Crash course
Design analysis
Purpose of the catalogue
Analyse design with reasoned arguments rather than evaluating it subjectively.
This analysis catalogue serves as a tool for the systematic examination of brand identities, communication media, and design concepts. The objective is not to evaluate design subjectively, but to analyse and substantiate it using clear, comprehensible criteria.
The catalogue guides you through ten fields of analysis. For each field, there are guiding questions to ask about a design. At the end, you summarise the results in the analysis sheet and justify your assessment.
A consistent example used throughout is Gartenglück, a fictitious Zurich-based delivery service for seasonal meals sourced from local farms. The round lightbulb button on the cards displays three examples for each case: best practice, okay, and inadequate.
Justify rather than please.
1 / Procedure
Describe first, evaluate later.
An analysis follows four steps. Keeping them separate avoids jumping to conclusions:
01
Describe
What can be seen? Neutral and complete, without judgement.
02
Analyse
How is it made? What resources and principles are used?
03
Interpret
What effect do these devices have? What message is conveyed?
04
Rate
Does the design achieve its objective with the target audience? Please provide reasoning.
Every statement in the final step is based on an observation from the first three: 'Because …, it has the effect of …, which supports the objective of …' The analysis scheme from design psychology (observation, concept, effect, evidence) helps with this.
No rating without a description.
2 / Context and Objective
Design can only be measured by its objective.
Before the design itself is examined, the analysis establishes the context. The same design can be a success for one target audience and miss the mark for another.
01
Sender
Who is communicating? With what attitude and history?
02
Target audience
Who is it intended for? With what prior knowledge, in what situation?
03
Destination
What is the goal: to inform, convince, sell, or guide?
04
Medium and context
Where does one encounter the design, and for how long?
Good is that which achieves its goal.
3 / Overall impression
The first impression is a data point.
The spontaneous impression is formed in fractions of a second and shapes further perception. It belongs in the analysis, but is marked as an impression and checked later. More on this in Design Psychology, Section 6.2 Aesthetics & first impression.
01
First Impression
Which three words come to mind after three seconds?
02
Tonality
Does it feel objective, playful, exclusive, loud, or calm?
03
Positioning
How does it stand out from comparable appearances?
Capture first, question later.
4 / Composition and Layout
Order dictates what is seen.
The composition guides the eye and organises content. It can be described using the Gestalt principles and the tools of hierarchy (Design Psychology, Modules 02 and 03).
01
Grid and Structure
Is there a discernible grid? How are elements aligned?
02
Grouping
What belongs together? Do the visual and content groupings match?
03
Hierarchy
What catches the eye first, and what next? Does the hierarchy align with the goal?
04
White space and density
How much space do the elements get? Does it feel calm or crowded?
The layout shows what is important.
5 / Typography
Type carries content and tone.
Typography is examined for legibility and expression (Design Psychology, Sections 4.3 and 4.4).
01
Font selection
Which fonts are being used, how many, and do they match?
02
Hierarchy
How are levels distinguished: size, weight, colour, spacing?
03
Readability
Are the size, line length, line spacing, and contrast correct?
04
Expression
What tone does the font set, and does it suit the brand?
First readable, then expressive.
6 / Colour
Colour arranges, influences and distinguishes.
Colour is examined in terms of function, impact, and accessibility. Its meaning depends on culture and context (Design Psychology, Sections 4.1 and 4.2).
01
Pallet
Which colours, and in what ratio? Are there primary and accent colours?
02
Function
What is colour used for: structure, emphasis, status?
03
Effect
What mood is created, and does it suit the sender and the objective?
04
Accessibility
Is the contrast sufficient? Does colour alone convey information?
Check the colour functionally first.
7 / Image and illustration
Pictures help tell the story.
Images are rarely read neutrally. The analysis examines style, motif, and the interplay with the text.
01
Imagery
Photography, illustration, 3D, graphic design? Which style, which perspective?
02
Choice of design
Who or what is shown, and who is missing?
03
Image and text
Do the image and text complement, repeat or contradict each other?
04
Consistency
Is the imagery consistent across all media?
What isn't shown also says something.
8 / Signs and Brands
A brand has an impact across all touchpoints.
Brand identities are examined to see how the logo, design language and elements interact and whether they remain recognisable across different media (Design Psychology, Section 6.4 Brand & Tone).
01
Logo and symbols
How is the symbol constructed? Does it work small, large, in a single colour?
02
Design language
Which shapes, lines and elements define the look?
03
Recognisability
Can you recognise the brand even without a logo?
04
Consistency
Is the system maintained across posters, web, packaging and social media?
What is consistent is recognisable.
9 / Text and Message
Design and language work together.
Language is also a form of design. The analysis examines whether words and images convey the same message.
01
Key message
What is the one key takeaway that should stick?
02
Tonality
How should the user be addressed: informal or formal, factual or emotional?
03
Clarity
Is the text clear and concise enough for the target audience?
04
Call to action
Is it clear what to do next?
A message, clearly stated.
10 / Function and use
Digital design also needs to work.
With websites, apps, and guidance systems, usability comes into play. Jakob Nielsen's ten heuristics can help here (Design Psychology, Section 5.5).
01
Orientation
Do you always know where you are and what happens next?
02
Usability
Are buttons recognisable and easily accessible?
03
Feedback
Does the system show what is currently happening?
04
Accessibility
Does it work with a keyboard, screen reader, and low vision?
It is only truly beautiful if it also works.
11 / Impact and Responsibility
In the end, what matters is the impact of the design.
The evaluation asks whether the design achieves its objective with the target audience and whether it remains fair in doing so. Manipulative patterns, exclusions, or clichés should also be included in the analysis (Design Psychology, Module 08).
01
Goal achievement
Does the design achieve its goal? How is this shown?
02
Strengths
What works particularly well, and why?
03
Weaknesses
What is standing in the way of the goal, and why?
04
Responsibility
Is anyone being excluded, deceived, or reduced to clichés?
A judgment is only as good as its reasoning.
Analysis sheet
All fields at a glance.
In the analysis sheet, rate each field from 1 to 5 and note down the key reasoning. The overview shows strengths and weaknesses at a glance. You can copy the sheet as text and paste it into your documentation.
Every figure needs a sentence of explanation.
Exercise
A complete analysis
Task: Analyse a brand identity or communication medium of your choice, either individually or in pairs.
STEP 1
Choose a design and gather material: photos, screenshots, samples.
STEP 2
Describe objectively and clarify context and purpose.
STEP 3
Go through the analysis fields and note down observations, including the concept and its effect.
STEP 4
Complete the analysis sheet and formulate a reasoned overall assessment.
Evaluation: Compare your analyses of the same design. Where do your judgements differ, and why?