@OpenIDEO Part 3: My Challenge Experience
During last several weeks I participated in an crowd-sourced design “collaboration” called OpenIDEO. Their goal is to create “a place where people design better, together for social good” (Learn More). I’m very interested in social change but continue to struggle with how I can effectively bring my design expertise to the social sector. I had ...
@OpenIDEO Part 2: MyVote Selected as a Winning Concept
I’m proud to announce that after several weeks of hard work the final winners of the Accessible Voting Challenge have been announced. The challenge began with 436 inspirations, 154 concepts, 20 finalists, and finished with 11 winning concepts (mine being one of them)! Here’s my final submission (you may also view it as a PDF ...
@OpenIDEO Part 1: MyVote Smartphone App
MyVote is a smartphone application concept I’m designing for an OpenIdeo Challenge to enable mobile voting from anywhere in the world. The app is intended to integrate and compliment an already existing system for registration and voting in the United States. If you like the work, please visit my submission and give it an “Applause”. ...
Sketch Chalkboard Wallpaper
Awhile ago, I create this compilation of drawings from various projects and sketchbooks. I’ve always taken pride in sketching, for me, it’s the best way to work out design problems. I thought this illustration would make a lovely wallpaper so I created this 1920 x 1200 JPG for anyone to download for free. Please enjoy!
The Scale of Wicked Problems
Jamer Hunt, Director of Transdisciplinary Design at Parsons, focuses his CreativeMornings/NewYork talk on the subject of scale. From insects to typography and bicycle transport, Jamer explores how changes in scale influence the way we approach problems. The highlight for me was the analogy Jamer draws from Charles and Ray Eames’ film “Powers of Ten” and the complexity ...
Social Homogenization
I recently read an article by Jonathan Harris titled “Our Digital Crisis“. In it Jonathan speaks of the rate of developing technology and the decline of individuality and interpersonal connections. I’m not convinced that social internet services are responsible for the homogenization of our culture, I would disagree that social networks “are sensitive neither to individual ...
St. Patrick’s Day
Over the last few days, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of working with Alison Dempario to create this illustration for a fundraising event Alison is coordinating for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Portland, Oregon. I can easily say this is one of the silliest illustrations I’ve drawn, but I had a great time and ...
Content is King
I’ve noticed a consistent neglect of content from project teams and clients. Too often content writing and implementation is pushed to the very last task in a project lifecycle. Designers don’t want to write content, and clients often don’t want to pay for someone else to write it, so we end up with marginalized web ...
UX Design Model
Across the industry I’ve seen a range of definitions for User Experience Design and understanding of the disciplines associated with it. The term has become so ubiquitous and varied that, like “branding”, it seems to confuse clients more than benefit. I believe User Experience (UX) Design is an umbrella term that combines five core disciplines ...
Seven Principles of Visual Design
When I approach a visual design problem, these seven principles allow me to achieve the best solution. This writing is how I think about these principles in relation to my work, more than they are true definitions. Rhythm Rhythm is the movement created by the regular or irregular accents of formal elements. This effect can ...