Design Is a Point of View: Seven Truths in Designing

Brett Lovelady — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:51:41 -0400

Designers at all levels of experience could probably list hundreds of opinions about what makes design successful. After two decades of designing and leading numerous design teams I have quite a few myself. But I've filtered them down to seven core perspectives I like to call ASTRO Theory.

Video Gaming Puts Your Design Firm Ahead of the Game

Brett Lovelady — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:57:26 -0400

If you can play games, you can get paid. Believe it. Video gaming is way beyond the arcade, dark basements and dorm rooms. It's gone mainstream and big time. Don't get me wrong, it still includes your dungeon-dwelling, code-crunching roommate. But it's bigger and broader than ever. This is thanks to the leadership of hardware brands like Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and Alienware. And let's not forget the games themselves like Guitar Hero, Rock Band or the online MMO (that's massively multiplayer online) virtual economies like World of Warcraft.

Design's New Hyperinteractive Audience

Brett Lovelady — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:43:08 -0400

My family room is a hypermedia circus. At any given time there may be four or five technology-driven acts performing at the same time. The TV, of course, is alive and flipping channel to channel, I believe on its own. My high schooler (doing homework…ha!) is on the couch with her laptop in position, right hand on the keyboard while her left hand flutters over her smarty-pants text phone.

American Design, California Style

Brett Lovelady — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:35:54 -0400

As a concept, American design is very tangible. It's unapologetic. It's a roll-up-your-sleeves and get your hands dirty, "show me" sort of design. American designers, engineers, entrepreneurs and inventors alike feast off an American license to create what's next. It's the boldness of a Corvette or Mustang plus their afterlife hot rod modifications. It's Jobs' confidence to create Apple's Mac, iPhone & iPod. It's Jack O'Neill making his first wet suit so he could surf in cold NorCal waters. It's the Yahoo!