What is Good Design?

Efficiency, respect, beauty:
Look at St. Petersburg Clearwater identity design by Michael Bierut and Joe Marianek of Pentagram.

Creepy Technology!

The Japanese are known for their innovative technologies. From the flat panel television to digital cameras, Japan provides top-of-the-line technology products. Robots have become popular lately, but not the kinds you would expect. No metal skin and no squeaky sounds when moving. These new robots might as well be called humans. They have very similar characteristics to us, it's scary. Check out the photograph of the Japanese female robot in the slideshow above!

iPad2!

Finally! The much anticipated announcement of the iPad 2 has arrived! What really stood out about the event, besides the actual device of course, was Apple's various speakers regarding the iPad as "post-PC" and "a revolutionary product." It sounds cheesy, but they are so right. The iPad is now being provided to students across the nation, doctors working in hospitals, and autistic children to improve their communication skills. The event really touched upon all of the great things the iPad has brought to people. I am sure that the iPad 2 will further all of those aspects and eventually help the entire world.

Guest Speaker: Lorena Duran

I really enjoyed Lorena Duran's lecture today about her life so far as a designer. I thought she presented herself very nicely and everything she said was fascinating. I loved all of the design work she showed and the advice she gave was invaluable. Here is the list of notes I took throughout the presentation:

- Designer = wide-range of things to do.
- Advise on products related to design.
- Communicating to people visually is one of the fastest ways to get a point across.
- Has worked on identity programs, branded environments, brand development, exhibition design, naming, architecture, experimental interactivity.
- Works for Christie's Global Markets (art auction house).
- Need a creative brief in order to follow through with a project.
- Her role is to write the brief.
- Working all over the world you encounter different rules/limitations (ex: Hong Kong specifies where certain things go based on Feng Shui).
- Must be able to place the same exhibition in different sites.
- A logo translates what the product/service is about.
- The brand is not the logo!
- Deals with lawyers, marketing directors everyday.
- Uses a max of 3 typefaces.
- Form and content = 50-50
- Worked on AIGA 365 Competition (exhibition designer).
- Looked at etymology of the word "competition" and found a totally different meaning the real word.
- Influenced design work.
- Must have basic knowledge about exhibition design materials.
- Partner with other companies (ex: engineers).
- Consider flow in exhibition design.
- Ex: curves to embrace welcoming, no 90 degree angles.
- Think about dominant, sub-dominant, and complimentary forces when designing.
- Combine experience and emotion.
- Good open source communication as an undergrad now.
- Look for design interests.
- Have no fear.
- People are much more willing to teach.
- Be daring.
- Things take time.
- Have a lot of passion.
- Be humble.
- No ego, no attitude.

Supporting the Enemy

Rahul Sood, a high-ranking employee at Microsoft, recently stated in an interview that "every executive in the PC industry should use an Apple notebook." This is really great news because someone on the opposing team is actually rooting for a product that does its job very well. I've had my fair share of problems with a PC and finally made the switch to a Macbook Pro. It was the greatest decision of my life. Technology evolves, just like people. If you don't have the right traits then you won't survive. Apple is the epitome of the perfect "species" that everyone wants to copy. Someone once told me that to make it big in the technology world, you need to be a trend-setter, not a trend-follower. In other words, you need to be like Apple, not Microsoft/Motorola/Driod (Google)/etc.