stage 00 — the method
Brand and Design Consulting in Los Angeles
Before anything is made, we work out what actually needs making.
Most studios start at the drawing. Starting one step earlier — at what the thing is for, who handles it, and how often it changes — is usually what separates a project that works from one that merely looks finished.
Stage 00 is the only stage that can make a project smaller. A range with twelve items where nine would do, a menu that gets reprinted weekly because it was designed as though it never would — these are decisions, not accidents, and they are cheaper to change before the design exists.
what this covers
- Scoping a project before design begins
- Auditing an existing identity or range
- Deciding what not to make
- Planning the stages a job actually needs
questions
- Can a project stop after consulting?
- Yes. Sometimes the useful answer is that less needs making than you came in for, and stopping there is a good outcome rather than a lost sale.
- Do I have to use the other stages?
- No. Most projects pass through all five, but the method is a sequence, not a package — you can take the parts you need.
- What if you think the project is wrong for you?
- We say so. We turn down work we would do badly, and we will point you somewhere better rather than take it on.
work that used this stage
these are placeholder case studies — real projects replace them before launch
start here
Tell us what you're making. You will hear back from whoever would actually do the work, usually within one business day.
start a project →or write directly — info@method26.com