Don’t Make Me Think.
Fun fact about me: I graduated with a fine arts degree with an emphasis in graphic design, which means I’m one of those rare folks who’re still actively using their degree, years later. And sure, some of the “technical” things I learned in college (like how to build an entire website in Flash) haven’t exactly stood the test of time. But one lesson from that web design class has stayed with me:
Don’t make me think.
It was actually the title of a book we had to read: “Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability.” It’s out of print now, but it remains one of the most practical, genuinely impactful textbooks I've read in school.
And while I originally learned this lesson in the context of websites, I’ve come to use it as a litmus test for just about everything I design.
Because the question isn’t just “Is this pretty?” It’s “Does your audience have to work to understand what you do or what to do next?”
Design without strategy and clarity doesn’t work.
Event design? Don’t make attendees think.
Signage throughout the event? Directions or information about activations? Don’t make people guess. I missed out on snuggling puppies at an event recently because there were no signs, no mention of where/when it was happening, and no obvious way to find the info. I’m still not over it.
Your brand? Simple and clever can coexist. Don’t make your audience question what your values are or what your business or destination delivers.
Advertising? Don’t make me think about what the call-to-action is or what I should be doing next.
Onboarding and offboarding? Your customer journey in general? Think about the last time you were researching a new vendor or clicking around a website trying to find more information. If you felt even a millisecond of confusion or discomfort, you probably did what most people do: you hesitated. You lost confidence. You clicked away.
And what about your sales materials? Decks, conference kits, handouts, landing pages? Do people have to think too hard to understand what you do and what they get from it?
Are you presenting information to folks, assuming they have a base level of information? Don’t do that. Assume people know nothing. Assume your attendees have never been to a conference. Assume no one has ever heard of your brand. No one wants to feel like they are missing key information that everyone else has. Let people in.
So here’s the real question:
Are you communicating your message in the simplest form it can be, where someone with zero understanding of your industry or organization knows what you do?
Remember… Don’t. Make. Me. Think.
Hello there!I’m Emily, a creative director, graphic designer, all-around visual storyteller, and owner of Sondery Studio with 15+ years of experience bringing brands to life for tourism organizations and small businesses. Think of me as the person who turns ideas into experiences: blending brand strategy, print and digital design, experiential moments, videography, photography, web design, and even the perfect piece of swag into one cohesive story.
Having worked across the full spectrum of day-to-day design to the big-picture strategy, nothing lights me up more than watching a brand click into place with clarity and consistency, giving the humans behind the brand the confidence they need to promote their destination or business. I believe brands should feel like something, and I’m here to help yours come alive through every touchpoint with purpose and a little bit of magic.
Some fun facts:
📍 Born in Wisconsin, but currently live in Saint Paul, Minnesota
🧳 Worked for Visit Saint Paul as their in-house creative for 5 years and have been working in the tourism industry ever since
🏄🏼♀️ Owns more paddleboards than she cares to admit… but uses them all!
👧🏼👦🏼🐶 Mama to 2 humans and 1 pup
🪴 Ask me about my garden or my houseplants. Please.
