Design Begins When We Talk
- Reiko Katayama
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
Before choosing colors or designing a logo, every project begins by understanding what truly matters at its core.
To uncover that essence, there is one thing that cannot be replaced: a genuine conversation with the client — a process I call “Discovery.”
In this article, I’d like to share why this stage is so important, and how it becomes the true beginning of design.
What Is Discovery?
Discovery is not simply another “information-gathering session.
”It feels closer to a gentle, guided conversation—almost like counselling—where thoughts are allowed to unfold naturally.
During this process, we explore pieces of a brand’s inner landscape:
What you value
Words that describe your brand
How it all began
What you like and dislike
Experiences and influences that shaped you
By collecting these small puzzle pieces, we begin to uncover the unique core that belongs only to that brand.
The essence of a brand is not always something that appears as clear words from the start.But it always exists—somewhere beneath the surface.
Discovery is the work of bringing that essence into view, slowly and thoughtfully.
Why This Stage Shapes Everything That Follows in Design
Once the core of a brand becomes clear through Discovery, the direction of the entire design begins to take shape.
It informs every choice that follows:
The style to pursue
The colors that feel true
The amount of space to leave
The tone of the words
The mood of the photography
Each decision gains a reason—a clear line that connects back to the brand’s essence.
Without that foundation, even carefully crafted visuals can feel inconsistent, and the world you want the brand to express becomes harder to convey.
A Logo Is the “Face” of a Brand — Much Like the Front Door of a Home
I often describe the role of a logo as being similar to a front door.
A front door doesn’t reveal everything about the home itself.
But it subtly suggests things such as:
Who might live there
What kind of atmosphere the home has
What kind of moments unfold inside
It offers a gentle glimpse into the world beyond the threshold.
A logo works in much the same way. It can’t express every detail of a brand, but it reflects its style, values, tone, and overall mood.
That’s why a logo is more than a symbol—it’s an entryway into the brand’s world.
And the design of that entryway naturally emerges from the essence discovered during the Discovery process.
Discovery Begins with Listening — and Noticing
● Through Listening
Dialogue is at the heart of my process. When we talk, thoughts that were unspoken, overlooked, or still uncertain begin to take shape.
Values, sensitivities, moments of discomfort or resonance—little by little, the unique core of the person and the brand becomes visible.
● Through Observation
Expressions, tone of voice, posture, the words a client chooses.
Even the unspoken details reveal something essential about who they are.
● Through Deconstruction
Values, background, strengths, preferences, and audience—everything is taken apart, stripped of what isn’t necessary, and organized with clarity.
● Through Reconstruction
What remains—the essence—is then given color, line, language, and a visual world.
This is where the philosophy of “chotto” comes in: even the smallest adjustment can transform how a brand is perceived.
CASE STUDY
WA MOGA 29 Was Born from a Subtle Feeling That Something Wasn’t Quite Right
The brand I created in Canada, WA MOGA 29, also began with a quiet sense that something wasn’t right.
Despite living in an age overflowing with gifts, there were very few that truly carried someone’s feelings.That contradiction became the spark for starting the brand.
Through the Discovery process, the essence that emerged was:
The beauty held even in a single fallen petal
The warmth of handcraft
A sensibility drawn to imperfection
Visual storytelling that feels almost like art
An emotional connection that gently receives the giver’s intention
All of these came together to form the brand’s core:“The Art of Imperfection.”
Once that core was clear, everything else naturally aligned—the logo, photography, displays, copywriting, and packaging.
Piece by piece, they intertwined to create the distinct world of WA MOGA 29.
Designers and Clients Build the Brand Together
The materials of a brand always come from the client.
The designer’s role is to help uncover the essence within those materialsand give it form—visually, verbally, and emotionally.
When both sides work together, the brand graduallyand confidently takes shape.
Conclusion: A Brand Takes Shape Through Meaningful Conversation
The starting point of brand building is not the logo, the colors, or social media visuals. It begins with Discovery.
Even when the essence hasn’t yet become words, it already exists within the brand—and together, we uncover it.
Because of this process, every design decision that follows connects naturally and with intention.
And often, it is a small, thoughtful adjustment—a quiet “chotto”—that transforms how a brand is perceived.
This is the foundation that chotto graphics values most in the work of shaping a brand.
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