• I posted to designmeltdown.com

  Social media links

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/designmeltdown/uecD/~3/ja57avsQpBI/

  Social media is ever present these days, so it is nice to have a good collection of interesting ideas for linking to it. It seems the notion of a simple list of icons is the prevailing method, but surely there is room for a bit more creativity. http://webdesignledger.com/inspiration/55-examples-of-beautifully-integrated-social-media-links-in-web-design

  

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  July 5 2010, 5:30am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  Showcase Of Web Design In Poland

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/OVd4eOCAV_4/

    Vodka, pickled cucumbers and Pope John Paul II might spring to mind when someone mentions Poland. Obviously there’s more to Poland than that. On the world map of design, Poland is marked by creative agencies that produce high-level design and employ some of the best programmers in the world. There’s also a crowd of freelancers and visionaries who have received worldwide recognition.For the people I interviewed, Web design is life. The art directors and freelancers highlighted here work in all sorts of environments, and they answer questions related to our field. You’ll have the opportunity to see Polish Web design from a number of perspectives — and to form your own opinion while browsing selected productions.[By the way, did you know we have a brand new free Smashing Email Newsletter? Subscribe now and get fresh short tips and tricks on Tuesdays!]The State Of ThingsQuestion: Can you name some of the milestones in Polish Web design? What are the biggest and most important productions in recent years?Jacek Opaluch of K2 Internet: If milestones are things that have changed the perception of Web design, we have to mention Internet locations, events and designs. In my opinion, the locations would inlude mocnweb.pl, a forum that no longer functions and is probably only remembered by people over 30. It was a place where people could share their initial experiences and which, if I remember correctly, had the first carefully selected catalogue of Polish Web designers’ websites.Then there was the everlasting webesteem.pl, steadily breaking records as the website with “the layout that never changed.” There were always several people around — some significant, like Bartek Gołębiowski, Jędrek Kostecki, Bartek Rozbicki, Wojtek Krosnowski, Wojtek Piotrowski, Piotr Łupiński and Łukasz Twardowski — whose attitude toward the Internet undoubtedly had great influence on thinking and design. There were many more people whose names I don’t remember, unfortunately, for which I apologize.Chopin2010.plCertain designs are stuck in my mind. These were well known, not just in Poland, and sometimes they were great examples to follow. Some have been replaced by newer versions, so giving the URLs here might be pointless, but they definitely include: Max Weber’s pdk.pl, a Flash portal with much character (probably the first in Poland); Nokia (created by K2 Internet); plama.art.pl and its subsequent versions; feta.pl; Sullivan’s Productions; click5.pl; Ars Thanea; cookie.pl; and recently, StudioKxx and huncwot.com. These are all first-class websites. Unfortunately it’s impossible for me to name every excellent website.In my opinion there were two other crucial events that gave shape to things: agencies went public (a sort of goodbye to the formative years of Web design) and eBay debuted in Poland. These events showed the quality of our service and proved that the Polish internaut had been highly underestimated abroad.Question: Are there any significant differences between Web designing in Poland and in the rest of Europe when it comes to artistic development?Jacek Opaluch: There are differences in budget, in the attitudes of clients and in understanding the Internet’s potential. Statistically, I don’t see any difference in the quality of the things we do: we win awards, we are jurors and we build among the best of the websites that present outstanding design — just like the rest of the world. Zakochaj się w kolorze.Kamil Kaniuk of Merix Studio: Polish programmers and coders are generally well regarded, which results from our observations and experience — often in cooperation with foreign firms. Numerous highly skilled Web developers are in Poland whose code is of world-class quality. Here at Merix Studio, we are searching for such people. The skills of our coders have been appreciated by the British company Independent News and Media, which prepared a series of test tasks for us before they decided to commission us to work on their leading brands (The Independent and Herald, for example).We are less inspired by Flash achievements and augmented reality (so popular right now) than are other interactive agencies in Poland. We are more interested in the productions of smaller flexible firms such as 37signals, nclud, Reactive and Clearleft. We invest in flexible and cost-optimal open-source software (Drupal, WordPress, Magento), because it can easily substitute for expensive commercial solutions.Open-source software is regarded slightly differently in Poland than it is in Western countries; the opinion that any self-respecting interactive agency should have its own original content management system (CMS) still prevails here, but this is not so. Just look at the US government: Whitehouse.gov is based on Drupal.In the current period of economic slowdown, Western companies are looking for ways to reduce costs while maintaining good quality. Many companies outsource to such countries as Poland, and these companies often have funds at their disposal that allow them to be more open to creative ideas. This is encouraging for Polish Web designers.Warszawska Jesień 2008Question: When was the starting point of innovative Web design in Poland? When did new media settle in Poland for good?Łukasz Twardowski of Cookie.pl: The first thing I remember from the Internet was an interactive advertising campaign for Frugo juice. The campaign was created by an agency, and it was the first Polish viral ad. It probably significantly increased interest in the Internet as a medium for advertising, and it collided with the so-called “Internet bubble,” which burst before any innovative design came into being.Still, this was the time when most designers I admire became active. Some independent websites on Web design were created, like Mocny Web or Webesteem. They attracted people who already thought of themselves as designers for new media. Looking back, I see that what pushed us forward was energy and optimism rather than skills and knowledge.I think we became aware of both (i.e. skills and the role of Web design) about three or four years ago, but the awareness wasn’t strong yet. The major problem with Web design in Poland is that the best interactive agencies give priority to advertising, and design is a secondary issue. Small clients such as photographers and architects, who might desire and deserve the best designs, often don’t have enough money to employ professionals. It’s great to see, though, that cultural institutions have more money to spend on the Internet, and they spend it wisely.Question: Is it possible to identify specific patterns in Polish Web design? Is every significant website really different from all the rest?