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Overview
As creative professionals ourselves, we understand how designers work, what challenges they are faced with, and what limitations their clients or their industries place on their creativity. We also appreciate the importance of good design, as it ties into marketability and the overall success of the brand.
There is no question that adequate experience and unlimited resources can turn any talented novice into a seasoned, award-winning designer. That is why our goal is to reward not only those who have proven track-records, but also designers who display great potential with limited budgets and experience.
Grading
When grading design entries for any of our design competitions, the judges grade each piece independent of others in the competition. The only information taken into consideration are the experience level of the artist, as well as the date when the design was created. Any other variables, such as popularity of client, name of design firm, or any other accolades previously attained are not even considered, ensuring a fair and balanced competition.
The total grade of each piece is comprised of the following elements:
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 Creativity
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40 Points
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 Effectiveness
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30 Points
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 Practicality
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30 Points
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 Ethics
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Pass or Fail
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Total
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100 Points
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For the Monthly Design Contest, participants who score between 70 and 79 points are awarded a silver accolade. Those scoring between 80 and 89 points receive a gold; scores of more than 90 points are awarded a platinum accolade.
40 Points - Creativity
Creativity and the overall design aesthetics are perhaps the most important aspects of any design. We have always believed that creativity is a unique gift, and those who can utilize it effectively through eye-catching designs are worthy of praise.
30 Points - Effectiveness
Aside from aesthetics, the design piece in question needs to be effective in communicating the intended message to the proper audience. In other words, a design piece must not only look great, but it should possess the right attributes to make it easily marketable to potential clients or customers.
30 Points - Practicality
There is such a thing as over-designing! Often small details that lend themselves to the success of a designed piece are left out of the overall equation, rendering the designed piece almost useless. Are graphic-heavy design elements drowning the marketing message? Are load times alienating more than half of your web visitors, or your brochure type so tiny that most people don't have a choice but to toss it away?
Ethics
Ethics are a set of values by which the graphic design industry needs to abide by, in order to become successful and viable.
Below is a list of unethical practices which may eliminate a design from competition altogether:
 Copy or duplicate another person's work.
Engage in speculative work.
Use pre-made templates.
Under-price your services below the accepted industry norm.
Publish your price list on your website or brochure.
Work with clients who devalue the design industry.
Violate international copyright laws (e.g. stock photography, etc.)
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