This brilliantly compiled timelapse titled, Project Yosemite, is the work of talented photographers, Sheldon Neil and Colin Delehanty (stop now and check out their stunning portfolios).

The timelapses were shot with a Canon 5D Mark II with Canon L and Zeiss CP.2 Lenses.

Best viewed in full-screen. If this doesn’t inspire you, check your pulse!

(Thx Gerry)

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

Having spent nearly half of my 20s in Tokyo, it strangely feels like my home away from home. This near-magical time lapse video by Samuel Cockedey captures the vibe of the city perfectly.

Extra points for the Blade Runner soundtrack.

For maximum effect, I recommend watching the video in full-screen with headphones on, and scaling set to off.

(via @iA)

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

Full details here.

A Day in the Life of a Graphic Designer is a sweet new print from The Design Bureau of Amerika.

(Via Laughing Squid)

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

While I have experienced both successes and failures as a designer, one thing is for sure, I have certainly learnt a lot along the way. To impart some of this knowledge, in this post, you will find fifteen useful logo design tips.

1. It all starts with the brief

Okay, this first one is really a given. Building a comprehensive design brief upfront is vital to the success of a logo design project. It will become your point of reference throughout the project, ensuring that requirements are understood and everything stays on track

Some clients may be reluctant to provide enough detail in the brief – dismissing its importance. When you encounter this problem, it is important not to give up and proceed with a half-baked brief. Educate your client on the importance of the brief and follow-up for more infomation until satisfied. Its not always easy, but well worth the effort.

A weak brief will almost always lead to a weak logo.

2. Its a problem solving exercise

Approach each logo design project as a problem solving exercise. Research your clients’ background and market. Put on your analytical thinking cap.

Some clients say that they ‘just need a logo’, but this is rarely the case. Dig deeper. What is the purpose of the logo? Who does it need to appeal to? What is the clients goal and how can I help them achieve it?

Advise and guide your client with your expertise. Design is your problem solving tool.

3. Simple = Memorable

As a rule of thumb, simple logos are usually more memorable. Think Nike, Apple, McDonalds, etc. A memorable logo will also aid brand recognition.

4. Subtract, don’t add

Carrying on from the last point, good logo design is typically a process of reduction. When designing a logo, don’t think, what can I add to this design to make it better? Instead think, what can I reduce from this design to make it more memorable?

5. Sketch, sketch, and sketch again

It is usually best to start with pen and paper before moving to the computer. Ideas tend to come easier while drawing freehand. Perhaps it is our primal connection with drawing (random: humans have been drawing for an estimated 32,000 years), or perhaps there is simply less tendency to become distracted. It’s likely both.

6. Avoid the obvious

A logo does not have to say what a company does. For example, a logo for a dentist does not have to feature a tooth. Due to overuse, these types of logos have become clichés, and are usually best avoided.

Instead of depicting what a company does in a logo, concentrate on developing a meaningful concept. Analyse how your client got to be where they are and where they want to be. Look for messages that will resonate with their audience.

7. Focus on one concept, maybe two

Regarding the number of logo concepts designed, less is usually more.

It’s invariably more effective to develop one or two really strong ideas with your client, then to produce five or six watered down concepts.

8. Don’t follow logo trends

Trends come and go and really should be avoided at all costs. Logo design should be timeless.

It’s both unfair and unprofessional to burden a client with a logo that’s likely go out of fashion in a few short months or years.

9. Take your time

Rushed logos are seldom good logos. Logo design is a process of weeks (often months), not days. While it is understandable that some clients have tight deadlines, expectations should be kept realistic.

Allow sufficient time to research your client and explore all possible avenues.

If possible, also budget enough time to step away from a logo project for a few days. More often than not you will return to it with a completely new perspective.

10. Seek client feedback

Right from the outset, actively seek feedback from your client and include them in the creative process. This ensure that all parties understand the direction of the project and no time is spent exploring wasted concepts.

A client who feels invested in the process is much more likely to approve the final design.

