Knowing where you're going with your project is critical: It will influence the kind of images that you ultimately decide to use; determine how much, if any, image preparation applies, and inspire the overall look and feel of the project. If you're vague about your goal, everything you do, from choosing the right image to the final design of your project, will be difficult. You'll find yourself constantly making subjective decisions without focus or clear intent, and the odds are good that your final piece will not command attention.

Communication 101

Answering the following three questions will help you define your goal:

• What are you trying to communicate?

• Who is your audience?

• What do you want as a result?

When you ask yourself the first question, ask yourself: Am I communicating information about a particular product, or am I trying to convey a general idea or concept? Am I trying to communicate raw reference information, or am I trying to entertain?

Recently, for example, I collaborated with an Virginia-based design group, Option X, on a Web site that showcased the digital art of the famous French multimedia artist, Chris Maker. We weren't selling anything. We weren't trying to communicate facts or figures. We were simply exposing the work of this great man to a world-wide audience. We kept this in mind during every step of the process, from the selection of content, to design, to the actual Web programming. As a result, the site is a bit chaotic and obscure but beautiful--just like Marker's work itself.

When determining who your audience is, remember that the closer you can identify a specific group, the easier it will be to tailor your message and create an appealing work. Professional market researchers often create profiles of audiences by taking into consideration such things as gender, age, education, values, tastes, demographics, and income.

Personally, I find it best to visualize a small group (7[en]10) of friends, relatives, or colleagues that I want to see my work. I write their names on a piece of paper and create a “profile” of each person. Much like a professional researcher might do, I ask myself: What do these people actually need? How can my work help them achieve this need? What is the best way of providing this information to them?

Finally, ask yourself what you want as a result of your efforts. Are you selling a product? Then sales is likely your desired outcome. Are you trying to make your company a better place to work? Then your message is one of inspiration and good will. Sometimes--like the time I created an electronic wedding photo album for a friend--I just wanted a smile or a laugh for my effort. Tangible or intangible, all goals are valid. But be clear about what you want in return for your efforts. Your clarity will help you create a more effective work and establish realistic expectations.

One of the most common mistakes people make is trying to say too much to too many people. The solution to this, which you’ve likely heard before, is Keep It Simple! You will be doing everyone a service.

Schedules and deadlines

Once you've identified your goal, you need a schedule to move you forward, step-by-step. In the digital world, schedules and deadlines are especially important. Anyone who has spent time working on an image with Photoshop or creating an image with Fractal Design's Painter knows there are limitless possibilities for refinement. A picture can always be a little better, a painting more realistic. A deadline becomes a boundary, a way to say “Enough!”

To be realistic, schedules need to consist of a series of bite-sized deadlines, thoughtfully and realistically paced, so when the final deadline arrives most, if not all, of the work is already done.