agree with your reasoning.

Wonderful post, great explanation.

Great Article. We have just started to use mood boards and they are a great way of improving the mock-up process.

great read.

moodboards are definitely for the preliminary stage, when definitions and context have to be established. That way, all the little nuances and discrepancies can be sorted out before it gets fleshed out, which saves time down the road.

Is your definition and perception of giraffes the same as the definitions and perceptions from a veterinarian client? Or a big game hunter client? You might want to focus on giraffe aspect #A, but they would prefer to focus on giraffe aspect #B, but in conversation, you just both say giraffe. Sometimes it is better to just show them what you mean, instead of trying to describe it in words. The vet might want a Barney-the-dinosaur giraffe, and the hunter might want the giraffe on his wall, for example.

If images are a thousand words, then a moodboard must be like a great conversation. It’d change feedback from having to be huge abstract redefinitions and changes, to little quips of ‘a little more of this’, ‘like this, but a different color”, etc. It makes the process a little more intuitive and tangible.

Excellent article, I’m yet new to mood boards but looks like a very useful tool for designers. There’s a good video by from the couch they explained their version since everyone seems to have their own process and way of presenting their ideas.

Ralston- I get the gist of what you are saying.

And I totally understand the sarcasm. My question is: what do we do with clients like these?

Did you ever see a real estate broker honestly tell someone the max value of their home- and the homeowner absolutely refuses to hear it- or believe it?

So the homeowners insists it go on the market, at the price THEY WANT TO SELL IT FOR, regardless of the going rate on their block, how the real estate market is doing, the condition of their home- etc etc.

What can the broker do?

He/She can put it up for sale, at that outrageous figure ,and hope it sells and when it does not sell, maybe the owners will wake up and drop the figure.

Or they might drop the broker-you never know.

It is tough to convince stubborn people that you are there to help them.

A lot of them think all self employed people just care about the bottom line.

And stubborn,controlling people want things done their way.

What do we do we these kinds of customers? Especially if they are totally devoid of taste?

Or lack business sense or vision?

Should we drop them- or just kind of cave in and give them what they want and tell ourselves,we gave them what they wanted?

I know one thing- if something came out looking awful? I would not want my name associated with it.

And I can say that this professional senses of pride can apply to everyone from a hair designer to a website designer.

I guess we could always pass on them as clients, but how many of us can afford to be choosy enough to only get clients we like and be creative with?