11. Design in black and white

Design a logo in black and white until you’re satisfied with the basic form of the design. Don’t rely on colour or effects to enhance a poorly conceived concept.

12. Don’t compare yourself to other designers

Logo gallery and inspiration sites are full of highly rated logos that weren’t designed for the real world. Comparing your own logos against these sites is short-sighted.

While a particular logo may look impressive, unless it was designed for a client, its just a pretty picture.

Do you own thing. Design for your client (and their audience), not your portfolio.

13. Think identity, not just logo

Even if your client doesn’t request it, consider how a logo could be utilised as part of an overall identity system. Not only will this usually lead to the development of a more adaptable design, if/when your client grows, the logo will have the flexibility to grow with them.

14. Don’t neglect typography

Type selection shouldn’t be an afterthought. Choosing the right font can either make or break a logo.

Its usually better to avoid poorly made free fonts. Money invested in great typefaces can really make a huge difference to the quality of your work.

15. Present logo concepts in context

When presenting logo concepts to clients include context mock-ups. Choose appropriate images for your client, be it business cards or billboards. Photoshop is your friend in this instance.

Not only will it look impressive, but it will also help your client visualise how the logo will look in the real world. This is often enough to seal the deal.

Do you have anything else to add? Please share your opinion in the comments section below.

Image Credit

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

For anyone outside of the design industry, finding a good logo designer can be a really frustrating experience. While there is a mountain of choice when it comes to hiring a designer, finding a quality designer can be a real challenge, especially if you don’t know what to look out for.

The intent of this article is to help guide individuals and businesses navigate the potential minefield of hiring a professional logo designer. For fellow designers wanting to identify how to better market their skills to clients, this post should provide some useful tips.

So you want to hire a professional logo designer for your next project? Here is some advice to get you along your way.

1. Creative Process

The difference between good and bad designers usually comes down to their process. All good identity designers worth their weight use a deliberate and well-thought out design process when undertaking client projects. A typical process for most professional designers will include phases such as; questionnaire –> research –> sketching –> design –> presentation –>review.

The entre point of the process is to ensure that all creative avenues have been explored and tested, which will ultimately help to ensure the best outcome for you as a client. The price you are paying for a logo/identity design is usually commensurate with the the scope of your project and the time and effort the designer will dedicate to the creative process.

The more extensive the creative process is, the more likely the project will be successful. Some designers include examples of their design process on their websites. Here is a brief example of the process we used for a recent rebranding project.

Tip: Make sure your designer clearly explains upfront the process they will be using for your project.

2. Portfolio

The best way to assess the quality of a designer is obviously looking at examples of their previous work. Do you see care and attention to detail in their portfolio? If not, it is probably best to go elsewhere.

It is important to recognise many logo designers have unique styles and strengths. For example, some designers are more illustrative, while are others may have minimalist tendencies. Often by looking at a designers portfolio you can get an idea of the style of logo they will design for you.

Tip: If you have a certain style in mind for your logo, find a designer who matches that style. Doing so will ensure that you are much more likely to be satisfied with the end result.

3. Communication Skills

Communication plays such an important role in ensuring a successful project, that its importance cannot be overlooked. For any logo design project it is vital that you and the designer are on the same wavelength from the outset. Most experienced designers have worked on a vast range of different projects and are able to adapt their communication level in accordance to their clients requirements.

You can normally get a good sense of the character of a designer by looking at their website. Look at their about page or blog. Does their communication style seem personal or impersonal? Email communication is also a good way to judge how a designer communicates. Are their emails personalised or simply just cut and paste templates?

Ultimately the best way to asses a designers communication skills is by talking to them directly on the telephone or even via Skype video conferencing. You want to make sure that the designer is accessible to speak via telephone throughout the duration of a project. Your designer should be able to discuss the vision for your project in a clear, articulate and professional manner.

Personally, I provide all my clients with my direct mobile phone and can be contacted directly if the need arises. With that said however, I usually prefer email as the primary method of contact as it makes it easier to track project changes.

