Thinking on design, business, culture, and creative strategy.
Here's the thing about operating principles: most founders write them like they're auditioning for a TED talk. They craft these beautiful manifestos about "radical transparency" and "fail-fast culture
The first false assumption killing most brand work is that audiences want to be marketed to. They don’t. They want to be understood, served, and occasionally surprised. The moment you put your brand’s
The brands that survive the next wave won't be the ones with the most comprehensive brand books. They'll be the ones that understand their core so deeply that they can adapt their expression without l
Have you ever landed on a website and immediately felt lost ? Buttons everywhere, competing headlines, three different calls-to-action fighting for your attention. Within seconds, you’re gone—clicking
Here's what nobody wants to admit: the design industry is dying from too much input. While everyone celebrates "collaborative processes" and "stakeholder alignment," we're actually watching the system
The moment I knew something was fundamentally broken happened in a Fortune 100 conference room that probably cost more per hour than most people's rent. Twelve executives, forty-seven revisions, and o
Christ the Explorer The Explorer archetype is characterized by a desire for adventure and a willingness to embrace new experiences and perspectives. Those who embody this archetype are often driven by
Christ the Sage The Sage Archetype is characterized by a pursuit of knowledge and understanding, as well as a desire to share that knowledge with others. It is often associated with wisdom, insight, a
Christ the Innocent The Innocent Archetype is often associated with purity, simplicity, and a childlike sense of wonder and faith. It is characterized by a belief in the inherent goodness of people an
Christ the Creator The Creator Archetype is a powerful and resonant symbol that finds expression in various cultural and religious narratives. When exploring the Creator Archetype, it is intriguing to
Christ the Caregiver The Caregiver Archetype is one of the most fundamental archetypes that is present in various cultures and religions around the world. The archetype represents the human experience
Christ the Ruler The Ruler Archetype is a powerful symbol of leadership, authority, and control. It represents the human desire for order and structure and the need for a strong and just ruler to prov
Christ the Jester The Jester Archetype is a powerful symbol of humor, irreverence, and playfulness. It represents the human experience of joy and laughter and the desire to find lightness and fun in l
Christ the Lover Love for God The first characteristic of the Lover Archetype is love for God. The Lover is a symbol of the human experience of spiritual connection and devotion to a higher power. In
Christ the Everyman The Everyman Archetype is a powerful symbol of the human experience. It represents the struggles, challenges, and triumphs of ordinary people as they navigate the complexities of l
Christ the Magician The Magician Archetype is a powerful symbol of transformation and transcendence. It is often associated with the ability to wield supernatural powers and to transform the ordinary
Christ the Outlaw The Outlaw archetype has been a prominent theme in human culture and mythology for thousands of years. Outlaws are individuals who reject the norms and conventions of society and liv
Christ The Hero The archetype of the hero has been a prominent theme in culture and mythology for thousands of years. Heroes are individuals who embark on a journey of transformation, facing challenge
TL;DR: A look at the cultural impact of the GameStop from a global and local perspective related to culture, economics, and politics divided across sentiments of both modernism and post-modernism. Whe
If we can observe, recognize, reflect and develop a new sense of self-awareness as a designer, the future role of our work will result in the ability to solve greater challenges, lead through design,
When we recognize our role in the global and local landscape of design. Where we choose to understand our individual self applied to the greater global landscape while recognizing the insignificance a
Design recognizes patterns within society and builds upon successful patterns or strives to fix and improve patterns that may be broken. The idea of metamodernism in design is simultaneously looking a
If the current landscape exists as grand narrative of metamodernism, how might we approach design in a thoughtful way to innovate and create better solutions for a seemingly oscillating world existing
“There is no expert of tomorrow. Only an expert of yesterday. Don’t be evil is not enough. Do good things for the world.” - Jack Ma, WEF 2019 We have differing views of what a brand is. Those who work
In order to define and articulate the concept of metamodernism and how it relates to design, I believe it is important to outline my view of culture by looking at the past to understand where we are t
The commodification of design is a result of the failures within the design and creative industries. Beyond the trade, skill, practice and discipline of design, the industry is touted as a construct o
As design tools have grown in access, there exists uncertainty about the future role of the Designer. From Classical Design, Computational Design and Design Thinking, we envision a future where design
