We’re all subjects—designers and non-designers—to hidden design taxes.
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June was the first time in a long time that I didn’t publish content on my website. That’s because I wasn’t convinced that what I might say was necessary, particularly in light of what needed to be spoken by my Black brothers and sisters in the design profession and beyond.
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Ever feel like your a flag blowing in the wind without a flag pole? It's not a great feeling. But it happens to everyone. One way to reduce these moments, (can't promise to eliminate flag pole-less days), is to have a sense of purpose, (a why), that acts as your flag pole. With a connection to your purpose, it's a lot easier to have a sense of direction for your actions, projects, missions, etc. The "What is your Purpose/Project?" worksheet is a tool that introduces you to your true self so that you can make something great for the world.
Read MoreWhat are you supposed to do when a critique is scheduled, but your students are sprinkled across the Mid-West? On top of that, everybody wants to see each other, but not talk about their work. That's the situation my senior capstone class faced when school resumed after spring break, amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic. The schedule says we have a critique. We should have a critique. Or, not?
Read MoreCraig Mod walked across Japan. He documented his journey through text and photos shared via SMS. Those moments were sent out into the interweb so others could see them. You could respond to Craig. But, Craig could not see your response. It wasn't until after he finished the walk, several months later, that he read the replied, along with his posts, in a printed book.
Read MoreWhat does this all have to do with my work in brand identity design and Big Ideas? Well, to uncover the Big Idea behind your brand identity, one has to answer Buechner’s two questions. (a) What brings you deep gladness? And (b) where do you feel the world's deepest hunger? It's in between those two questions that your Big Idea emerges. (a) Are you willing to go there? Or, (b) do you want a new logo (or app)? I’m looking for partners who are (a) willing to go there. We may not go there perfectly, but at least we’ll try.
Read MoreWhy did I wait so long to visit the Lloyd Library? The Lloyd is a charming independent research library dedicated to plant-based science, medicine, conservation, art, and history housed in a Cold War-era building in Downtown Cincinnati. Its current exhibition includes an original print of Darwin's On The Origin of Species, a letter from Thomas Jefferson, a book from Houdini's personal collection, beautiful etchings of Fungi, and so much more. What grabbed my attention the most was an image of the Eclectic Medical Institute (EMI) that once existed at the corner of Court in Plum (also in Downtown Cincinnati). Flying high above the institute waved an oversized flag with the word ECLECTIC in all caps. I had to know what that place was (and where I could get a reproduction of the flag).
Read MoreSocializing is weird. I’m starting to notice that most of my conversations, in groups, turn toward the latest episodes of this that or the other series provided by the plethora of streaming services available today. It causes me to wonder if we’re uncomfortable talking about ourselves so much that we hide behind the characters in our shows. Even then, I don’t think most conversations go that deep into the shows being discussed. It’s more so about saying you watched something than it is about unpacking the show and what you enjoyed about it.
Read More“There’s an Alfred North Whitehead quote that he said: “Sometimes I give a student an A or B instead of a C or a D because they’ll earn it 20 years from now.” A good teacher will lodge education in a student’s mind that may not bear fruit for 10, 15 years.” - Quote by Hollis Robin
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It's the beginning of the year (early January 2020); I have a sinking feeling in my stomach. I have this notion that after taking an extensive Christmas break (two weeks), I need to occupy every second of my workday with billable activities. How else will the mortgage get paid? Uneasiness rose this morning as I wrote a monthly update for Trischler Design Co. Was I using up time that won't produce an economic return? It was serendipitous timing then that I decided to start reading an interview with Jenny Odell in the latest issue of Offscreen. She's the author of a book called How To Do Nothing.
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2019 was a great year. Here are a few highlights.
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Research is hard. That’s what I’m learning as I simultaneously teach a lecture about design research and take a class about design research this semester (fall 2019) at the University of Cincinnati, DAAP. Why is research so hard? Because even though there are hundreds of six-step research (and design) models out there, the path to success is anything but linear.
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How can I ask my students to do something (write a code of ethics) that I hadn't done myself? That question led me to my first take on a code of ethics that is written below. I decided to keep my set simple. It's three points. They're each inspired by Jesus' temptations by the Devil in the desert. Before you discount that source, think about it. It doesn't matter whether or not you believe in the carpenter.
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For the first installment of Process Out Loud, I interviewed my friend Emily Hill. Emily recently earned her Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen, where she wrote her dissertation on perils of marketing as it relates to the Church. Emily and I often find ourselves in conversations related to theology, branding, marketing, research, and design. I felt the desire to share the ideas of our discussions because, as you will read, most people are totally unaware of how brands influence them. Likewise, designers, like me, are often unaware of the influence we have on others through the brands we create. While I'm still left with questions after chatting with Emily, I think those questions will influence my approach to design and branding for the better. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
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This month, Katie Parker, a fellow DAAP professor, asked me to share with her Professional Practices class what it's like running an independent design business. I took the opportunity to share the practical, non-sexy, advice I wish someone gave me before I started my business.
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Whether you consider yourself religious or not, you’re likely familiar with these words from the Gospel of John in the Bible. It's a form of the creation story. Beyond religious belief, I consider this a description of the design process because I believe that words drive design. More specifically, words drive effective design.
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As a teacher, I am grateful to play a role in preparing design students to tackle problems differently, today and in the future. I'm noticing that the biggest hindrance to that kind of creativity is an inability to design with the whole body: the head, the heart, and the gut. I know this well because I'm not so good at it either. Here's my basic understanding of each of the parts and what it means to design from each.
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Brand and religion are two things I think about often. Branding is what I choose to do as a career, and religion helps me frame my faith. Not a day goes by when I don't think about these two subjects. However, it's not often that I think of them at the same time. Yet, these past weeks, I've been starting to wonder if the two have more in common than expected.
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It (the Big Idea) tells who you are and shows the good you offer to people. It brings your team together and invites others in. Big Ideas are simple yet lofty. They bring clarity to the complex. They need to be understood immediately and easily shared. Like a person, organizations are compelled by their unique identities and callings—that’s Big Idea territory
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