Łukasz Twardowski: I wish Polish Web design had German discipline, Scandinavian simplicity and our knightly imagination. Polish designs are often much more daring than those of our neighbours. Still, if we want to develop our philosophy of design and be visible to the world, then we have to make more effort.The economy in Poland has been improving, and the only thing we need now is more energy and optimism. Mocny Web died naturally, and Webesteem is on its last legs. What we lack is a central forum where young designers (in a sense, all of us are “young”) can see the spectacular Web designs and discuss them.Flirt CampKamil Kaniuk: We think that in Poland there are still no styles in Web design that would distinguish our country from others — that is, that any styles are unequalled. Although one could fairly easily enumerate some common features of designs created elsewhere (the meticulous detail and profound illustrations of Russia, for example, or the graphic-rich interfaces of the United States), no specific style dominates in Poland. However, the “transfer of ideas” (say from West to East) is much faster now than it was a few years ago.Too often a design is a compromise between the vision of the designer and the requirements of the customer. Such designs tend to undergo amendments by the customer, which can change their original form. In our opinion, the openness of customers to modern solutions (e.g. non-standard interfaces based on JavaScript, like Xpiritmental) is less common in Poland than elsewhere. Foreign customers seem to be more open to our ideas and give us greater freedom, and they are ready to make use of technologies like JavaScript and AJAX.That opens the gate to creativity and gives the freedom to implement interesting solutions. In many Polish agencies — including those that work with big brands and budgets — some cheap and mediocre designs are created out of necessity.Kula.gov.plQuestion: What is it like to work as a freelancer in Poland? Is it drudgery or a stress-free job? Is it about keeping loyal clients or constantly searching for new ones?Jan Stańko: We shouldn’t generalize; every freelancer is different. Starting off is definitely difficult. Without a strong position in the market, you have to look for clients on your own, and you have to convince people that you are trustworthy and deserve opportunities. There are plenty of freelancers, but unfortunately the majority of them are young and immature and have no idea about the business. They finish school and immediately call themselves professionals. It can end badly: very often the honest designers who treat the profession seriously and think of it as their future have to suffer the consequences.In time, the serious freelancer gets clients and agencies start knocking on their door. Then you can choose the tasks you like the most, and that brings more money. Work gets difficult when you want to earn more money; it can mean sleepless nights, gallons of coffee and in my case, unfortunately, plenty of cigarettes.There are moments of anxiety as well, usually brought on by people who pretend to know everything about the Internet but actually know very little. I guess the best solution is to cooperate with agencies on a regular basis. Agencies can take the burden of work overload and stress off your back. Also, their complex services give you the opportunity to meet more interesting clients. As for the future, time will tell. I’m not even halfway through my career. Trophies are still a long way ahead!BuboleRafał Nastały: Earning one’s living as a freelancer in Poland without a recognized name can be incredibly tough. Independent clients often don’t want to sign contracts or pre-pay. They also think that preparing a layout is a piece of cake, so when they hear the price, they often back out. It’s very frustrating. It’s much more pleasant to cooperate with several agencies that can give you a fairly constant number of orders.Piotr Biernawski: I have five or six regular clients. Sometimes a client withdraws, and it’s usually because of money. It’s never a disagreement about the terms of the contract but about actually sticking to these terms (payment can be long delayed, etc.). But when some go, others come. I’ve been working with longstanding clients for five years now.Drudgery or a piece of cake? Definitely not a piece of cake. If it wasn’t for my strong connection to the mountains, which I love and where I do my hobbies, I would probably move to a bigger city and look for a full-time job. I also have a wife and child who are not very keen to move. However, I don’t think freelancing is drudgery; I can’t afford the latest model of BMW, but I work only about two hours a day. Even though you need to be psychologically strong to work like this, the lifestyle is great.Łukasz Bronisz: I think it depends on the individual. Everyone arranges their time and work environment differently. Some people prefer working at night and waking up at dusk in order to meet a deadline. Most of us, however, try to work during regular hours. It allows you to be in touch with agencies, allows you to make light changes and corrections and lets you have a private life too.I imagine that freelancing in Poland is similar to freelancing in other countries. It can be hard sometimes because of tight schedules or having a number of projects going at the same time. On the other hand, you always have the opportunity to relax or even take a break for a couple of days. No one arranges your time or dictates your schedule.Also, though, no one checks on you. If you choose to freelance, for which your income depends on how much you work, it’s reasonable to cooperate with several agencies. Doing this usually gives you enough orders that you don’t have to worry about the next month and can concentrate on your work. Of course, it’s always good to look for new projects so that you develop and diversify your designs. Łukasz BroniszKonrad Wysokiński: It’s still quite difficult to get by as a freelancer in Poland, although there are probably some people who don’t have to worry about work or can be picky about contracts. I often get the impression that people still don’t know what good design is or know that it costs money. For many people, the Internet is still a must: “People are talking about it, so let’s make a website — but make it as cheap as possible.” Some company owners have this attitude. As a result they ask someone, anyone, who knows a little bit about Photoshop (a brother-in-law’s daughter) to create the cheapest website possible. Thankfully, this has been changing steadily, like our society in general, and I hope that our sensitivity to the profession of Web design will increase with time.Mateusz Jakobsze: The Web design market in Poland has been gradually expanding. A lot of people freelance to get rid of the constraints of working for agencies. They want creative freedom and to earn more money. Undoubtedly, an advantage to freelancing in Poland is the opportunity to work for clients abroad who pay in Euro or American dollars. The ability to choose which clients and agencies to cooperate with is a big advantage as well. I always try to look abroad for new clients and to network. I have some regular clients as well as a couple of interactive agencies that I often collaborate with. We socialize not only at work but also at parties and unofficial get-togethers. It’s good to maintain informal relationships with your clients. Mateusz JakobszeQuestion: How does the Web design and development market look in Poland? Is it possible to earn one’s living from freelancing alone?Jan Stańko: It is possible, definitely. Many people are self-subsisting freelancers, including me. There are quite a lot of agencies and enough clients, and whether we get by depends on our hard work, consistency and responsibility. When it comes to cooperation with agencies, it usually goes smoothly; it’s the clients who are the weak link. But even that has been changing. The Internet is still a brand new thing for many people. Non-professionals find it difficult to catch up with the news that keeps popping up in the field, and sometimes this can result in misunderstanding.Rafał Nastały: Freelancing is not for everyone. You need to be self-disciplined and consistent to work as a freelancer. When you collaborate with agencies that know how to communicate with clients and that pay generously, you can have a relatively high standard of living.One negative aspect is the lack of credibility at the bank (getting a big loan is difficult), so if you’re not a high-profile Web designer, the best option is to have a full-time job and take additional work from other sources now and then. This creates financial stability. A bonus like that — a well-paid creative task — is actually very nice. There are of course some freelancers for whom one layout is worth more than the monthly earning of others.Warszawska Jesień 2009Piotr Biernawski: It is certainly possible to earn a living from freelancing. I know some people who earn more than ten thousand a month. I’m not talking about famous names here, but about people from small towns, “unheard of” names in our line of business. Considering the time I devote to work, I am not an example of this, but I can afford everyday living: mortgage, alcohol and cigarettes!