Posts Tagged ‘Design’

The challenge: Design a logo for a special company event with several color schemes. On websites, the logo needs to subtly change colors as someone visits the site. This would be an easy solution using Flash but because many users have iPads or iPhones that do not support it, those users would not see the […]

An architect built a cluster of office buildings around a central green. When construction was completed, the landscape crew asked him where he wanted the sidewalks. “Just plant the grass solidly between the buildings,” was his reply. By late summer the new lawn was laced with paths of trodden grass between the buildings. These paths […]

I liked Karen’s inspiring post about infographics and would like to follow that up with some added thoughts. Anyone can find research online and flow it into a bar or pie chart. It takes thoughtful craftsmanship to review data and compile a design with a distinct look and point of view. I have four criteria […]

A high school teacher drew a dot on the blackboard and asked the class what it was. “A dot on the blackboard,” was the only response. “I’m surprised at you,” the teacher said. “I did this exercise with a group of kindergartners and they thought of fifty different things it could be: a squashed bug, […]

My previous post on MyPlate demonstrated my interest in infographics and the user experience they offer. Some are definitely richer, more successful, and more compelling than others. Joe Chernov shares how designers rate success in “16 Experts Answer, “What makes a great infographic?” In addition to the good points these experts note, great infographics can […]

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. —Oscar Wilde Have you ever worked for a client that sees graphic standards and style guidelines as laws that must be strictly adhered to? Or adhered to them so literally that you question the value you bring to a project? For example, I was once told, “Our […]

Form over function or function over form? Each of us has our own biases … but consider this: Matt Cutts, a lead Google engineer, says every entrepreneur should think as hard about the look of their website as much as the services they provide.* Although a site may be professional and function in the most efficient […]

The US Department of Agriculture announced yesterday a new icon to replace the food pyramid that has been the image for nutrition in the US for almost two decades. MyPlate provides a more usable image that matches the real-world use for this information. It provides “an uncomplicated symbol to help remind people to think about their […]