Nov 8, 2022Forgotten MarksThoughts on some distant yet indelible impressions There’s an English-Spanish dictionary stacked in a bookshelf somewhere in my living room. It’s 370 pages, all browned and frayed at the edges, bound in a sturdily worn green hardcover. It belonged to my grandfather — his name embossed in gold capital letters…Design Process7 min readDesign Process7 min read
Feb 7, 2022Fulfilling DesignLearning to focus less on What you design, and more in For Whom The kickoff meeting was held on a Saturday morning at the client’s facilities in San Pablo, California. After some quick greetings and introductions, we started our primary activity: we were blindfolded and asked to perform simple tasks…Design6 min readDesign6 min read
Oct 8, 2021Shaking Failure OffA design lesson taken—time and time again—from the game of baseball — Design insights are found when least expected, often rising from fields and activities far away from the craft itself—a morning stroll, a binge-watching marathon, a great passage in a short story. Sometimes, design lessons stream in over time by simply watching baseball games unfold. Baseball’s structure and tempo have often…Design Process9 min readDesign Process9 min read
Published inBlank Page·Feb 1, 2021Nourishing the UnconsciousThe search for stimuli throughout the creative process The first good idea I had the early phase of my career— the first idea I got really excited about—was for a large packaging project. I’d had solid ideas here & there prior, but this was the first time I got gut-level…Design Process8 min readDesign Process8 min read
Published inBootcamp·Dec 8, 2020Do, then thinkThe importance of action in a design process — A few years back, we were at a fact-gathering meeting with a client and some collaborators. The design problem ahead of us was complex, and it involved many audiences and stakeholders. We were not sure if we knew what we would design, exactly. The room was full of articulate, engaging…Creativity8 min readCreativity8 min read
Published inUX Collective·Sep 1, 2020Member-onlyRecovering a dormant obsessionA display typeface designed by looking back at a high school infatuation. — One evening, during my first semester teaching Introduction to Typography, I had a brief side conversation with a student. He was a little older and had a little more experience than most, so he was well at ease asking a teacher question. He said something to the effect of “You…Typography11 min readTypography11 min read
Aug 18, 2020Member-onlyReconnecting with Tangible TypographyA look back at projects centered around the physicality of type — Among the many micro aesthetic duties that come with implementing design projects, one of my favorites has always been typesetting, particularly in print. When all top-level design decisions have been made, and all big picture design approvals are in tow, shaping the columns of text and focusing on granular typographic…Design8 min readDesign8 min read
Published inUX Collective·Aug 11, 2020Member-onlyThe myth of brainstormingReflecting on the evolving nature of the creative process. — I have always been terrible at brainstorming. Since I was in college, this was a latent worry I had about potential hurdles I would face once I entered the field. I was quite shy in design school, and never felt comfortable speaking in group sessions, often opting for side conversations…Design8 min readDesign8 min read