Łukasz Bronisz: I think that the Polish market is pretty good. It’s a young market. Actually the whole business is young. Polish clients have become more aware of the Internet in recent years. Plenty of talented people are in the trade in Poland. If you know how to organize your time effectively, talk to people and sometimes work more than the standard eight hours, then freelancing is enough to earn a living. The important thing is to be consistent and up to date.Konrad Wysokiński: I’ll quote part of a conversation I had with a colleague, a designer. I asked him once, “Can you earn a living from freelancing?” He said, “It depends on your standard of living.” You can get by, of course, but you probably won’t make a fortune. I often get the impression that in Poland this type of work is considered a craft and is not treated with respect like other “professional” work. We are very far from the image of the Web designer you see in Hollywood movies, who has a five million dollar house with a swimming pool, has his own agent and who is the top Web designer for the most famous brands. Konrad WysokińskiMateusz Jakobsze: It’s not much different from what you see in other countries. We have many arenas where graphic designers can display their work, like themed blogs and Internet forums. The majority of creative agencies and independent clients look for employees that way.Freelance Web designing has been developing in Poland: about a quarter of agencies outsource on a regular basis, and more than a third use freelancers for selected projects. So, there are opportunities to work on different brands for different companies, which is good for both present and future freelancers.Special workplaces and offices have gradually emerged where there is no boss and all the workers are freelancers. We have such a place in Poznań. It’s a great idea to have freelancers from different professions gathered in one place. I hope for more initiatives like that.Question: What inspires you? Do you approach every design differently and enthusiastically, or is it sometimes like mass production?Jan Stańko: Mass production kills creativity, so I avoid it as much as I can. I prefer to do less work better. Then you can show a portfolio that you are really proud of. It’s the only way I work.Honestly, my inspiration comes from the work of other designers, both from Poland and abroad. Behance.net is a really amazing source, vast and rich. I don’t have a specific example, but this ocean of artistic ideas fuels creativity and prepares you to bring your own ideas to life. Then it just flows.Rafał Nastały: When I have the freedom of choice and some time on my hands, I try to make something original that appeals to both me and the client. But it sometimes happens that there are several tasks and the deadline is “yesterday.” In this situation, I bear down and work like a robot while trying to maintain a high quality of work. I get inspiration from the Internet. I regularly visit websites devoted strictly to Web design like FWA, DesignFollow and obviously Smashing Magazine. I also visit DesignYouTrust, FormFiftyFive and FFFFound. You can find plenty of great art and designs from many fields.Piotr Biernawski: Sometimes a free mind, a break from work and lack of inspiration are the best sources of inspiration! I work most effectively after a two-week break in which I do absolutely nothing — but such breaks happen only once in a while. This is why a freelancer needs to be psychologically strong, otherwise getting depressed is easy.As for inspiration, I have bookmarked several links. They are mostly Polish productions, and I visit them now and then. Given how much I work, this may sound strange, but one’s attitude to design makes a difference. Unfortunately for me, the majority of my recent projects were due “yesterday.” A client pays for fast work, and standards have to be met. There isn’t always a sense of achievement when you work quickly, but as long as the client is satisfied, I’m happy as well. Some interesting projects require more involvement. Usually these are not assigned by agencies but by independent clients who come directly to me. Maybe this tells us something?Reserved.plŁukasz Bronisz: I treat every design individually and use new ideas and techniques. When I start a project, I try to get a sense of what the client likes, but I also aim to be satisfied with my own work. It’s nice when everything goes smoothly and both the client and agency like your idea. Working with individuals can be tough; sometimes they just don’t appreciate your effort, which can compromise the result. This is typical both in Poland and abroad — at least, that has been my experience.Konrad Wysokiński: I get inspiration from all around. I sometimes do corporate identity design, which can inspire me. Naturally, I watch the best people at work and keep up with the trends. I’m a fan of grunge design, but very rarely can I use it. Every project is a new challenge for me, so I give my heart and soul to each and every design. I’m never convinced by lines like, “Do it quicker and simpler for a lower price.” I believe it’s impossible to make something look professional without taking a professional approach.StrzygMateusz Jakobsze: Like every creative job, graphic design requires participation. To keep up to date with all the news in both Web and graphic design, I regularly visit the important portals and blogs devoted to this line of work, be they Polish or international. The crucial ones include Behance, Smashing Magazine, DeviantArt, the FWA and New Web Pic. Additionally, I find reading and browsing books on advertising, typography, designing for the Web (including for portfolios, Flash websites and e-commerce shops) and graphic design useful. It can also be a good way to relax and get away from the digital world to some degree.The last (but most important) sources of inspiration for me are sleep and having a life outside of work (away from my computer). Socializing with friends and going to parties, cinema, opera and other cultural events renew my energy for creative work.When it comes to designs, I treat every project differently, but I always try to have a plan, an idea of how to do the project, from beginning to end. I make some sketches, and when know exactly what I want, I get down to work. Every design is a new challenge. I set higher standards for myself every day, and I strive to be the best at what I do.Showcase Of Beautiful Web Design From PolandLech.plTeatr WybrzeżeSony WalkmanModna NokiaMcDonald’s Happy MealBigstarAllegro za kulisamiThetokeMały GłódEurekoGrey WolfCarlsberg LiverpoolSkoda YetiFiat 500 DieselHappiness FactoryBest PhotoRokkaboyFestiwal FetaŻubrOkocimZając MrokuAmica ScandiumKakao PuchatekKalinowe PolaProfiPartnersKFC Longer MixJustyna KowalczykBiblioteka NarodowaNowy TeatrMediations BiennaleMastermCommon WealthPawel LenarFotokodyGreenlineGellweHoralkyFajne ChłopakiShowcase Of Interactive And Creative Agencies In PolandClick5CookieOS3Ars ThaneaArtegenceAdvHuncwotOpcomBlueberry180 HeartbeatsChange ConnectionsHipopotam StudioGolden SubmarineSo InteractiveHonkiPro-CreationHypermediaArt FlashChigo DesignEura 7Infinity GroupInsigniaNetizensStudio SynergiaXoe StudioMedia AmbassadorHotmindDesign-Related Websitesinteraktywnie.comwebesteeminternetmakercsseliteucssfreszkiwebhostingwebinsideRelated articlesYou may be interested in the following related posts:Showcase of Web Design in ChinaShowcase of Web Design in IsraelShowcase of Web Design in RussiaShowcase of Web Design in The NetherlandsShowcase of Web Design in GermanyShowcase of Web Design in MexicoShowcase of Web Design in IrelandShowcase of Web Design in Lithuania(al)© Przemek Matylla for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: showcases

