Interview published CUTOUT Magazine Malaysia, Volume 09. Issue 02. The Big Idea Issue.
"Keeping It Simple At The Centre Of Everything That Is Created."
(Graphic Dpt was rebranded in 2020, formerly known as Daedalustudio, which was first founded in 2017.)
Daedalustudio—yes, it’s one word— is a design practice nestled in the bustling city of Hong Kong. Founded by graphic designer Billy Cheung in 2017, their works have been represented in several major awards and press such as the German Design Award and IDA Design Awards, just to name a few.
Working across a diverse sector of graphics and communication design consultancy services, they engage in identity design and creative direction, giving brands a story to tell and an advantage in our competitive world.
Q: In what way, do you think, can design help in business?
Design acts as a bridge between designers and the public. Good design adds value. Design thinking is critical to businesses for their branding, and strategy should act as the backbone to support that thinking. Talking about branding, we always think of a logo with the identity systems, but let’s not forget about the creative strategy besides the visuals.
Q: As a designer, how do you manage your free time with work pressure?
Not that I don’t have work pressure, but in my opinion when you believe in what you’re doing and enjoy the process, the pressure turns into pleasure. Being a designer, it’s always important to conquer pressure as we might face a list of daily tasks — client’s budget, project timeline, the scope of work, etc. In overcoming these challenges, I think strategy and communication will always be useful.
Q: What is “good design” to you?
The right designer is not just someone with great design skills but whose works reflect their design strategy. When hiring a designer, you should look for someone who sees your brand vision and objective clearly. I think good design is about critical thinking in whole. Like we always quote – the true design communicates.
While design thinking is crucial to producing good design, making artwork is not a difficult task with today’s technology, yet good design should reflect the problem-solving strategy and be long-lasting.