Tip: If a designer is reluctant to provide you with their direct telephone number, don’t work with them.

4. Problem Solving and Strategic Thinking Skills

The ability to solve problems and think strategically is the hallmark of any good logo designer. Logo design is not simply about drawing pretty pictures. A good logo designer will take the time to understand the strategic goals of your business and use their problem solving skills to develop the most effective identity. This is the primary reason why logo warehouses and crowdsourcing is the lowest common denominator when it comes to design.

For a client it is quite tricky to identity how good a designer’s problem solving and strategic thinking skills are. Usually (but not always) experience is a factor. In the end however, it usually comes back to their creative process.

If your designer is committed to conducting thorough research and  brainstorming for your project that is a good sign. Quality designers use techniques such a mind mapping and sketching to help generate the most effecting design ideas.

Tip: Ask you designer how much time is going to be spent on research and idea generation for your project. This is usually dependant on your budget. To my next point.

5. Price

Good design costs money. While there are literally hundreds of websites online where you can buy a $99 logo, there is a reason for that. There will have been absolutely no creative process (despite what you are promised) involved in your project. $99 will buy you a pretty picture, not an effective identity.

That does not mean that good design should cost you an arm and a leg. However, if you understand the strategic value of good design you will need to allocate a healthy budget to having a new identity developed for your business.

To give a personal example, a logo design project for a small business will typically take me anywhere between 30-35 hours to complete, spaced over a number of weeks. At the top end of my time estimate, if I were to charge $500 for the logo it would mean I would be making $14.29 per hour.

I am probably not going to win any friends for saying this, however if a designer is quoting you much less than $1000 for a logo, something is being compromised. To pay less than that you need to be willing to accept that shortcuts will be taken somewhere along the line. Can you imagine the shortcuts that are being taken for a $99 logo? I wouldn’t want to be getting paid $3 per hour.

In the end it is your choice. Be open about your budget with your designer, just understand that with design you get what you pay for.

Tip: Provide as much detail as possible about your project to your designer upfront. This will help them provide you with an accurate quote, and help avoid any nasty surprises down the track.

6. Timeframe

The creative process takes time and as such it is best not to rush an identity design project. The amount of time required for the designer to complete an identity design project will depend on a number of factors, such as their own availability and the complexity of the project. As I mentioned above, good logo design takes time. It is not something that can be done within 48 hours nor rarely less than 1 week.

Plan ahead. Most good designers have a busy schedule, which often means that it could be a number of weeks before they are available to start your project. Turnaround times can typically be anywhere between 2 weeks to a few months. While such circumstances sometimes cannot be avoided, it is best not to rush something as important as a logo design. Identity design is seldom good when rushed.

Most of my projects typically take 4-6 weeks to complete, but this can vary.

Tip: Be wary of anyone who promises you a few days turnaround or less on a logo. If the designer is exceptionally talented and works around the clock they may be able to pull it off, however that is the exception, not the rule.

7. References

Positive testimonials can be a good indicator of past client satisfaction. Fake testimonials are very common online so be sure to check that any testimonials are also backed up with a website link.

Tip: If in doubt, contact the past client by phone or email to verify the testimonial.

8. Transparency

The unfortunate truth is that most (that’s right most) companies selling logo design services online are in it for a quick buck and couldn’t care less about your business. When hiring a logo designer (especially online), you really need to know who you are hiring. What you want is full transparency as to who the designer is and what they do. Indicators of good transparency include the following;

• A personal photo openly displayed on their website and social profiles.
• An established blog where they write articles related to their expertise.
• Social media profiles such as Twitter and Facebook.

If a designer’s blog and social media profiles have a large following, that is usually a good sign. Check what other designers are saying about their work.

Tip: Only work with someone who is completely open about who they are and what they can do for you.

9. Achievements

Not all awards have criteria that effectively indicate that their success will carry over to client work, however it is still something to keep in mind when hiring a designer. A list of achievements, awards, or published work can be a good indicator of a designers ability.

Tip: Make sure any awards claimed by a designer are backed up with a link to the source website to prove it.