  

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  July 5 2010, 4:26am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  Add Music To Your Workflow To Improve Results

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/2lt4yr_V7xM/

    Almost all of us listen to music. We listen at home, while working, on the subway, while driving, while running. Yet many of us don’t think of music as much more than entertainment. Did you know that you can use music as a tool? With the right music, you can increase effectiveness, create better stuff more easily, get into your creative zone quickly and kick-start a productive day. Add music to your workflow for better results.This isn’t a recent development inspired by the iPod generation. People have been using music as a tool for thousands of years — ever since humans started hitting sticks against rocks. Indigenous peoples used music in rituals and ceremonies, drummers prepared warriors for battles, and significant life events (like weddings and funerals) are still marked with special music. (Image by renneville)So, how do you actually use music to increase creativity, productivity and effectiveness? Let’s consider a couple of ways of adding music to your workflow.[Offtopic: by the way, did you know that Smashing Magazine has one of the most influential and popular Twitter accounts? Join our discussions and get updates about useful tools and resources — follow us on Twitter!]Get Into The ZoneMusic has a strong influence on mood. Just try listening to some fast-paced energetic music while relaxing, or try getting pumped up with chill ambient soundscapes. It just doesn’t work. So, when you need to create something, play appropriate music to quickly get in the zone.Different kinds of music complement different creative tasks:Listen to airy and melodic music to design something that needs to feel light and warm.Dark and industrial graphics? Put on some heavier music.Futuristic and exciting visuals? Play some energizing, progressive electronic music.It’s like role-playing. The background music is your theme song, and you’re acting out the role. Each task to accomplish, each project you work on, becomes the mission of your “character.”Get Energized and Get FocusedThe human body naturally moves to rhythm. Whenever you hear a beat, you react to it subconsciously. Notice how people tap their feet or snap their fingers to whatever music is playing around them? You don’t need a sports drink or motivational coach to get going: upbeat music will energize you.Of course, what counts as “energetic music” differs from person to person. Fast-paced rhythms and uplifting melodies work for many, and laid-back beats and airy vibes do it for others. For some, it’s heavy and dark tunes. Whatever makes you feel like doing things, that’s your energetic music.So, to start with a bang, get motivated for a task or simply go for an invigorating run, listen to music that energizes you. Listen to whatever gets you excited in a “grab life by the throat and get big things done” way.When it’s too quiet, your mind can wander. You start paying attention to every little sound and get sidetracked thinking about random things. Playing music of a consistent style in the background helps you stay focused and reigns in your wandering mind. (Image by williambrawley)Even if you’re not paying attention to the music, a steady rhythm induces a meditative state of mind: you focus on the task at hand because you’re subconsciously being carried along by the music. There are no inconsistent noises to distract you or hinder your progress. Think of it like white noise (like rustling trees or rolling waves). Consistent, even ambient sound helps you working consistently. Style- and vibe-specific DJ mixes, as well as “smart” playlists, can be great for this. An example of this are online radio stations Pandora, Grooveshark and Last.FM.Background music doesn’t help everyone focus. For some, it can be a distraction; some work better in silence. And if that works well for you, there’s no need to stop. But if you find yourself getting distracted from time to time, give it a shot.Next time you lose focus, put on some music and see how the next hour turns out. There’s a good chance you’ll be more focused and productive.When To Turn Off The MusicAs the saying goes, one can have too much of a good thing. As much as music helps you to work, is there a time to turn it off? (Image by odreiuqzide)1. Ear FatigueThis is common sense: turn off the music if you start feeling ear fatigue. An aching head or throbbing ears will obviously distract you from work. Before you roll your eyes, consider that this is actually a common problem, especially for those who use headphones. After a few hours, non-stop music will tire your ears. Just as you should take frequent breaks to stretch, move and look around, so should you give your ears a break.2. DistractionMusic should be turned off when it starts distracting you. This probably won’t happen for a while, especially if you’re busy creating. But again, too much of a good thing is bad.When you start paying more attention to the music than to what you’re doing, turn it off for a while. The change of pace will help you refocus, after which you can always put it back on.What About Shared Space?Sure, playing music whenever you like is fine if you’re a freelancer who works from home or a location-independent person or someone who has their own office. But what if you work in a shared space? Is it a good idea to put music on in the background for everyone? Or is it better to keep the space quiet?There do not seem to be any strict social conventions, so if a group is working on the same project and they don’t require complete silence, play some mood-appropriate music. It might get the creative juices flowing and get everyone into a steady rhythm. After all, the point is to produce coherent, creative results. Working to a soundtrack can help a group gel.Returning to the analogy of role-playing, a shared musical experience while working can be like group role-playing. Think of your work as a “World of Warcraft” raid, with the right background theme to keep you all on task. A more probable analogy is office decor, which creates a distinct atmosphere of its own. Like furniture and decoration, music can augment a working atmosphere.Neutral music (i.e. nothing too experimental) won’t distract. Of course, the group should decide together; if everyone can agree on a certain niche genre, then so be it.What Else Does Music Do?1. Increase RelaxationWhether you play music while working, you can still use it to enrich your breaks. Music is especially helpful if you’re feeling stressed out and need a moment to relax. Relaxing instantaneously is nearly impossible, probably because shifting focus so quickly is hard. If you’ve been thinking about one thing, transitioning to something else can take a while.Music, whether upbeat or tranquil, can facilitate the transition. It’s like auditory yoga, except you’re not forcing yourself to do anything uncomfortable; the music does the work for you.2. Improve PresentationsJust as appropriate music lends itself to different creative atmospheres, it can also influence viewers of your presentations. Choose the right music and they’ll be interested, excited, even ready to buy.A good presentation might use music at key moments. Even a tacky ’80s hit could work: it could trigger nostalgia, thus winning over your client. The right musical “moment” could lead to viewers purchasing or investing in your product, following your guidelines or just paying closer attention.If you want prospective clients to take interest in your service, elicit their enthusiasm by playing music with an exciting build-up. To drive home a point or highlight a feature or benefit, sync a track so that the musical climax occurs at that point in the presentation. (Image by tobiastoft)Basically, decide what you want to achieve with your presentation. What is the viewers’ call to action? What do you want them to do afterward? Add music that suits the content of your presentation and that complements the emotional journey you want viewers to take. Music in a presentation elicits emotional investment, and you’ll probably get better results.Music Creates MoodClearly, music isn’t just entertainment. The right kind of music is a tool that improves your day — and not just your mood: it can increase and sustain your creativity, productivity and effectiveness.Remember these three reasons to add music to your workflow: to get into your creative zone faster, to stay energized and motivated and to get more important stuff done in less time.(al)© Oleg Mokhov for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: music

  

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  July 4 2010, 1:36am | Comments »

• I posted to designmeltdown.com

  Video game promotion sites

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/designmeltdown/uecD/~3/ChZdT1FocCw/

  Sites that promote video games can be among some of the most beautifully illustrated and often have some of the most complex environmental visuals. I know for me they hardly feel worth looking at as I am not likely to produce any sites in this niche, much less in this style. But, they still offer a lot to learn. One thing that really stands out to me is that they all have to drive people to a conversion point. One way or another they want you to purchase the game. I believe that almost all niches can offer us something to learn about effective web design. http://naldzgraphics.net/inspirations/33-inspiring-examples-of-game-websites/

  

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  • Game Sites

  July 2 2010, 5:30am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  Making Your Mark On The Web Is Easier Than You Think