The current state of design exists within three separate functions. To be human is to create. I think the desire to create something deeply embedded within our DNA. Since the beginning of civilization
Defining a “Designer” can be a difficult task. The definition of “design” is a vague, misused and often misunderstood term in culture today. We often mistake “design” with aesthetic, beauty, art, look
INTRODUCTION This book was written from a perspective over the past 13+ years of my experience working as a designer in both print and digital mediums across mobile, digital, web marketing, platform d
READ INDIVIDUAL CHAPTERS PURCHASE PAPERBACK OR KINDLE VERSION Amazon.com purchase link for paperback Amazon.com purchase link for Kindle INTRODUCTION This book was written from a perspective over the
I just released a new album, Vitals, for free on SoundCloud . You can listen or download 10 tracks. It is meant to be listened in its entirety. I am very excited to put this into the world. It explore
A brand is an ecosystem of your business. It derives itself as a holistic set of traits and attributes tied to the identity of who you are. It’s is not something you can manufacture, manipulate, or co
Design is a powerful tool to drive business. Design is something far greater than how something looks, the execution of a website design, the colors of your next app, or the look and feel of your last
We live in a world where every brand and company is seeking to find new and innovative ways to define your product, service or company. This has become a “fast follow” culture where leaders and execut
For design to have meaning, purpose or impact, it must extend itself beyond a visual aesthetic and connect with people at a deeper level. Understanding how the mind perceives visual elements in our wo
The ego of the self drives us. As a designer, I believe we tend to create from a place where our ego can thrive and become validated. With the ever growing places to post online, gain attention, gathe
When you swim, swim deep. Within. And come up for air. It breathes new life. You must be willing to go deep within yourself. Your thoughts. Your inner workings. Only to resurface and take in that new
Metamodernism has been a starting point in my mind to uncover creative solutions for years. Mind mapping thoughts, thinking about problems, and finding new ways to help clients reach their goals has b
*excerpt from an email I’ve been drawn to the idea of metamodernism because of my past. I grew up playing music then went to school and discovered art/design. During that time I explored Biblical Theo
We create digital work in a medium that is fast paced, and ever passing. Our work becomes as quickly forgotten as scrolling through your social feed on your mobile device. We spend hours creating work
Seeking enlightenment means ridding yourself of the residue of emotions left by years of others who have affected you in various ways. The ability to clear out your sense of being. Purify the waters o
Design requires a large amount of steps, knowledge, understanding, practical application and discipline. Design encompasses a holistic view of a problem and provides the most complex solution (whether
Many great thinkers of today are proclaiming, publicly, that the end of post-modernism is here. The cynical worldview submerged in irony doesnt work for us anymore. We can’t progress. Throwing a wrenc
There is a connective path of thinking within design. Whether designing a digital app, a responsive website, a print campaign, a modern home set in the desert, constructing a painting, or leading a te
Creativity is regarded as discovery. In which the artist is discovering things for the first time that already exist. However, my work has yet to be discovered since it has not existed before in histo
As design tools through digital and print mediums become more accessible across the globe, we enter an era of design that allows many to explore what it means to be a design practitioner; that is to s
The emotional intelligence of our existence can be understood, altered and designed to suit a better existence. The designer's thinking of this approach leads to us developing a better life and existe
Design, as it grows into multidisplinary across print, identity and digital mediums becomes more and more closer to art and the designer referred more as an artist due to the lack of clarification on
Design movements seem to swing like a pendulum. Back and forth. Minimalism, modern, sleek design is poised throughout our cultures and societies from the hands of designers across the globe. This ripp
When I was working at Disney, I was very intense about my work. I loved every minute of working in that environment. Surrounded by pure creative energy, lots of ideas, so many personalities; it was gr
Part of this business is the ability to turn out work at a timely rate for clients who need it now, because if you can’t do it, they will find someone who can, and willing. Yes, things take time to cu
As we continue to have new devices, new resolutions, new viewports and the growing need for responsive design, we must admit that the fold no longer exists. We are not working on 800×600 monitors. The
Throughout my life I learned a few important things. One of them that always has stuck with me is the idea of the importance of the process. No matter what you do, how you do it and how you get there
Good design comes with experience, but also revising and taking your time. Design isn’t about owning a tool on your computer or having a folder full of free fonts. Design is about taking an idea and c
