Mr. Hill

Architecture & Design

Design Consulting: Not Your Everyday Branding Process

By Roger G. Hill , Chief Executive Officer & Chairman, The Gettys Group Inc.

Co-authored by Daniel C. Pierce, Principal, Gettys

A hot topic in the hotel business is branding. Consider the look and feel. Identify the trends. Define what resonates with the end user.

That’s nice, but not nearly enough. That’s where Gettys is different and we bring a unique design focused and hospitality framed perspective to traditional branding. In short, we examine the experience, not simply the look and feel. We look for what’s next, not for what’s now. We analyze what works for anyone who will come in contact with the brand, not just the guest.

Branding alone does not explain what we do; we consider it as design thinking. We look beyond simply what the brand stands for and we create the experience for what the brand actually is. Design thinking is a somewhat new term to most but it has developed naturally as an extension of our interior design expertise. Like many industries, the expertise or craft evolves and smart brand experts stay ahead of the trends, rather than addressing what’s now. Just designing a lobby or guestroom is a thing of the past. Put simply, we create the entire guest experience.

Our projects range from independent hotel properties to multi-billion dollar brands and although each project is wildly different, there are some commonalities at the core of every project. At Gettys, we call this the DNA of a project. DNA to us stands for Differentiators, Nuances and Attributes.

DNA is one of the ways we successfully manage multi-dimensional relationships and ensure that through the breath of these relationships, an end result that resonates with all parties is positively received. Plus, we then avoid any 11th hour frustrations and miscommunication. Following is an overview of our steps:

1. Develop the perfect team

We build the team of internationally experienced people with diverse backgrounds. The team does not just comprise of designers but also marketing minds, graphic illustrators, architects and sensory experience designers. We also find it beneficial to have a generational diversity on the team from Generation Y to Boomers, each with diverse cultural backgrounds. For example, when we worked with a Chinese client on a retail innovation project, the team was built with those who reflected the target markets: China-born, Generation Y-ers to Generation X-born architects. Each project has different goals and needs and we tailor the team to match it.

** 2. Listen**

This critical step is often overlooked. The eagerness to jump in and design needs to be tempered, rather than skipping this important step in the process. We gather as much information as possible; from the brand leaders, from the guests, from hotel team members and more. We listen carefully and pose thoughtful questions. We ask our clients during this stage, “Give me all the information you think is relevant” and then we absorb it. This part of the project is really about inspiration, both client provided and designer sought.

3. Inquire

Now, we start to ask questions that guide the project along. The framework of time and the impact on direction also is a critical element in the process. Questions such as, “Where do you want to be in 2, 3, 4 or 10 years down the road?” can be really catalytic. Depending on whether or not the project is new brand creation or existing brand enhancement determines the types of questions we ask. Because each project is unique and has completely different goals and timelines, the upfront questions we ask help shape the solutions in the end.

4. Research

Dive deeper; the team conducts its own independent and group research to better understand where opportunities for brand enhancement and experience design exist. For example, collaboratively with our clients we are designing an analytical tool to evaluate the experience of their hotels. This designer toolbox will be utilized in the field by multiple teams of designers to identify where there is area for improvement to the hotel experience. All of those hundreds of observations will lead to a few game-changing ideas - ideas that have the potential to greatly enhance the competitive advantage in an already tight field.

5. Examine the influencers

We then scrutinize how the end user thinks, what motivates them and what drives in their decisions. The end user could be the hotel’s team members, the hotel’s guests, or owners. We take into account what makes them tick, what they do and what they enjoy. Most importantly, we consider what they feel when interacting with the hotel at every touch point within their guest experience. In addition, we also look at what influences them every day, including traditional and nontraditional media ranging from their social media channels to their daily news sources. We consider how they talk, tweet or surf the Internet.

6. Ideate

The creative process really gets amped up here. Although we’re always thinking, dreaming, eating and sleeping about the project, this is where it really gets fun and exciting. Our brainstorming and ideation activities, such as experience mapping and word association, are tailored to each project’s unique goals. Through ideation, we seek to gain a group consensus regarding their property’s core brand intentions. It is in ideation where we apply that unique perspective called the design mind. All the observation taking place in the early stages of the engagements profoundly influences the directions that design suggestions might take. Fueled by passion, and at times lots of caffeine, an assortment of digital tools like tablet sketchpads are used to record all the ideas. And let’s not forget about the tried and true tools when capturing the ideas, such as multicolored Post-It Notes and Sharpies.

7. Test

So the big ideas rise to the surface, what do we do with them now? This is where the implementation phase begins. We then take the ideas, develop them and test them. We also take it a little further and prototype and refine them. Test again. This could represent tens to hundreds of iterations of an element within a space or the experience design of that space. Design is an iterative process and this stage of the process is absolutely critical. As an example, for a leading lifestyle hotel brand, rapid prototyping was utilized to quickly test multiple design solutions for a branded guestroom environment. The rapid prototyping enabled the brand team to evaluate the impact the design statement had on the guest experience and quickly and confidently fabricate thousands of items.

8. Introduce

After designing and testing, the collectively and collaboratively created product or experience needs to come to market. It’s an exciting time as it’s introduced to the hotel, the brand or the world. Our work product may be represented by a new brand standard or a brand prototype or simply the seed for a new brand. Design thinking transcends all scales and encourages participation from all disciplines upfront; this is truly a process by which open collaboration is encouraged. Design thinking for Gettys means shaping the hospitality industry tomorrow.

These steps help us in the end goal: To touch every part of the hospitality experience with our design thinking. Consider IBM, while it was once widely known for its computer hardware dominance, it’s now known for their innovative business solutions and research. We also had our knowledge merge with service. As we expand our areas of expertise we have people ask us, “Is this the same Gettys I worked with 10 years ago?” The answer is yes, but with a farther and forward-focused reach.

We are not the people who just design a lobby. We are design thinkers.

This article was co-authored by Daniel C. Pierce. Mr. Pierce is a Principal at Gettys located out of Gettys’ Chicago office. Mr. Pierce's global design perspective began to develop as he launched his career in México City. As lead designer for a large boutique hotel in Cancún, México charged with re-defining hospitality on the Rivera Maya, his passion for interiors and architecture came to life. Today, Mr. Pierce's expertise in designing hotels and resorts around the world for Gettys includes México, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia. This diverse international experience has helped shape Gettys’ global growth. Some of his recent project work has included the restoration of the hurricane-ravaged Hyatt Regency Cancún; the recently opened new-build Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Macau’s Coati Strip; the renovation of a luxury beach hotel in Dubai; the historic conversion of St. Louis’ Union Station Hotel to a Marriott; the Palmyra Spa & Resort in Jamaica, MB by Michelle Bernstein in Cancún; and private residences in México, Spain, and the US.

Nearly 25 years ago, Roger Hill co-founded Gettys, a Top 10 hospitality interior design, procurement and development firm. Under his leadership, Gettys has grown to a global team of business-minded professionals who specialize in hotels, resorts, spas, casinos and mixed-used developments the world over. A respected industry veteran, he is frequently called upon by hospitality and business media outlets to provide insight into the redevelopment, renovation, and repositioning of hotels. A graduate of Cornell University, Roger has served as an appointed delegate for the White House Conference on Small Business, and is a member of ULI, YPO and ISHC. Mr. Hill can be contacted at 312-836-1111 or info@gettys.com Extended Bio...

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