10. Passion

If there is one trait that I believe separates a mediocre logo designer from an exceptional one, it is their passion for what they do. Someone who is passionate will be completely invested into your project and will go the extra mile to ensure a wining outcome. For a dedicated logo designer, design is not just a job, it is a lifestyle. They will practically eat, breathe and live logos. They are constantly on a quest to improve their own skills as a designer and aspire for perfectionism in their designs.

Passion is the real X-factor when it comes to logo design.

Tip: If you find someone who fits your criteria and clearly has a passion for what they do, hire them.

A Final Word

Just a quick word of warning before we wrap it up. When looking for a logo designer online, treat Google search results with great scepticism.

Although I’m as much of a fan of Google as anyone, I don’t recommend relying solely on the top Google search results to find a quality designer. The cold hard reality is that most sites that rank well in Google for terms such as “logo design” and “logo designer” are not considered professional designers by most in the industry and should be avoided. I have covered this before in my post (rant) – Google Doesn’t Understand Professional Logo Design.

If you you look hard enough, there are many great designers out there. I recommend that you take some time to carefully research your options before making any commitments.

If you have any comments or if there is something you would like to add, please leave a comment below.

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Image courtesy of Môsieur J.

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Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

This guest post was written by Paul Galbraith, a freelance logo designer based in the UK, who works with clients worldwide to produce successful logos, identities and rebrands for all types of businesses.

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With thousands of logos being created each year, it makes it extremely difficult for new ones to be designed that have something distinguishable to make them stand out, whilst staying simple enough to be memorable. This difficulty could well mean you’re producing logos that, although well designed, are far too forgettable to be successful for the businesses you’re designing them for.

Let’s be clear here, the main purpose of a logo is for it to act as an identifier of a company, so that over time it can become associated with that business and even a quick glimpse and consumers will instantly know who it represents. The main problem though, is that consumers don’t tend to examine logos, they usually only give them a fleeting look so it’s crucial that the logos you design can be viewed quickly but leave an impression, or they will never build that association. For this reason it’s worth examining in more detail the correlation between how simple or complex a logo design is and how memorable or forgettable that makes it, to see if any information can be gained that we can then use to our advantage when designing.

Where would your logos chart?

Take a look at the chart below, which is by no means scientific but nevertheless it’s useful for visualising the correlation we wish to examine. The x-axis depicts how detailed the logos are, from complex to simple, whilst the y-axis shows the ability to recall the logo, from memorable to forgettable. I’ve added a few well known logos so we can see how they might fit, to see if any patterns can be formed. As we would expect, the top right of the chart is where some of the iconic logomarks would go, therefore it would be great to have all our new logos appear here. However, because there are only a limited number of simple shapes available, to prevent copyright or trademark issues arising due to new logos being too similar to existing ones, it’s necessary to get more and more complex with the design to achieve some level of uniqueness. Because of the number of years this has been happening, it only seems logical now that it’s extremely hard to design a logo that could make it close to the sweet spot. Instead there seems to be a natural flow that happens due to the increase of logos over time (represented by the diagonal line) that goes from simple, memorable logos to complex, forgettable ones.

Where would the logos you’ve designed fit onto this chart? It’s always worth asking yourself this to see what action you could take with the design as there are ways to combat this natural flow, positively and negatively. Such as making a complex logo so identifiable that it breaks from that natural flow, instead rising, to become more memorable (A). Or making a simple logo so bland that it goes the opposite way, making it more forgettable (B). It’s worth bearing in mind with the logos used on this chart, that we have seen these hundreds of times, so we’re far more likely to remember them. However it’s the ones that are simple in design that we can recall better, rather than just have an impression of how they look. This could be demonstrated for example, if you were to ask consumers to sketch the logos of Nike or Apple. I’m sure a higher percentage would be able to reproduce a likeness to the original, than if you had asked them to draw those of Coca-Cola or Starbucks.