I believe that everything is designed. Whether intentionally, or by complete accident; everything designed is created by a series of decisions. Design is goals set into action. Goals are one of the fo
Nothing is perfect on the web. We are always changing, growing, and evolving. From the responsive design approach, the various available devices, the growing demographics of our audience, and the cons
My top list of albums for 2016. Spotify playlist link Bon Iver – 22, A Million The Album Leaf – Between Waves Chance The Rapper – Coloring Book / All We Got Russian Circles – Guidance Nothing – Tired
As a designer, it gets hard to become inspired. It’s one of those constant struggles where you look and search and seek to find inspiration in every place around you. This post is about how to find in
I was never a flower child. I did not grow up in the 1960’s. I never “found myself” at Woodstock. I never saw Jimi Hendrix or the Beatles play live. Aside from all of this, I connect with this culture
Functionality without beauty is meaningless. Today I listened to S. Sagmeister shares his thoughts on a podcast about how Design without functionality will be embarrassing to us in the future and that
Driving decisions on dollars and conversion is half the battle - keeping design human centered is key. I sat in a room and listened to an executive describe design direction and his recommendation on
When I was a kid, I was sitting in my mothers old Ford Pinto at a gas station waiting for her to fill up the car. I found a yellow bottle under the seat - it looked promising so I took a sip. Little d
Today I flew to Seattle from Los Angeles. Normally, I fly to Seattle because it’s where I grew up. Seeing old friends and family, etc. But this time is different. It has deeper significance for me. I
While at Disney, I served as part of the weekly Style Guide Counsel. The goal was two-fold - 1. To present new work and ideas; then discuss how these fit into the overall brand strategy with the desig
What's stopping you from pursuing your dreams? Yourself. It’s perfectly okay to not know what you want to do, even though you want to do something different than what you’re doing now. Being stuck at
With the ever increasing growth of technology, devices, responsive design, and a mobile-first content driven user experience on the web; it's becoming clear that the face of web design is changing. Th
One of the hardest things as a designer is to constantly have an eye for detail. It's like a disease that every designer is cursed with. But, with the increase of responsive design, I believe that we,
Design is best served when you tear something completely apart to understand how it can best be put back together, finding all flaws and areas to improve along the way. Don't be afraid to destroy some
Creativity isn’t some magical measuring stick to determine who’s “special” in society vs. who operates at a lesser level. Many times I find people referring to me as “the creative” or the “most creati
Approaching responsive design requires more attention to detail than just scaling down images or text to fit within a certain screen size. It requires the art of understanding not only how a design wi
This article focuses on delivering content to your audience based on the device they are using. Tell the same story in various ways. I am not a copywriter. But design without content on the web is mea
While I was in college I took a ton of art classes. One of my favorite courses was my oil painting course. The amount of technical skill I developed was incredible. It helped me to refocus how I appro
I once worked with a designer who held a great disdain for creative reviews. They believed that there should be no single person providing feedback, comments or approvals for overall creative design s
Design isn't about hanging the curtains (metaphorically speaking) and making something "feel" the way it is intended. Design is about balance. It's about the solutions of form and function and making
Many times I find myself thinking back to early influences and things I did at a young age that somehow birthed this creative curious spirit I celebrate each day. I think about when I would sit in my
The term "responsive design" is dead. The web extends far beyond desktop browsers anymore and we exist in a world where multiple devices are growing on a consistent basis. Designing for the web today,
There comes a time where you must abandon everything you think you know, understand and believe about life. You have to step back and reevaluate what in the hell you are doing here. Everyday you wake
I sat in a room with a group of designers. I quietly listened as they talked back and forth about a design decision that one designer had done. These designers became very prescriptive about providing
The grid is visual music to the web. It provides rhythm, tempo and harmony within a page. The symphony of the grid provides a beautiful experience for a design. Before I was into design, I grew up pla
One time I was invited to a meeting where leaders were discussing the next steps around a holistic responsive design approach. I was invited to the meeting last minute, but I was brought in as the org
This is pretty “stream of thought”. I’m going Jack Kerouac on this article. I’ll be honest, I’ve spent the good half of the past decade designing things for the validation and admiration of others. I
The future of web design will largely be influenced by the ability to put together code, build quick and dirty prototypes and focus on the interaction of design. This process will then be followed up
