It’s kind of like what Paul Rand once said, “Don’t try to be original. Just try to be good.”
Read MoreFor the first assignment of Translational Research, a course I am taking at The University of Cincinnati, DAAP, the professor challenged students to research of a sensitive topic area. The results of the study were then to be translated into a product or service that we designed. The topic area that I selected is mortality. It’s relevant because previous research showed that young designers often neglect aging populations in project development. I hypothesized that thinking about old people might remind young people of their mortality, causing avoidance.
Read MoreThat an answer I hear most from design students when they describe their target audience. The problem with that answer is that it’s incredibly vague and unhelpful. For instance, I’m a millennial, and I’m 35 years old. I’m also a professional designer, adjunct professor, and working towards a master’s degree. More than my work, I hope to be a decent husband to my wife, pay attention to what’s spiritual, and nurture lifelong friendships.
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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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Breakthrough Cincinnati is one of my favorite local non-profits. Beyond their incredible work with teenagers, I love that they're willing to spend time upfront on discovery processes before jumping hastily into design. We began our partnership two years ago with a workshop, and each year, we try different approaches to finding inspiration for design and communications. This year, we began by interviewing donors to better understand what inspires them to invest.
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