Good ideas rarely come in bunches. The designer who voluntarily presents his client with a batch of layouts does so not out prolificacy, but out of uncertainty or fear.
Like McDonalds proves, popular doesn’t necessarily mean good. I’m not particularly interested in what’s popular; I’m much more interested in what’s good.
Redesigning somebody else’s product is always a tricky business. You don’t know why they made the decisions they made. You don’t have the data they have.
If you see a few lines of atrocious code, you can make a judgement about the programmer. By judging the programmer, you can judge his boss, and by judging his boss you can judge the company. That’s the nature of fractals
If you are on Craigslist to get a sofa, and you see one for free. You think there’s something tragically wrong with it – maybe there are bedbugs. But if you see a sofa on there for $2,500, you think ‘oh man, that sofa must be amazing’. It’s the same thing with art – you set your own value.
Beautiful accidents can happen, but accident is not the basis for design excellence. Purposeful discovery followed by focused, skillful conceptualization and execution is the basis for design excellence.
Too often, look and feel, color scheme, layout, and identity are presented as solutions to problems discussed in these conversations long before regard is given to other less-aesthetic issues that may very well be the root of the problem. The old warning against treating symptom rather than cause comes to mind.
I would say my biggest pet peeve related to the industry would be people focusing on technology instead of design, standards instead of users, and validation rather than innovation. Web standards and best practices are noble goals, but all too often in our community people forget they are a means to an end, not the end itself.
It is important not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good, even when you can agree on what perfect is. Doubly so when you can’t. As unpleasant as it is to be trapped by past mistakes, you can’t make any progress by being afraid of your own shadow during design.
I make all my decisions on intuition. But then, I must know why I made that decision. I throw a spear into the darkness. That is intuition. Then I must send an army into the darkness to find the spear. That is intellect
Graphic designers find themselves in a role of visual dishwashers for the Information Architects’ chefs.
ReplyDeleteTo attempt mastery of everything inevitably makes us mediocre in many areas.
DeleteIf I’d asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse.
DeleteEvery act of creation is first an act of destruction.
ReplyDeleteGood ideas rarely come in bunches. The designer who voluntarily presents his client with a batch of layouts does so not out prolificacy, but out of uncertainty or fear.
ReplyDeleteI really like looking at design and thinking: that attention to detail must have taken absolutely ages.
ReplyDeleteThis is a Author Comment
ReplyDelete1st Level Threaded Reply
DeleteDon’t worry about people stealing an idea. If it’s original, you will have to ram it down their throats.
ReplyDeleteDesign is more of a kitchen than a knife, and more of a lab than a beaker.
ReplyDeleteIt’s OK to do stupid things, except when you notice them.
DeleteObservation and imitation are so often the steps to creative maturation. An insightful person can turn these into innovation.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDelay always breeds danger , and to protract a great design is often to ruin it.
ReplyDeleteLike McDonalds proves, popular doesn’t necessarily mean good. I’m not particularly interested in what’s popular; I’m much more interested in what’s good.
ReplyDeleteNever offend people with style when you can offend them with substance.
ReplyDeleteGraphic design is the paradise of individuality, eccentricity, heresy, abnormality, hobbies, and humors.
DeleteRedesigning somebody else’s product is always a tricky business. You don’t know why they made the decisions they made. You don’t have the data they have.
ReplyDeleteGood art inspires
ReplyDeleteGood design
motivates
All the magic, be it in code or design, starts with a clear mind, pen and a blank paper.
ReplyDeleteClients don’t understand their success is reliant on standing out, not fitting in.
ReplyDeleteShow me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.
DeleteLuck is the residue of design
ReplyDeleteIf you see a few lines of atrocious code, you can make a judgement about the programmer. By judging the programmer, you can judge his boss, and by judging his boss you can judge the company. That’s the nature of fractals
ReplyDeleteDecisions on artwork by committee end up being made on the premise of not turning people off rather than turning people on.
ReplyDeleteIf you are on Craigslist to get a sofa, and you see one for free. You think there’s something tragically wrong with it – maybe there are bedbugs. But if you see a sofa on there for $2,500, you think ‘oh man, that sofa must be amazing’. It’s the same thing with art – you set your own value.
ReplyDeleteDesign from the spine and you’ll be fine
ReplyDeleteGreat stories happen to people who can tell them
ReplyDeleteDesigners can create normalcy out of chaos; they can clearly communicate ideas through the organizing and manipulating of words and pictures.
ReplyDeleteThere’s a difference between making an imitation and selling it
ReplyDeleteBeautiful accidents can happen, but accident is not the basis for design excellence. Purposeful discovery followed by focused, skillful conceptualization and execution is the basis for design excellence.
ReplyDeleteSimplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations
ReplyDeleteMinimalism is not a lack of something. It’s simply the perfect amount of something.
DeleteToo often, look and feel, color scheme, layout, and identity are presented as solutions to problems discussed in these conversations long before regard is given to other less-aesthetic issues that may very well be the root of the problem. The old warning against treating symptom rather than cause comes to mind.
DeleteCreativity isn’t worth a thing if it isn’t served with an equal amount of reliability.
DeleteDon’t design for everyone. It’s impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy.
DeleteCreativity is a drug I cannot live without
DeleteA common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
DeleteI would say my biggest pet peeve related to the industry would be people focusing on technology instead of design, standards instead of users, and validation rather than innovation. Web standards and best practices are noble goals, but all too often in our community people forget they are a means to an end, not the end itself.
DeleteIdeas trump aesthetics. Convenience trumps UI. Content trumps platforms
ReplyDeleteIt is important not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good, even when you can agree on what perfect is. Doubly so when you can’t. As unpleasant as it is to be trapped by past mistakes, you can’t make any progress by being afraid of your own shadow during design.
ReplyDeleteColor does not add a pleasant quality to design – it reinforces it.
ReplyDeleteA good design is driven by needs and defined by constraints.
ReplyDeleteI make all my decisions on intuition. But then, I must know why I made that decision. I throw a spear into the darkness. That is intuition. Then I must send an army into the darkness to find the spear. That is intellect
ReplyDelete