For the designers at Hornall Anderson Design Works (HADW) in Seattle, successful design is about giving creative ideas room to emerge. "We know that ideas can come from anywhere," explains Jack Anderson, who together with John Hornall founded HADW in 1982. "We don't want our process to arbitrarily limit or control those ideas. We're successful because we nurture collaboration across our organization to generate smart ideas that solve real problems for clients."

Hornall and Anderson established this philosophy at HADW from the start. They'd seen how traditional account management can undermine the creative process by putting barriers between the client and the designer. So they invented a different client relationship model, using senior designers as project managers. They also brought a team approach to every project, inviting their designers, marketing strategists, and technical staff to work as equal partners in responding to a client's needs.

"Every project is a collective effort that's team-oriented and design-focused," says Debra McCloskey, a senior designer who often leads project teams. "Designers have direct access to the client, rather than getting information secondhand. Creative reviews become collaborative working meetings because I can sketch on the spot in response to a client's comments."

This philosophy also informs the group's exploration process. While most projects are produced on Macintosh computers using Adobe and other software, projects never start there. "Our first priority is to get ideas on the table," says Anderson. "Pencil and paper are still the best way to rough out ideas - lots of ideas - because the mind and hand work faster than the mouse. Plus, we don't want someone's computer skills to determine the best idea. We'd rather find the idea and then hone the skills."

This openmindedness has helped HADW grow to more than 70 people, including designers, Internet specialists, and marketing staff. Together this group serves a diverse client base that includes Novell, Pepsi, Starbuck's, Nordstrom's, Airborne Express, Wells Fargo, and Microsoft. Many of HADW's award-winning projects involve branding a company or product and then carrying that identity across collateral, packaging, and online media, as well as into trade show displays and other environmental graphics.

The artwork on the following pages represents a slice in time of the firm's varied and prodigious output. You can see additional samples at Hornall Anderson's site.