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/VLQjeqxkoFk/

    We who work on the Web live in wonderful times. In the past, we did of lot of trial-and-error learning, and the biggest hurdle was getting people to understand what we were on about. Over time, companies like Google, Yahoo, Skype, Facebook and Twitter managed to get the geeky Web into the living rooms of regular people and into the headlines of the mainstream press.Now more than ever are there opportunities on the Web for you, as a professional, to be seen and to be found. I am a professional Web spokesperson for a large company, and I spoke at 27 conferences in 14 countries last year. I write for several magazines and blogs and have published a few books. When people ask me how I got to where I am now, my standard answer is: by releasing stuff on the Web and by listening and reacting to feedback. And you can do the same.There are numerous ways to become known on the Web (or at least to reach out to like-minded people):Use social networking tools. This is where the people are.Write a (micro) blog. Even if it’s just a scratch pad for your thoughts. This is how mine started.Attend unconferences. Everyone who goes is already a presenter, which makes it easy to begin.Attend and speak at conferences. Even if it means just asking questions. Conferences are where people find you.Partner and build alliances. If you can’t do everything on your own, find someone who completes the set of skills needed.Comment on other people’s work. People will find you inspiring if you ask the right questions.Build on other people’s work. Can something do almost exactly what you need but not quite? And it’s open source? Fix it for your specific purposes and release it for others who have the same needs.Release free code, designs or templates. Nothing gets you noticed more than giving out goodies.Listen and prioritize. We already have information overload on the Web; you can be a curator.Let’s discuss the practical applications of each point.Use Social Networking ToolsSocial networks have the unsurprising yet beneficial feature of being social: you can actually meet people who share the same interests as you. You might stumble over one or another expert who you’d never reach by email or by contacting them through their blog. I, for example, am happy to answer a quick tweet — and maybe even use it as inspiration for a blog post — but I find myself unable, unfortunately, to answer long emails that bring up a lot of issues from people asking me to fix their code.Social networks are great for sharing successes and ideas. Upload sketches of your products to Flickr, share an office outing on Facebook (only the photos you could show your mother, of course) or create a screencast of some of your tricks and upload them to YouTube. Whatever you put out there can potentially be sent onward by millions of people. If your productions can be found only on your website, most people won’t ever see them.Be yourself on social networks. Write a truthful bio and list your name, location, interests and other ways to find you on the Web. I get a lot of traffic from my Twitter profile and that wouldn’t be the case if I just had a cartoon dog there and didn’t list my name.Write a (Micro) BlogOn a blog, you can quickly share thoughts, finds, photos, anything. Not every blog has to be the refined and inspiring output of a Web expert. In the same way, a blog should not become an endless stream of boring anecdotes (like sharing the joys of having bought a new doormat this morning). My own blog, wait-till-i.com, has always been a personal scratch pad if nothing else. If I manage to code something that has always annoyed me in a new way, I’ll write a quick post. If I find someone else who has written something cool, I do the same and give my commentary on it.Keep in mind that if you host yourself, you’ll have to update regularly and battle spam. If all you want is to jot down interesting things from time to time, just use a service like Tumblr, Soup.io or hosted WordPress.A lot of people fall into the trap of using their blog as a playground: they try out every cool CSS trick and design idea they’ve ever had and redesign it every three weeks. This is tempting, but this kind of fame is fleeting; months down the line, you’ll probably realize that falling short on content was a mistake. My blog looks minimal indeed, and I do everything one could possibly do wrong in terms of SEO, but it still had a Google Page Rank of 8, and I made good money with ads. I wrote about interesting things and people linked to my blog. If your content is interesting, your blog will show up in RSS readers and in people’s updates in social networks or shared bookmarks. You need good, sensible titles and well-structured content. Looks are not that important.Staying up to date is important. Don’t write treaties and novels; instead, update often and regularly, and you will have a crowd of followers in no time.Attend UnconferencesUnconferences (including BarCamp and others like it) are wonderful forums for practicing your public speaking. The cool thing about BarCamps is that everyone who goes has to give a presentation, host a discussion round or do something similar — it won’t just be you up there.This can be a huge opportunity to speak to people and get a sense of what works for them and what doesn’t. There is no such thing as a failed talk at a BarCamp — just ones that work well and others that are less interesting. Nobody pays to see you, so nothing can be a major disappointment; and because everyone has to speak, there is no incentive to harshly criticize others. There is just no showing off.If you get a chance to help organize a BarCamp, even better; you’ll get to network early on. Organizing events takes all kinds of people, not just hard-core developers and rock star designers.Attend and Speak at ConferencesAttend conferences whenever you can. They are priceless opportunities to network and to get to know people who you read about “in the flesh.” It’s a great feeling to ask a question of someone you’ve learned from and respect, and it shows them their work is appreciated.Don’t get bogged down taking notes; that’s the job of the organizers. Instead, chat a lot, give out cards or — even better — swap Twitter handles. Go with the flow of the conference; if it’s time for beer, then it’s time for beer and chatter, not time to discuss highly technical matters.Use the time during the talks and after the conference to your advantage: tweet about the talks and what you liked about them using the official hash tag, and publish a “Conference XYZ in my view” blog post as soon as possible. Immediately after a conference, there is much discussion among those who attended, but sometimes even more among those who didn’t. You could be the person who tells the latter group what they missed, and they just might remember you for it.Keep your eyes peeled for chances to submit proposals for conferences. Clever conference organizers offer a “B” track — alternatives to the main speakers — and that could be your chance to get a foot in the door. There is always a need for fresh speakers, so don’t be shy.Partner and Build AlliancesIf you want to crack a certain problem but you’re not sure exactly how to do it, put it out as a question. A designer and a developer working together on a demo product or article is always better than a single person trying to do everything (and feeling out of their element). Duos can be highly successful, and even if the team is formed just for a one-off, collaboration lets you deliver products while getting to know the working styles of others.Another useful way to collaborate is to form working groups. The WaSP task forces, for example, work that way and have been immensely successful. Other developers come together under local banners, which can bring collective fame to all involved. The UK-based Britpack is an example of that, as are the Multipack or the Webkrauts in Germany.Organize some local meet-ups and go from there. This will help you meet like-minded people, and it will help them get to know you.Comment on the Work of OthersLeaving comments on blog posts is a great way to become known, especially when you leave articulate comments that add to the conversation or explain the subject matter further. There’s no point posting if you’re going to suck up or divert the discussion. And there are enough comments that propose solutions to CSS problems. (“Just use jQuery. Worked for me.”)Mull over the content of the post and try to think beyond it. Decent comments include:“Great article. You can see that in action at XYZ.”“Would that also work as a solution to the problem we see at XYZ?”“ABC had a similar solution at XYZ, but it lacked feature X, which this solution fixes.”You get the idea: show people other resources that back up the current solution, or point out problems in the proposed solution that need fixing and build your own.You could also leave comments that verify or disagree with other comments that have stirred discussion. Being known as someone who prevents flame-wars or steers them to more productive channels is a good thing.Build on the Work of OthersThe wonderful thing about Web development these days is that you can easily build on what other people have done. A lot of hard work gets released as source code or as Creative Commons content.Instead of writing your own solutions to solve problems that other people have nearly solved, extend their work to do the one thing it’s missing on your terms. Why not extend someone else’s ideas and localize them to your market? This could entail translating and changing some features (removing those that don’t apply and adding those that are needed), but it’s probably worth it. When the Yahoo User Interface Library team created its fonts.css file, it found 12px Arial to be a great readable baseline for Web typography. The Yahoo team in Hong Kong found that 12px Chinese glyphs were too small to read, so they adapted. The YUI team — based in Sunnyvale, California — would never have encountered this issue themselves, so having a local team fix it and feed back the information helped everybody involved.There is no shame in using other people’s work. All you need to do is learn what it does and then make it better. Understanding the work you’re building on is important; if you leave everything to magic and your extensions break later, your reputation will be tarnished — especially if you can’t explain why it happened.One problem I encountered when I released some code was that I omitted functionality that was flashy but inaccessible; people started overriding my code to make the solution flashy again. My advice, then, is: before you “fix” code, read the documentation and consider the rationale behind its structure and functionality. The original author probably had good reason to do what he or she did. Using open-source resources is as much about respecting the authors as it is about making your work easier.Release Free Code, Designs or TemplatesOnce you’ve seen how easy it is to create great products by building on the skills and research of others, take part: release your products and let others have a go. This is the beauty of the Creative Commons Share-Alike license: you give stuff out but people have to mention you, and they are allowed to release your content only under the same terms and conditions.So, go ahead: upload your code to GitHub or Google Code; put your photos on Flickr; put your designs and templates on showcase websites like deviantART. By doing this, you reach people where they already hang out, rather than hoping for them to stumble across your work by chance. Most of my contracts for paid work have come from people who found and were impressed by free things that I released.Listen and PrioritizeA lot of content is on the Web, and keeping up to date on current happenings can be a full-time job. So, even if you don’t want to add to the already buzzing stream of information, you can make your mark by being a good content curator or librarian.Librarians rock. They don’t know the content of all the books in the library, but they know exactly where everything is and can give you what you need in seconds. You could be that person.Maintain a good number of RSS feeds, and bookmark them with clear simple notes and proper tags. Use social bookmarking to do the same with content that doesn’t come via RSS feeds. I follow a few people who do nothing but this and they do a splendid job.One very successful feature of my blog is my “Things that made me happy this morning” column. In it, I list links that I found in my RSS reader and got me excited or prompted a chuckle. I do the same on the official Yahoo Developer Network blog with the Tech Thursday feature. None of this takes much time because I check a lot of websites daily anyway — but I do take time to put them in a list and write a few words about each. It helps me organize my bookmarks, and the world thanks me for it.SummaryThese are just a few ideas you can use to get yourself noticed on the Web. Most are free or fairly inexpensive, so before you spend a lot of money on a social media expert or SEO consultant, have a go on your own. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself enjoying being a known Web citizen. A lot of what I wrote about here is also available in “check box”-style advice in my free Developer Evangelism Handbook.Don’t hesitate to comment and tell us your tricks, too!(al)© Christian Heilmann for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: blogging, conferences, socialweb, speaking, web, writing

