Interview about Designthinkers Conference Materials, winner of the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award 2023
The goal is to design sophisticated conference materials that align with the theme of the year. At times design seems to be a maze, as designers' journey along its tortuous pathways leads to wrong turns, dead ends, and unknown destinations. Liying Wang tries to utilize the maze as a symbol of the design process and its complexities while visualizing the design and creativity process to evoke similar emotions from the audience.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe core metaphor of the maze emerged from the fundamental truth that the design process is an unknown journey. Starting with the conference theme of exploring the creative process, I recognized that we don’t know what will happen at the next intersection. My initial concept was to capture this sense of uncertainty and exploration. It evolved from a simple graphic to a sophisticated system where the typography of "Truth" is actually formed by the maze pathways. This approach bound the process (the maze) intrinsically to the goal (the truth), making the entire visual system a powerful, integrated storytelling device rather than just a decorative element.
To ensure consistency across formats, from the 18x24-inch poster to the various signage and program materials, I established a strict yet flexible visual system. The deep blue color palette, the structural maze typography, and the signature magenta accent dots were the non-negotiable brand elements. For the large poster, the maze is the dominant, high-impact background; for smaller applications like the name badges, I employed a modular design approach. I would crop and isolate recognizable sections of the maze pattern or use its lines to frame key information, ensuring the texture and cohesive feel of the system were present without sacrificing the clarity needed for practical function.
My approach to balancing the maze's complex symbolism with the need for clear communication centered on establishing a strategic hierarchy of information and leveraging color contrast. While the maze is the conceptual and aesthetic backdrop, I ensured all critical information—the conference name, theme, dates, and location—was positioned in areas of high contrast or negative space, using bold, clean typography for immediate legibility. The maze, therefore, works as a rich, evocative subtext: it guides the eye and reinforces the theme of the "unpredictable adventure," but it never compromises the primary function of the materials, which is to inform the conference attendees effectively.
I bridged the theme "Speak The Truth" with the maze concept by connecting the designer's internal struggle with the ethical goal of the creative process. Design, like a maze, is full of choices and detours, but the journey’s ultimate purpose is to arrive at the most authentic and effective solution—to speak the truth through the work. By constructing the maze directly out of the words of the theme, I visually implied that the truth is found within the complexity of the creative exploration. The complexity of the structure represents the challenges, while the clarity of the overall message remains the guiding principle.
My expertise in the Adobe Creative Suite was absolutely foundational for realizing this complex vision. The precision required for the maze's interconnected lines and pathways demanded meticulous vector illustration in Adobe Illustrator, allowing me to treat typography as architectural elements rather than just readable text. Furthermore, using Adobe InDesign for the multi-face program ensured that the complex patterns and styles were maintained consistently across all deliverables, guaranteeing clean execution and production readiness from the largest poster to the smallest badge.
The inspiration for the little magenta dots came from the need to personify the abstract journey. As I stated, "Designers like the little magenta dots, going on the road of our own choice." The magenta color, chosen for its high contrast against the deep blue, ensured these "designers" stood out, highlighting the individual's agency and power of choice on the unpredictable path. They contribute to the broader narrative by providing a sense of action and movement, turning the static maze into an active journey, and indicating the designer's individuality as they make their own choices, which represent the diverse perspectives the conference aims to gather.
I prioritized both aesthetic cohesion and practical functionality by adopting a 'system-first' design strategy. Aesthetic cohesion was maintained through the consistent application of the blue-and-white maze pattern and the magenta accent across every component, creating an undeniable brand identity. Practical functionality, however, always took precedence over key communication items: for the program guide and name badges, the maze became a textural background or a border element, while the critical content (names, schedules) was given maximum priority with ample white space and clear, large typography, optimizing the attendee experience.
The three-month timeframe was a distinct advantage, providing me with the necessary space for a thorough conceptual and iterative design process. This allowed me to meticulously refine the maze system and ensure its legibility and scalability across various media before committing to production. Though the location of San Francisco wasn't a direct visual influence, it is a global hub for design thinking and systemic innovation, and the changing terrain has its own uniqueness. This environment subtly encouraged me to create a solution that was not merely a beautiful piece of art but a robust, modular visual system, fulfilling the project's goal of demonstrating the ability to integrate deep conceptual ideas with sophisticated visual skills.
My background in Theatre, Film, and TV Fine Arts Design was fundamental, allowing me to approach the conference materials not as static objects, but as elements of a cohesive, immersive spatial experience. Experience in set design taught me to unify diverse physical touchpoints—treating the signage and programs as 'props' within the conference's environment.' Most importantly, it taught me the power of a visual narrative arc. The maze is the story of the designer’s journey, and the entire system serves to support and deepen this narrative, creating a layer of emotional and intellectual engagement for the attendee.
The international recognition from the A' Design Award for the DesignThinkers materials reinforces my commitment to concept-driven design as the core of my practice. The biggest takeaway is the power of a single, strong metaphor—the maze—to successfully drive an entire, complex visual system. Moving forward, I will always prioritize a deep conceptual objective over mere surface aesthetics. This project has also instilled a strong focus on systems thinking, ensuring that my solutions are always modular, scalable, and robust, ready to adapt to any communication need while retaining a compelling visual narrative.
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