creative group

/ Don

The Creative Process

The Creative Process

Oftentimes when approached by clients and agencies, we’re asked about our creative process at era404. While people can easily see a step-by-step diagram of our development process, broken down by time, cost and client interaction, we have never really outlined how the creative process works here. This is partially because development, which is creative in its own right, is considerably more objective, pragmatic, and analytical. The process is linear, relying on previous checkpoints to proceed to latter ones.

Design, on the other hand, grows organically and chaotically. It pushes forward and outward in untraceable trajectories. If one thinks of development as a relay race with the baton being passed at regular relay points, design is more like a quixotic multi-player game of capture the flag. It’s undoubtedly the most challenging, gratifying (and possibly frustrating) part of our job here, riddled with stops, starts, reorientation, redirection, hidden doors, trap floors, exploration, and trial and error, relying purely on experience and gut instinct to reach the goal. And while the description above sounds daunting, it’s the primary reason we love our jobs so much.

So, depicting our creative process in a linear diagram like our development process is impossible. But each design roughly follows the same objectives along the uncharted path, which, coupled with client feedback and critiques, act as polestars in guiding us to their completion. Below are those objectives, distilled and organized as they would be in a perfect world, free of the organic and beautiful growth of real-world scenarios…

Read the whole news article on the era404 site

/ Don

era404 Site Relaunched

After 10-years and a response to the new branding campaign for era404 Creative Group (read the press release here), we’ve finally relaunched our site to promote the new identity and better feature our newer work. The site will continue to be updated for the next few months, as we finish cutting our new demo reel and enhance our product offerings, but we felt it necessary to update the interface in the meantime to show the complete embrace of our new identity and updated mission.

/ Don

Career Tips from The Creative Group

The following five (5) tips, I found in the monthly GDUSA Newsletter and thought they might be beneficial to [d]online readers in our current economic climate:

With Mother’s Day just past, you may want to thank mom for passing along nuggets of wisdom that help on the job hunt. Following are five ideas you may have heard from her that can help you land a new role in a challenging economy:

1. “Mind Your Manners.”
This is especially important when checking in with a company’s receptionist prior to an interview: Six out of 10 hiring managers surveyed by our firm said they value their assistant’s opinion when making hiring decisions. So, go out of your way to be nice to everyone, from the executive assistant to the parking attendant, when you’re meeting with a potential employer.

2. “If You Don’t Have Anything Nice To Say… ”
There are few bigger turn-offs for hiring managers than listening to a potential employee vent about his or her former company, coworkers or boss. While you want to give authentic responses to interview questions, focus on what you bring to the table, not slights from your past.

3. “Do Your Homework.”
Researching the prospective employer is the most important step prior to applying for any job. Tailor your resume, cover letter and portfolio to the opportunity, making note of how your skills can contribute to the company’s immediate needs. In the interview, use what you learn about a firm to ask intelligent questions that demonstrate your understanding of the business.

4. “Don’t Sell Yourself Short.”
Your resume shouldn’t be a laundry list of former job duties. Instead, highlight your achievements, quantifying your contributions wherever possible. But be selective in the successes you highlight. Ultimately you want to emphasize those that are most relevant. Winning a student design competition, if you graduated a decade ago, isn’t the crowning achievement it once was.

5. “Always Send A Thank You Note.”
Yes, mom was right. Employers do pay attention. In fact, nearly nine out of 10 executives polled said sending a thank-you note can boost a person’s chances of landing a job.