.415 Designs

A Collaborative Freelance Design Agency

Overview

Dot415 Designs is a live, collaborative project founded by myself and my classmate, Enkhzaya G. The project is a design agency where we offer brand design services for businesses of various scales. This venture aims to challenge the conventional approach to creating websites and branding by utilizing free tools and resources, without the initial financial investment required for domain hosting or software.

Our main objective is to foster growth by building a strong social media presence, which will help us attract potential projects and clients. Through a combination of in-person meetings, online brainstorming, and collaboration on tools like Notion and Microsoft Loop, we’re focused on growing Dot415 Designs with minimal costs, while creating valuable design solutions. We plan to scale our services and invest in paid resources as we generate income.

Goals

To establish a unique and collaborative freelance design agency.

  1. To build a robust social media presence across LinkedIn and Instagram.

  2. To create branding, logos, and web designs tailored to businesses.

  3. To leverage free resources until a strong visitor base is established, ensuring sustainable growth.

Preparation & Organization

  • Teamwork: Regular meetings were held both in person and virtually (on Discord), during which we reviewed our progress and coordinated our efforts.

  • Task Allocation: Tasks were assigned based on each team member's skill set, and collaboration was ongoing to ensure quality output.

  • Tools Used: Notion and Microsoft Loop helped us stay organized and aligned on tasks, scheduling, and meeting notes in real time.

Research & Brainstorming

  • Name Selection: Extensive research was conducted using Google and ChatGPT to ensure the name Dot415 Designs was unique.

  • Brand Identity: I focused on designing the logo, favicon, and brand banners, while Enkhzaya concentrated on web design and hosting solutions.

  • Design Process: A mind map in Miro and a mood board in Adobe InDesign were used to explore brand identity and generate ideas for our visual direction.

  • Logo Development: We collaboratively sketched over fifty logo concepts, refining them based on feedback, and ultimately combining our best ideas into a final design.

Design Process

  • Logo Creation: The final logo design was crafted in Adobe Illustrator, where we ensured color consistency and accessibility.

  • Web Design & Branding: Enkhzaya designed the website, while I focused on creating complementary visual elements, ensuring the logo's colors were consistent throughout the site.

  • Adaptation: Various versions of the logo and brand assets were designed for different platforms, including LinkedIn, Instagram, and our website.

Social Media & Content Creation

  • Content Planning: Using Microsoft Loop, we brainstormed social media content and set a posting schedule to maintain consistent engagement.

  • Video Creation: I filmed and edited content using an iPhone 13 & 14 and CapCut, producing videos with text overlays to engage potential clients.

  • Social Media Analytics: We actively tracked analytics on platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram to optimize our content and outreach.

dot415_instagram

Challenges

  • Maintaining momentum with numerous check-in meetings to ensure progress.

  • Ensuring the brand name was unique and accurately reflected our vision.

  • Balancing creative excitement with the need for consistency and focus.

  • Selecting the right web hosting and logo design to ensure a strong foundation for the brand.

  • Producing social media content that resonated with audiences.

What I learned

  • Launching a website and finalizing a logo can take longer than expected.

  • Researching and selecting the right host is crucial for the website’s functionality and scalability.

  • Logos are a work in progress and may evolve as the brand grows.

  • Maintaining a positive outlook and keeping the process fun, regardless of challenges, is key to sustaining long-term motivation.

Want to collaborate or learn more about this project? Contact me for collaborations.

Or follow us on Instagram to see this project come to life and get updates on our creative journey.