Weekly Inspiration Grab Bag

Tron gone crazy. Photoshop with no limit. Organized crap. Goosebumps.

It's Alright to Dream Sometimes

Can't believe I've slept on this hit for so long. Nas and Kanye rock it with an illustrious beat that'll run shivers down your spine.

A Faceted Extension in London

Ugh. Filthy. Filthily godly, that is. I suggest taking a few seconds to examine this incredible piece of architecture excellence. From the cleverly implemented skylight to the concrete patio details, not one aspect is overlooked. Love!

Panasonic GF-1 vs Voigtlander SWH

I guess you can consider this a part 2 of my apparent Voigtlander obsession. Glass drool.

Once Upon a Time

Great design isn't just about making something pretty (though it does help). Great design is telling a good story. A story that people can relate to. And more often than not, the more timeless, well-articulated, and engaging that story, the better the overall experience.

My approach:

1) Define the problem space. John Dewey always said, "A well-defined problem is half solved." Once the problem is defined, research should be conducted - ranging from interviews, surveys, focus groups, ethnography, artifact analysis, or alternative methods. Scenarios and personas are developed based on the new found knowledge from the user research. Immersing yourself in the needs of the user is the only way to truly understanding the goal.

2) Design with inspiration, creativity and passion. My design process tends to start with a sketch or a photography. Something I've become inspired by. Something different. Once I become inspired by an idea, I'll take it to the whiteboard - concepting and ideating until the there's literally not a single spot left to write. Only then, does low-fidelity prototyping come into play.

3) Test in situ, or in the situation of where the product will be used. I always tell the user, "We're not testing you, we're testing the design." Listening to the user is just as important as collecting legitimate data by ensuring their subjective desires, expectations, and reactions are genuine. From these observations, one can gain insights to the flaws and great aspects of any design.

4) Iterate once, twice, or even a hundred times. An iterative cycle in the design process allows for constant critique of the design based on user-testing, collaborative evaluations, and market feedback. Expand and contract; there's always room for improvement and refinement.

5) Deliver the product. No product life cycle is forever. Nor is there such thing as "the" perfect design. However, there is "a" perfect design; one that answers the problem at hand and deliver an experience that is engaging, memorable, and ultimately fulfilling.

Influencers

Woot! Staple Design. Honeyee. Bill Cunningham. I love the art of the hype.

Gots To Get That Chedda'

Here are a few mockups and wireframes I've been working on over at Sproutbox for those who are interested. Above, we have what's currently on CheddarGetter as their landing page. It's... a bit long. And ugh, simply lots of fail.

I decided we needed to hit the drawing board once again if we were to get anyone to actually use the service (it's not a bad service and the prices are great... they just have a shitty landing page).

I started by redoing the menu bars up top, combining categorizations based on common usage, and shifted everything up with less irrelevant copy and more meaningful content for the customer. Then, followed by a lightbox sign-up and video showcasing the actual product interface.

Then came the high fidelity version. Using CheddarGetter's branding as a basis of my design, I played off the idea that simple is better, getting people to the places we want them to go (sign up and video), while establishing trust by moving the quotes from the original "About Me" section over so it is visible before the page break when viewing on small browsers.

I also made sure the video and sign up window was extra solid and cleaned up (compared to the old CAPTCHA that just hurt my head looking at it), but also allowed users to go back easily to learn more about the product at any time.

Overall, the experience is cleaned up, broken up into more logical sections, and will be tested later next week to see if users prefer this version more than the other. Seeing as the other one was nearly impossible to read for me personally, I'm sure the new version will be a hit!

Godly Workstation

I seriously would kill for this kind of setup. Controlled clutter. Amps. Even the cardboard box.

Comfort Spaces

The art of designing comfortable spaces. Probably one of my favorite topics to talk about.

Reassured

Sometimes, you just need a reminder. For me, it's having the confidence to say that the mountain of loans I've taken out will eventually be obliterated by my sheer willpower.

Press Play

Careful. It's hot.

Sex Beet – Dirty Boots (Sonic Youth cover) (MP3)

Not So Much the Pink

But the medium is the message. Well actually... the message is the message. And I love blogging. So there.