But the more interesting insight hidden in there for us designers is that our best bet at predicting the future for something truly unknowable—say, how an audience will react to a new product, or what’ll happen to the price of a certain stock—is often to follow your gut.
I realized recently that what one thinks about in the shower in the morning is more important than I’d thought. I knew it was a good time to have ideas. Now I’d go further: now I’d say it’s hard to do a really good job on anything you don’t think about in the shower.
I’d noticed startups got way less done when they started raising money, but it was not till we ourselves raised money that I understood why. The problem is not the actual time it takes to meet with investors. The problem is that once you start raising money, raising money becomes the top idea in your mind. That becomes what you think about when you take a shower in the morning. And that means other questions aren’t.
Regarding iPhone 4’s antenna issues… why not add function to form?
Am I Really Any Good at this Design Thing?
I start to compare and weigh myself against them. Sometimes, it’s not such a big deal. Sometimes I see work that I feel is on par with my own. At the risk of sounding a bit arrogant, I confess that sometimes, I even see work that makes me think that I could do better.
But, then there are those other times, when I come face to face with work that is painfully better than my own. I may marvel at the layout, be struck by the colour choice, be transfixed by the typography or sometimes just stare in ultimate amazement at some simple yet perfectly executed element that pulls an entire design together (but which I know I would never have conceived of myself). I feel a knot in my stomach, and find myself thinking:
“Man, I suck at this design thing!”
Enes GP Concept is a Grand Prix racing car design for the year 2030.
The concept inspired by the Grand Prix cars of Golden Era motorsports racings in the late 1930’s with distinct low slung shape, tall thin wheels and dreamatic open-wheel design. In the rear of the concept there are 3 vertical wings for air-braking system.
The Journal of Information Architecture is “an international peer-reviewed scholarly journal” aiming “to facilitate the systematic development of the scientific body of knowledge in the field of information architecture.”
Dwell: Erik Spiekermann and his wife hate clutter
Typography guru Erik Spiekermann and his wife, designer Susanna Dulkinys, hate clutter. That’s why they love the supersleek Berlin domicile they constructed to have just the right lines—and a host of energy-saving features behind the scenes.
Helveticards may be the perfect gift for all your typophile poker-playing friends.
Patterns from IDEO: Sugar Coating Conservation
What’s more important than global warming and clean water? Apparently, a lot of things.
According to a Pew Research poll conducted across the U.S. in 2009, global warming ranked dead last on the list of Americans’ top 20 priorities, with only 30% of participants identifying it as a “top priority.” The broader topic of “energy” didn’t even make the top five concerns. People care most about the things that affect them and their loved ones directly—things like the economy and jobs.
To get into the mainstream, energy conservation needs to expand beyond topics like efficiency and a call for action beyond simply giving things up. This PATTERN presents a few examples where good design has tapped into mainstream motivations and desires with positive results.
The new Golden State Warriors identity is so horrid it is an embarrassment to the entire region. Copperplate?? Really??
The Inspiration Stream is a ‘meticulously curated’ fount of inspiration by the fantastic Veerle Pieters.
‘Design thinking is a nonsensical phrase that deserves to die’ — Don Norman
The Ripple Effect Project is a collaborative effort between IDEO, Acumen Fund and diverse organizations in India and Kenya to improve access to safe drinking water.