-
Archives
Building the Design “Foundation”
Jan 2, ’09
10:46 PM
In order to excel at anything – particularly over the long-term – I believe it’s critical one construct a knowledge “framework” which can represent / encapsulate topics that you’ve learned and those yet to be explored / understood. At the base of this framework is a solid knowledge “foundation”.
As it relates to understanding good design, I feel the time is right to build my own “design foundation”. While classes and video tutorials have definitely helped in this regard, there are two books that fit well into this “foundation”.
The first is called The Universal Principles of Design and is written by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden and Jill Butler. In my opinion, this is a key reference guide (or “rulebook”) for all things design. One of the primary drivers behind its creation is to ensure that all designers (regardless of specialization) have easy access to a common set of design principles.
While the principles are listed alphabetically, they are also categorized into the following five categories:
- How can I influence the way a design is perceived?
- How can I help people learn from a design?
- How can I enhance the usability of a design?
- How can I increase the appeal of a design?
- How can I make better design decisions?
As I get further into the text, I am sure that I will pull out specific extracts for further expansion.
The second text is by John Maeda and is called The Laws of Simplicity. I purchased this book not necessarily to contribute to the “foundation”, but to gain a better glimpse into Maeda’s mind. After reading the first twenty pages, it’s clear that “simplicity” is a fundamental design principle that warrants investigation and awareness.
Inspiration: John Maeda
Dec 12, ’08
8:17 PM
Background: (from the Rhode Island School of Design website)
John Maeda has a distinguished career in humanizing technology for creative endeavors. He has been a professor at MIT since 1996 where he is currently the Associate Director of Research at the MIT Media Lab, responsible for managing research relationships with 70+ industrial organizations. He has also been a practicing designer since 1990 and has developed advanced projects for an array of major corporations including Cartier, Google, Philips, Reebok, Samsung, among others. His early work in digital media design is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Since 2001, Maeda’s works of contemporary art have been exhibited in one-man shows in London, New York, and Paris to wide acclaim. His highly regarded fourth book, The Laws of Simplicity has been published in fourteen languages and has become the reference work for discussions on the highly elusive theme of “simplicity” in the complex digital world. Maeda has lectured at numerous conferences, universities, museums, and to corporate audiences throughout the world on his philosophy of “humanizing technology.”
Related URLs: