The way you learn to eat shit is just a little at a time. —James Victore

There is an unmistakable difference between a bag of rabbit parts and a rabbit. —rYaN NaNce

Indifference towards people and the reality in which they live is actually the one and only cardinal sin in design. —Dieter rams

A DESIGN MINDSET/eVerYthiNg is What You make of it.

Design Thinking

Design Process

“A Design Mindset”

DESIGN MINDSET = DESIGN ThINkING

DesigN thiNkiNg basicallY states that:Design process provides a new innovative avenue for creating solutions to problems in any professional field or situation.

Design (verb) vs. Design (noun)

A very basic design processDefiNe the problem1. create aND coNsiDer maNY optioNs2. refiNe selecteD DirectioNs3. pick the WiNNer4. execute5.

building up many possible solutions vs. breaking Down a problem towards a solution

With design thinking, you move beyond what is expected.

What Do You meaN bY “a DesigN miNDset”?A design mindset is using your passion for good work to set the stage for bringing thoughtful design (verb) to every project.

gooD Work is the goal.Communicating business ideashumanizing informationSimplifying complex informationTelling a story

Investing in our humanity is the highest form of design. Solving problems is the lowest form of design.—mattheW butterick: reversing the tide of Declining expectations ///// via tYpo berlin 2012

ThE DIlEMMA/t zeroThe success of a project is often determined by your gut reaction.

What are those gut reactioNs?This is going to suckI can’t meet this challengeThis person will just water down All of my ideasI’ve already done this 100 timesThis isn’t a good ideaThis is a hot mess (too complex)-what are some other ones?

BuT, WE hAvE A DESIGN MINDSETaka the aNtiDote to poorlY coNcieVeD iDeas/proJects

gut reactioN:This is going to suckaNtiDote:how can I make the project good?

gut reactioN:I can’t meet this challengeaNtiDote:What do I need to do, or who do I need to work with to accomplish this? Set all your goals and expectations at the beginning and focus on the individual tasks. Don’t let the big picture distract you.

gut reactioN:This person will just water down All of my ideasaNtiDote:i’m still working on this one, anybody?Create something unexpected that perfectly fits the project. Push the boundary so far that where they bring you back to is still good work.

gut reactioN:I’ve already done this 100 timesaNtiDote:Make it new! —ezra pouND

gut reactioN:This isn’t a good ideaaNtiDote:Can you reframe the idea to make it good/effective? Can you reduce/simplify the idea or focus it?

gut reactioN:This is a hot mess (too complex)aNtiDote:Copy that clients give you isn’t final, so find the relevancy and emphasize that.@frogdesign: “We no longer need content. We have too much content. What we need now is relevancy” @DataMineruk #sxtimemap

ThE ANTI-ANTIDoTE:feeDback

listeN actiVelYExtract the real problem.

Provide a professionally considered solution.

Most importantly, have a concept for everything you do.

MovING PAST ThE DIlEMMA

haVe a DirectioN that coNVeYs the subJect, coNtext, aND goals

This helps you deal with clients that fight good work

concept vs Notion vs unfocused cacophony

Clear understanding

vague Awareness

Shitstorm

NeVer stop at Your first thought, alWaYs Work to improVe aND geNerate more iDeas

Get off the computer and don’t begin on the computer

Sketch! use pencil and paper!!

before You hit seND/saVe, look at Your Work aND ask Yourself:

Is this a cop-out?

if so, slow down and take the time to create good work. chances are that it’s not an unsolvable problem.

The way you learn to eat shit is just a little at a time. James Victore

Why Do ThIS?

CoMforT = hAPPINESS

Soft PowerWhile designers lack—and, as a profession, will probably always lack—hard power, what they possess instead as public communicators is a great deal of soft power. By this I mean the ability, through their work, to influence, mold opinion, persuade, change behavior, initiate and spread visual trends, shape the aesthetic environment, and help to inform the public.

—rick poYNer

If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. —ViNce lombarDi

only good work leads to doing more good work. —michael bierut

ThANkS