This past weekend, I was listening to a People I (Mostly) Admire podcast entitled “How to Have Good Ideas” with guest Sarah Stein Greenberg. She is the executive director of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University, commonly known as the d.school. The discussion explores the nature of design thinking, its application in...
In the ever-evolving landscape of small business operations, the role of graphic design has become increasingly crucial for establishing a compelling brand presence. Now, more than ever, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is stepping in to revolutionize the field of graphic design, offering innovative solutions that can significantly benefit small businesses. Here’s a closer look at how...
First, let’s start with a quick definition. Inbound marketing is designed to pull in your target audience to consider your products or services. Unlike outbound marketing which pushes out your marketing message (think ads, etc.), inbound marketing works by offering content that your audience finds valuable. And to be effective, it needs to attract, engage...
I was re-reading an excellent article this morning in Fast Company. The above quote came from John Hoke, the chief design officer at Nike. This was one of many really critical design statements made by 32 experts in various fields related to urgent matters facing the world right now. There were common themes throughout all...
I was reading an article this morning about in-house versus outsourcing design projects. This was important to me because I’m a strong believer in the benefits of outsourcing graphic design. And not just because it is in my business’s best interest. For most companies, it can be a much better option. As an example, I...
Okay, perhaps “superpower” is a bit of an exaggeration. But, it’s definitely underrated. For many years, I’ve read numerous articles on the importance of specialization when it comes to design. Focus on a particular industry or skillset and this will give you an advantage over your competition. And the logic is there for it. Clients...
I was reading an article this morning about what London’s Underground map can teach us about design. It tells the story of Henry Beck, an engineering draftsman, who transformed an accurate visual representation of the Underground’s map into a simple depiction that focused solely on users’ needs: ‘Where do I get on and off’. When...
The Coastal Virginia area (Hampton Roads) is ground zero with regard to sea level rise and climate change. Businesses, individuals and our government need to act now in developing a plan that will help mitigate the tremendous risk we face. Without proper planning and action, our area faces an uncertain future. Soon, businesses will fail...
I was reading a post on mashable.com this morning and saw a list of design rules for nonprofits that I thought would be appropriate to share in this post. These tips were gathered from designers and creatives who work with nonprofits. The original post included 10 rules, but I think these eight are the most important:...
Third in a series of posts highlighting the importance of strategic design in today’s economy. It is inspired by the book “the Strategic Designer” by David Holston. Charles Eames, one of the most influential designers of the 20th century, stated that effective design cannot depend solely on a designer’s preferences. Instead, it should be strongly...