In relation to the Starbucks logo, it’s complex but it’s also quite memorable due to the mermaid figure and the black and green colour combination. However, rather than relying on those alone to build up the association with the Starbucks name, they choose to make the logo a combination mark so that the name will always be present within the design. Combination marks really help with reinforcing the name without having to use association, but can suffer in terms of usage. It’s much easier for example, to use a simple logomark at a small size than it is a combination mark, which often leaves the text unreadable.

There are of course companies that don’t use a logo mark at all, such as Coca-Cola, instead using just a wordmark/logotype. This again can help with name association, because it’s just the name and has no logo mark that could be used separately, thus no need to build an association. It could be said that this makes it easier, as the name will always be visible, however it can often be harder because there is no logo mark to add interest. All the work needs to be done with just the wordmark, thus the typeface/s and treatment used are even more critical to achieving unique simplicity.

Points to consider

Therefore, when designing a new logo it’s worth keeping in mind the following three points.

1. The more simple the logo is, the better. However, there is no point in it being so simple that it makes no impact or has nothing unique about it. Sometimes a clever, unexpected or humorous design can help a logo to stand out, just make sure it’s in keeping with the tone of the company. Also, don’t worry about the logo mark not being associable with the company initially. Many of the iconic logo marks that you see today, were not used on their own when they were first created, they were used in combination with the logo type. And it was only over time once consumers had made that association between the mark and the name, that the logo mark could then be used on it’s own and still recognised as the identifier of that business.

2. If you need to make the logo more complex then it’s important to consider how you’re going to make sure people remember it. They won’t take all of it in and if nothing catches their eye, then they won’t take any of it in. What you want to do is have at least one aspect that they will hopefully keep in mind. A good test can be to get a few friends or family members to take a quick glimpse of the logo and ask them to draw it. Hopefully there will be one part that they were able to draw, so if possible, work on simplifying that so it’s even more memorable. However, if they weren’t able to recreate any of it, then it’s unlikely consumers will remember any of it either, so work on it until they can.

3. It’s essential to get the logo to work in black only, this allows it to be used in many different applications and won’t leave it limited in the future. However, as stylish as a solid black logo can look, colour can be a really useful addition, especially with making your logos memorable. So don’t be afraid to try out various colours and combinations of colours, just be careful not to go wild.

Finally

When deciding on the sort of logo to use, be it a mark and type, a combination mark or just a wordmark, it’s worth considering the effect on memorability this choice will have. It’s easy to overlook some of the seemingly obvious aspects of logo design, especially when just starting out as a designer, or to get carried away with a design without really considering how memorable it may now be. Therefore, it’s worth keeping this in mind so that hopefully your next logo won’t be forgettable.

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What do you think it takes to design a memorable logo? Please leave your comments below. Thank you!

Image by DZPIXEL

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

I am a graphic designer. Does that mean I am a logo designer as well?

I will start off by saying that the answer to that question is an emphatic no! Now, before you start screaming at your monitor, let’s examine how the outside world defines a graphic designer.

According to Wikipedia, a graphic designer is;
“… a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design.”

This is an incredibly broad assessment and therefore can be mistakenly misinterpreted to mean you can do it all. The fact is, there are a multitude of fields under the catch all umbrella of graphic design. There are print designers, package designers, web designers, icon designers, interface designers, logo designers and on and on and on. So, I will start by saying that, by simply calling ourselves graphic designers, we are not, by default, experts in any or all of these fields. And though the general public may not understand this, we, the “professionals” must accept that there are vast differences between each of these fields.

They are not readily interchangeable like your favorite hat collection. Each has its own set of guidelines, history and mythology. In fact, if you are a designer who can truly master multiple disciplines, I politely genuflect before you because I am not of your blood type. For me, I will attempt to master one field and always be students of whichever additional field I am trying to conquer.

With that said, I am not a logo designer. I love designing logos but, to me, a logo designer is a person, like Duane, who dedicates themselves to mastering this field above all others. This may seem like a strict definition of the term but I feel I have so much to learn that I would never be comfortable calling myself a logo designer.