  

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  July 2 2010, 2:36am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  10 Useful WordPress Security Tweaks

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/tRdHtQirMk8/

    Security has always been a hot topic. Offline, people buy wired homes, car alarms and gadgets to bring their security to the max. Online, security is important, too, especially for people who make a living from websites and blogs. In this article, we’ll show you some useful tweaks to protect your WordPress-powered blog.[Offtopic: by the way, did you know that there is a Smashing eBook Series? Book #2 is Successful Freelancing for Web Designers, 260 pages for just $9,90.]1. Prevent Unnecessary Info From Being DisplayedThe problem When you fail to log into a WordPress blog, the CMS displays some info telling you what went wrong. This is good if you’ve forgotten your password, but it might also be good for people who want to hack your blog. So, why not prevent WordPress from displaying error messages on failed log-ins?The solution To remove log-in error messages, simply open your functions.php file, and paste the following code:add_filter('login_errors',create_function('$a', "return null;"));Save the file, and see for yourself: no more messages are displayed if you fail to log in.Code explanation With this code, we’ve added a simple hook to overwrite the login_errors() function. Because the custom function that we created returns only null, the message displayed will be a blank string.SourceTips for Securing WordPressWordPress Security: Hide Log-In Error Messages2. Force SSL UsageThe problem If you worry about your data being intercepted, then you could definitely use SSL. In case you don’t know what it is, SSL is a cryptographic protocol that secures communications over networks such as the Internet.Did you know that forcing WordPress to use SSL is possible? Not all hosting services allow you to use SSL, but if you’re hosted on Wp WebHost or HostGator, then SSL is enabled.The solution Once you’ve checked that your Web server can handle SSL, simply open your wp-config.php file (located at the root of your WordPress installation), and paste the following:define('FORCE_SSL_ADMIN', true); Save the file, and you’re done!Code explanation Nothing hard here. WordPress uses a lot of constants to configure the software. In this case, we have simply defined the FORCE_SSL_ADMIN constant and set its value to true. This results in WordPress using SSL.SourceHow To: Force Using SSL on wp-admin Directory3. Use .htaccess To Protect The wp-config FileThe problem As a WordPress user, you probably know how important the wp-config.php file is. This file contains all of the information required to access your precious database: username, password, server name and so on. Protecting the wp-config.php file is critical, so how about exploiting the power of Apache to this end?The solution The .htaccess file is located at the root your WordPress installation. After creating a back-up of it (it’s such a critical file that we should always have a safe copy), open it up, and paste the following code:<files wp-config.php> order allow,deny deny from all </files> Code explanation .htaccess files are powerful and one of the best tools to prevent unwanted access to your files. In this code, we have simply created a rule that prevents any access to the wp-admin.php file, thus ensuring that no evil bots can access it.Source10 Easy Ways to Secure Your WordPress Blog4. Blacklist Undesired Users And BotsThe problem This is as true online as it is in real life: someone who pesters you today will probably pester you again tomorrow. Have you noticed how many spam bots return to your blog 10 times a day to post their annoying comments? The solution to this problem is quite simple: forbid them access to your blog.The solution Paste the following code in your .htaccess file, located at the root of your WordPress installation. As I said, always back up the .htaccess file before editing it. Also, don’t forget to change 123.456.789 to the IP address you want to ban.<Limit GET POST PUT> order allow,deny allow from all deny from 123.456.789 </LIMIT> Code explanation Apache is powerful and can easily be used to ban undesirable people and bots from your website. With this code, we’re telling Apache that everyone is allowed to visit our blog except the person with the IP address 123.456.789.To ban more people, simply repeat line 4 of this code on a new line, using another IP address, as shown below:<Limit GET POST PUT> order allow,deny allow from all deny from 123.456.789 deny from 93.121.788 deny from 223.956.789 deny from 128.456.780 </LIMIT> SourceOver 150 of the Worst Spammers, Scrapers and Crackers from 20075. Protect Your WordPress Blog From Script InjectionsThe problem Protecting dynamic websites is especially important. Most developers always protect their GET and POST requests, but sometimes this is not enough. We should also protect our blog against script injections and any attempt to modify the PHP GLOBALS and _REQUEST variables.The solution The following code blocks script injections and any attempts to modify the PHP GLOBALS and _REQUEST variables. Paste it in your .htaccess file (located in the root of your WordPress installation). Make sure to always back up the .htaccess file before modifying it.Options +FollowSymLinks RewriteEngine On RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\<|<).*script.*(\>|>) [NC,OR] RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} GLOBALS(=|[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) [OR] RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} _REQUEST(=|[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [F,L] Code explanation Using the power of the .htaccess file, we can check requests. What we’ve done here is check whether the request contains a <script> and whether it has tried to modify the value of the PHP GLOBALS or _REQUEST variables. If any of these conditions are met, the request is blocked and a 403 error is returned to the client’s browser.SourcesProtéger Son Site Avec Un Fichier .htaccessProtect Your WordPress Blog Using .htaccess6. Fight Back Against Content ScrapersThe problem If your blog is the least bit known, people will no doubt try to use your content on their own websites without your consent. One of the biggest problems is hot-linking to your images, which saps your server’s bandwidth.The solution To protect your website against hot-linking and content scrapers, simply paste the following code in your .htaccess file. As always, don’t forget to back up when modifying the .htaccess file.RewriteEngine On

