Blog
The Value of Design
Wow – Squarespace seem’s to have hit a nerve with some in the creative community recently. Tom Actman’s article – Why designers shouldn’t worry about Squarespace Logo tries to reassure the creative community that all is not lost. As Actman points out, Squarespace’s web developer tool hasn’t exactly killed off digital agencies (yet). I can see the […]
A New Direction in Marketing?
Article: What If Your Autonomous Car Keeps Routing You Past Krispy Kreme? On a future road trip, your robot car decides to take a new route, driving you past a Krispy Kreme Doughnut shop. A pop-up window opens on your car’s display and asks if you’d like to stop at the store. “Don’t mind if I […]
Detroit as a Brand
Aidan Lewis’ article, Detroit: The branding of a bankrupt city picks up on how companies are using the name of the city to sell their products. “It stands for a brand of determination and a general refusal to quit.” Tim Calkins, from the Kellogg School of Management quoted in the article, stated that: “If you associate yourself […]
Is Design a Costly Luxury?
I was interested in Nesta’s observations that designers are poor learners in their Design in Public and Social Innovation . I’d widen that statement to include clients due to the lack of understanding from both sides of the process. There is some level of hubris floating around with some designers and with some clients – this can lead […]
Five Reasons Why Inhouse Designers Well Positioned to Effect Change
Original Article is from AIGA: http://www.aiga.org/five-reasons-why-in-house-designers-can-effect-change/ Here’s a list of what Kimberley Parker sees as unique points for encouraging more In-house design studios: 1. In-house designers have direct access to decision makers. As an in-house designer, you may find yourself working directly with higher-ups or even the owner of the company. This is a great opportunity […]
What can design do for science, and science do for design?
‘Scientists cannot be held responsible for all of the problems in science communication. Communication is a complex, two-way process. People may hear and understand a message yet not be able to act on it’. Here is a link to the article published in Cheltenham Festival’s Litmus. back in June 2013. In it there’s a discussion in how […]
The Death of the Logo
‘Logos are a hangover from another time. They need to be shaken off, moved away from, de-focused.’ Simon Manchipp, Director at Someone. Have logos become ‘pricey doodles’? Simon Manchipp seems to think so in his article: Logos are Dead . You don’t have to go far to on Google Image search to find a plethora […]
Goodbye Information Age, Hello Conceptual Age
Quite an interesting article in Wired: Revenge of the Right Brain by Daniel K Pink. “In a world upended by outsourcing, deluged with data, and choked with choices, the abilities that matter most are now closer in spirit to the specialties of the right hemisphere – artistry, empathy, seeing the big picture, and pursuing the transcendent.” Okay, […]
Managing Relationships: Designer and Client
Whilst working with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills I presented to the Internal Comms. I had helped set up an in-house design team and had come across some relationship hurdles that needed to be addressed. Having previously been a civil servant, I could understand (but not necessarily agree with) the ‘text heavy’ and […]
Regional Development Agencies
I can’t help but look back longingly at the really interesting projects that came out through the Regional Development Agencies in the UK. Dott 07 and Dott Cornwall perfectly illustrated how grassroots design leads to new and better services through collaboration and innovation. Rather than me harp and eulogise on them, details can be found here: http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/challenges/Communities/Dott-07/Dott-07-case-studies/ […]