But, this does not stop me from making daily strides to reach my end goal of being an effective logo designer and I would like to humbly share with you some tips that have helped me along the way.

Study. Learn. Repeat process.

Do you need a degree to be a logo designer? That one, I cannot answer and there is enough discourse online covering this topic more eloquently than I can. But, whether you have formal training or not, you must always be a student of your craft (even when you are a self described master). For example, if you do not know the difference between serif and sans serif, logo mark and logo type, you probably want to hit the local book store or subscribe to any of the great blogs dedicated to logo design and start reading.

It really isn’t enough to put and icon with some text and call it a logo. Every single nuance of the final art must have a role to play in the whole. And, before you can even understand that role, you have to know the terminology at the least.

Now, this can seem daunting and often times it is difficult to know where to even begin. There are literally countless books published every year covering topics pertinent to becoming a logo designer, many of which are pretty expensive. So, how do you choose which ones are right for you? Take some time out and sit in the book store and just read through a few before you purchase them. I do this on a regular basis. You can often times find me at the Barnes & Noble at the Grove drinking a large cup of coffee behind a mountain of design related books. Here is a starter list that I have found to be incredibly helpful in my journey.

• Typeface: Classic Typography for Contemporary Design by Tamye Riggs

• New Vintage Type: Classic Fonts for the Digital Age by Steven Heller & Gail Anderson

• Logo Design Love: A Guide to Creating Iconic Brand Identities by David Airey

• Designing Logos: The Process of Creating Symbols That Endure by Jack Gernsheimer

• Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students byEllen Lupton

Before you know it, you will have your own personal library that you can refer to on a regular basis. Believe me. This can also be addictive. So, know when to just say no to a particular purchase if you find yourself blowing all of your profits at Amazon.

Logo design tutorials will hold you back.

Don’t get me wrong here. I love tutorials. Hell, I’ve been known to write one or two myself. In fact, the tutorials you find online, in books and in magazines are excellent learning tools for getting the hang of a specific application. But, in my opinion, what you will not glean from a tutorial is the process in which it takes to create a successful logo for a client: one based on their needs, their audience and/or their company/product. And, if you rely solely on tutorials to advance your career as a logo designer, you are doing yourself a grave disservice. Whereas, you may become quite adept at a particular tool, you will not have to foundation to use that tool.

For me, a better source of logo design education is reading about the process behind a particular logo that was developed by a particular designer. From the design brief, to the research, to sketching, to client presentation, these articles and posts are chock full of the “why” behind a logo and not necessarily the “how”. This shared knowledge will have far more of a positive impact on how you grow as a logo designer than any particular tutorial ever will.

Plus, I believe that these are tried and true examples of the process you will profit from more than tackling how to accomplish the final art in Illustrator. Why was that particular symbol used? Why did they choose that particular typography? Why did they create that particular color palette? This will aid you in making determinations for your particular project.

Here are some of my favorite posts about logo design processes in no particular order. These are by some of the best logo designers, in the field today, who have taken the time to share their expertise that have been nothing but inspirational for me.

• Logo design process revealed in 23 steps by Douglas Bonneville

• The Logo Design Process From Start To Finish by Jacob Cass

• A Special Need Logo Design Process by Brian Hoff

• Sikbox Logo Design Process by Abduzeedo

• Artistic Expression: Logo Design from Start to Finish by Jacob Cass

• A Complete Logo Design Process For An Eco Green Logo by Sneh Roy

• troove logo design process by Helvetic Brands

• Logo Process – JoomlaBamboo Identity Development by Graham Smith

• Insyndia Logo Design Process by Jeremy Bolton

• Logo design process of Scroll Magazine by Veerle Pieters

• Logo Design: Start to Finish by chopeh

Photoshop is not your friend

This one happens to be my personal pet peeve. Logos should never be designed in Photoshop! In case you didn’t hear me the first time… Under no circumstances should you ever design a logo user a raster based application like Photoshop! Sorry for yelling, but I had to get that off of my chest. A common and, dare I say fatal, mistake made by untrained logo designers is the use of Adobe Photoshop to create a logo design.