  Replace ?mysite.com/ with your blog url

  RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^http://(.+.)?mysite.com/ [NC] RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$

  Replace /images/nohotlink.jpg with your "don't hotlink" image url

  RewriteRule ..(jpe?g|gif|bmp|png)$ /images/nohotlink.jpg [L] Once you’ve saved the file, only your website will be able to link to your images. Other websites will automatically display the nohotlink.jpg image. Note that you can also specify a non-existent image, so websites that try to hot-link to you would display a blank space.Code explanation With this code, the first thing we’ve done is check the referrer to see that it matches our blog’s URL. If it doesn’t, and the file has a JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG extension, then the nohotlink image is displayed instead.SourceHow to Protect Your Blog from Content Thieves7. Create A Plug-In To Protect Your Blog From Malicious URL RequestsThe problem Hackers and evil-doers often use malicious queries to find and attack a blog’s weak spots. WordPress has good default protection, but enhancing it is possible.The solution Paste the following code in a text file, and save it as blockbadqueries.php. Once you’ve done that, upload it to your wp-content/plugins directory and activate it as you would any other plug-in. Now your blog is protected against malicious queries.<?php / Plugin Name: Block Bad Queries Plugin URI: http://perishablepress.com/press/2009/12/22/protect-wordpress-against-malicious-url-requests/ Description: Protect WordPress Against Malicious URL Requests Author URI: http://perishablepress.com/ Author: Perishable Press Version: 1.0 */

  global $user_ID;

  if($user_ID) { if(!current_user_can('level_10')) { if (strlen($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']) > 255 || strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "eval(") || strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "CONCAT") || strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "UNION+SELECT") || strpos($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'], "base64")) { @header("HTTP/1.1 414 Request-URI Too Long"); @header("Status: 414 Request-URI Too Long"); @header("Connection: Close"); @exit; } } } ?> Code explanation What this code does is pretty simple. It checks for excessively long request strings (more than 255 characters) and for the presence of either the eval or base64 PHP functions in the URI. If one of these conditions is met, then the plug-in sends a 414 error to the client’s browser.SourceProtect WordPress Against Malicious URL Requests/8. Remove Your WordPress Version Number… Seriously!The problem As you may know, WordPress automatically displays the version you are using in the head of your blog files. This is pretty harmless if your blog is always up to date with the latest version (which is certainly what you should be doing anyway). But if for some reason your blog isn’t up to date, WordPress still displays it, and hackers will learn this vital piece of information.The solution Paste the following line of code in the functions.php file of your theme. Save it, refresh your blog, and voila: no more WordPress version number in the header.remove_action('wp_head', 'wp_generator'); Code explanation To execute certain actions, WordPress uses a mechanism called “hooks,” which allow you to hook one function to another. The wp_generator function, which displays the WordPress version, is hooked. We can remove this hook and prevent it from executing by using the remove_action() function.SourceHow to Remove the WordPress Version Number (the Right Way)9. Change The Default “Admin” UsernameThe problem Brute force is one of the easiest ways to break a password. The method is simple: try as many different passwords as possible until the right one is found. Users of the brute force method use dictionaries, which give them a lot of password combinations.But knowing your username certainly makes it easier for them to guess the right combination. This is why you should always change the default “admin” username to something harder to guess.Note that WordPress 3.0 let you choose your desired username by default. Therefore, this tip is still usefull if you still use the old “admin” account from older WordPress versions.The solution If you haven’t changed the “admin” username yet, simply run the following SQL query to your database to change it for good. Don’t forget to specify your desired username.UPDATE wp_users SET user_login = 'Your New Username' WHERE user_login = 'Admin'; Code explanation Usernames are stored in the database. To change one, a simple UPDATE query is enough. Note that this query will not transfer posts written by “admin” to your new username; the source post below shows you how to easily do that.Source13 Useful WordPress SQL Queries You Wish You Knew Earlier/10. Prevent Directory BrowsingThe problem By default, most hosts allow directory listing. So, if you type http://www.yourblog.com/wp-includes in the browser’s address bar, you’ll see all of the files in that directory. This is definitely a security risk, because a hacker could see the last time that files were modified and access them.The solution Just add the following to your .htaccess file:Disallow: /wp-* Code explanation To disallow directory listing, we update our blog’s .htaccess file. Using the * wildcard, we can prevent any directory that starts with wp- from being listed.Source18 WordPress Security Plug-ins and Tips to Secure Your Blog(al)© Jean-Baptiste Jung for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: wordpress

  

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  July 1 2010, 7:14am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  Decoupling Usability and Visuals

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/a52ObHJa_RA/

  Design is often seen as a subjective and creative pursuit. I tend to agree, but feel that the more subjective and detached you are from specific strategic goals, the more problems will arise. If there’s any ambiguity regarding how something should be used and how visuals are incorporated to your advantage, you should expect a lot of waste.Usability and visual design are two areas that are heavily dependent on each other. They affect each other dramatically and each requires an understanding of how people will use and visualize the content. Pulling them apart, where possible, is a great way to understand how they impact the overall design and reduce the time and energy wasted in your creative process.Thoughts on usabilityI’m careful not to claim that usability is about making things easier to use—that’s not giving usability enough credit. Helping people work through a certain idea or scenario can prepare them for information that would have normally been ignored or misunderstood. In a strange way, extra steps can sometimes create value.Purposely making things difficult without reason is clearly a poor strategy. I just want to illustrate that usability can be much more sophisticated than reducing an interaction’s complexity. Sometimes a back-story and context is required to get someone to care.For example: When was the last time you actually thought about what a fortune cookie said? It’s one of the simplest interactions possible, contains some pretty valuable content, and comes in a cookie.He who hurries cannot walk with dignity… Yea, whatever. Gimme another cookie!Thoughts on visualsManaging perception seems to be a forgotten aspect of design. I rarely hear it brought up on web design blogs, journals, or in presentations. There’s almost constant chatter about optimizing forms and making navigation systems look cooler, but rarely do any of these tips or tricks seem to be associated with a goal of getting person X to think of company Y in Z way.Providing visual cues as mental short-cuts is another incredibly under-appreciated aspect of design. A great example in newspaper design is the consistent use of section identifiers so that they are always in the same spot with the same color and size. This lets people rely on visuals to quickly communicate meaning without needing to search, analyze, or think.The visuals of a website should influence a certain point of view or attach meaning to elements on the page so you don’t have to explain the same details over and over again. This can bring a sense of stability, quality, and trustworthiness that may be impossible to convey through the content alone.Pulling them apartUsability and visuals can easily weave into each other. Giving an element of a website a certain color to make it easier to realize something can fall into each category. It’s still worth the trouble to think about every aspect of a design and determine what it’s for.Look through all the areas of a design meant for usability and see if you can expand, consolidate and simplify. Do the same with the visuals. If there’s anything that doesn’t seem to fit into either category, it may be a good idea to remove or rework it.This can get messy since a good usability plan rarely remains intact after meeting a good visual plan, and vice-versa. Still, you might be surprised how much clarity and purpose can be distinguished from creativity and inspiration with this exercise.Making design more objectiveThe creative side of design is great, but can be a terrible crutch. Requiring your team or audience to accept anything based on your creativity is a very arrogant expression of self-importance. Thinking your creativity as more relevant than a solid strategy is ridiculous. Thinking your creativity can make up for a lack of strategy is also ridiculous.I doubt any designer in a single lifetime can become 100% objective about everything. The world of design is too complicated and abandoning inspiration and creativity isn’t the goal. Harnessing usability and visuals to create meaning and value is.