Logos are supposed to be vector based artwork. Period. There is no wiggle room here. They are meant to be resolution independent. When you use Photoshop, you are predetermining the resolution of your document and locking that resolution in for all eternity. If you deliver a logo in Photoshop that is 300px x 200px at 72dpi, then this logo will always be in these dimensions and at that resolution. The client will not be able to scale the design up for larger use or use the logo in print collateral. Why would anyone commit such a heinous crime?

I know that I am being dramatic here, but this cannot be stressed enough. Iʼve received logo assets from clients in a Photoshop document only to be told that is what the designer delivered to them. After locking myself in a vacuumed room and screaming at the top of my lungs, I politely explained that this will not be sufficient to work with and we will have to charge them for redesigning their asset as a vector based logo (insert client locking themselves in a vacuumed room screaming their heads off). So, do yourself a favor, never launch Photoshop when you are ready to take your sketch work digital.

What the hell does all this mean for you?

It is my opinion that, if you are to be a successful graphic designer, you probably want to pick a niche and become the master of that domain. I find that being a jack of all trades usually means you are a master of none. This does not mean that you cannot be a web designer and a logo designer. But, talent notwithstanding, each field requires that you obsessively dedicate yourself to learning everything there is to learn about that field. So, just because you can layout a beautiful web page does not inherently mean you can design an effective logo and vice versa.

Photo by Eleaf

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design

The amount of noise in the online design community is incredible. By noise, I mean distraction. Distracting content that is just whizzing around in cyberspace not really adding any value to anyone or anything.

Actually there is so much noise, that it is almost deafening. Due to this, it is becoming increasingly difficult to filter out what is useful from what is, well…rubbish.

Think about it. There are already countless design blogs, and dozens more being launched everyday. There are literally thousands of bloggers all fiercely vying for the attention of what is a limited audience. There is massive swarm of hungry design entrepreneurs who all want a piece of the pie. Sadly for some, the primary motivation is money.

As a result of all this, there has been a proliferation of shallow, attention grabbing and just plain stupid posts. It isn’t just the crazy and overinflated list posts I am talking about either. There has also been an explosion of “regular” posts with titles that border on embarrassing. I am certain many of you will know what I am talking about.

Now, this post is not about singling anyone out or playing the blame game. Somewhere along the way, I am sure that most of us would have contributed to the problem. I know that I have.

What I wish to do is initiate a discussion on how we, the design community, can make a collective effort to improve the current state of affairs.

How can we help stop the proliferation of fluff posts and meaningless commentary to move forward in a more positive way?

So I ask. As a community what can we do?

Personally, I think one of the major problems is that social media sharing is completely out of control.

So to kick off the discussion, here is a suggestion from me.

Think before you share

Before you share anything via social media, ask yourself – is this post adding value to the community or my audience?

As a community, we have become way too trigger-happy with social media. Don’t get me wrong, sharing can be great. I support the sharing of well-written, informative posts that make a real contribution to the design community. However, the content that I see being shared the most, is seldom the best.

Just because a post has been tweeted, dugg, bumped, floated, mooed, and stumbled hundreds or even thousands of times, does not mean it is good.

Recently, I was shocked when a colleague revealed that he only retweets a post if it had already been retweeted over 100 times. His reasoning was that if it had been retweeted so many times, the post “must be good”.

For me, this was really an eye-opening revelation. It got me thinking…how many other people are just following the masses? How many other people are retweeting something just because “insert name of popular blogger” did?

If a blog has a large number of subscribers/followers they obviously did something right to get to where they are. For that they deserve some respect. What I find worrisome however, is that there are people out there in the design community who are just blindly sharing their content, whether it be good or BAD.

That is a huge problem. I say forget the source, and judge every post on its own merits.

So please, think before you share.

Where do we go from here?

What do you think are the major problems facing the online design community right now? What can we all do to make it a better place?

Let the discussion begin.

Photo by acockle

Logobird, Branding & Identity Design