  

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  July 1 2010, 6:30am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: July 2010

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/rjMWA4yXL-o/

    Desktop wallpapers can serve as an excellent source of inspiration. However, if you use some specific wallpaper for a long period of time, it becomes harder to draw inspiration out of it. That’s why we have decided to supply you with smashing wallpapers over 12 months. And to make them a little bit more distinctive from the usual crowd, we’ve decided to embed calendars for the upcoming month. So if you need to look up some date, isn’t it better to show off a nice wallpaper with a nice calendar instead of launching some default time application?This post features 40 free desktop wallpapers, created by designers across the globe. Both versions with a calendar and without a calendar can be downloaded for free.Please notice:all images can be clicked and lead to the preview of the wallpaper;you can feature your work in our magazine by taking part in our desktop wallpaper calendar series. We are regularly looking for creative designers and artists to be featured on Smashing Magazine. Are you one of them?So what wallpapers have we received for July 2010?[Offtopic: by the way, did you know that there is a Smashing eBook Series? Book #1 is Professional Web Design, 242 pages for just $9,90.]SummerTime"Summertime and the livin’ is easy…" Designed by Osiris Magro from Spain.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050In the Village"Spending my day off in the village." Designed by NataliyaCS from Russia.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1050, 1920×1200Summer FieldsDesigned by Valentin Bozhilov from Bulgaria.previewwith calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200Symbian World"Scene from Symbian World." Designed by Anna Alfut from UK.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200Photographydock"This is a picture of a tourist doc on an island resort in the Republic Of Palau. For those of you who don’t know were Palau is its an island in the pacific close to the philippines. I shot this photograph with a Nikon D-70 using landscape on a bright afternoon. I did a channel swap and played with some of the settings to achieve the the colors that you see on the photo." Designed by Raphael Rodriguez from Philippines.previewwith calendar: 1224×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1224×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200My Beach"The weather in England is incredible this summer and I really wanted to give you all the sense of summer, sun and freedom! The beautiful model is Kitty Gallannaugh on Bournemouth beach – enjoy!" Designed by Olivia Bell from England, UK.previewwith calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600Celebrating July 4th"Inspiration for my desktop wallpaper is this month’s July 4th Independence Day. I added Typography text and textured background using american flag colors- red, white and blue." Designed by Shruti Maidam from USA.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Ribbons"Just folding ribbons and watching their paths…" Designed by Thais Trizoli from Brazil.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1900×1200without calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1900×1200Summer Field"I took this picture on a nice sunny day near the city of Slagelse, Denmark." Designed by Roy M Francis from Denmark.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Hire MeDesigned by Srdjan Knezevic-Logodonia from Serbia.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050Time for a TravelDesigned by Oxana Kostromina from Poland/Russia.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Stream of Andersen"Think of nothing, dear reader, but of the giant mill that unwinds the imagination and allows you to see the giant frog, the lily pods and the ugly duck that turned to a swan. Think of nothing but of that magical stream that once carried your childhood dreams-placid like the lullaby that escapes from a mother’s lips." Designed by April Joy E. Jasmin from Philippines.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Have Fun"It’s summer, the world cup is at its hottest and wimbeldon couldn’t be better, I dont know about you guys but I’m having fun." Designed by Ahmad Elabbar.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 768×1024, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 768×1024, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Ducks Muffin Summer"Inspired on a story of two people who met on-line. A duck and a muffin." Designed by Irene from Spain.previewwith calendar: 1024×640, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Fireworks so loud it hurts"Outfit your desktop with a fun, retro nod to the birth of the United States!Outfit your desktop with a fun, retro nod to the birth of the United States!" Designed by fifty2forty8 studios from USA.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200July Sentense"Just motivating sentence for July :)" Designed by Temeshi from Poland.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Smashing Goal"”Smashing Goal”… Inspired by the world’s most exciting sport, Gooooooooooooooooooooal!" Designed by Natanael Fernández from Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200Olymbrium July"Inspired by the flowers you see in the month of July. But with a more mysterious tone." Designed by Kali Wever from Holland.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Kings New Clothes"I’ve made the Illustration for “Kids Books Illustration” class in Bezalel Academy in Jeruslaem where I study at the moment.my friends loved it so I’ve decided to share it with the world, and I think that Smashing magazine’s monthly wallpaper calendar is the best way to do it!so I hope you enjoy it and have an amazing and funny summer! I’ve made the Illustration for “Kids Books Illustration” class in Bezalel Academy in Jeruslaem where I study at the moment.my friends loved it so I’ve decided to share it with the world, and I think that Smashing magazine’s monthly wallpaper calendar is the best way to do it!so I hope you enjoy it and have an amazing and funny summer!" Designed by Yuri Klebanov from Israel.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Summer Days"July is my favourite month of the year – especially if it is hot! This design is supposed to portray the feeling of warmth and summer!" Designed by Sasha Bell from England, UK.previewwith calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Still Smashing"Just a small tribute to you guys, keep smashing!" Designed by Michael Schmid from Germany.previewwith calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600without calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600July NightDesigned by Andrei Verner from Russia.previewwith calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600without calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600Golden SandsDesigned by Lachezar Lalev from Bulgaria.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 1920×1440without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 1920×1440Fishy BusinessDesigned by Pietje Precies from The Netherlands.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200le Tour de FranceDesigned by Kristin Jackson from USA.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Moving Iceberg"maybe someday we will find an iceberg in the beach :D Stop Global Warming! before it’s too late.." Designed by M. Nur Lanta Adena from Indonesia.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Beautiful in JulyDesigned by Adriana Gastaldi from Colombia.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200A Digital Sunset"After a day full of work or play, sit back and enjoy a beautiful digital July sunset!" Designed by thunder::tech from USA.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050Back to School"In India School Reopens in the Month of July, it is the month when new session begins and students go back to school, to learn and play. I designed this wallpaper to represent the month of july as School Opening month." Designed by Neelam Asrani from India.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050Space"This design is dedicated to NASA, NASA is the agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation’s civilian space program, aeronautics and aerospace research." Designed by Vanshika Wadhwani from Bahrain.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050Splash!"Photo courtesy of myself (Designhobo). A little bit of pool fun!" Designed by Designhobo (Bree) from USA.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080Summer at the Shore"I designed this as an homage to the wonderful summers I spent in Manasquan, NJ when I was growing up." Designed by Megan Handley from USA.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Summer flowers"Let life be beautiful like summer flowers" Designed by Clare Wu from China.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 2560×1600without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 2560×1600Colours of July"These are July’s colours! Green,Yellow,Blue and Red!" Designed by Erdem Topçu from Turkey.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Some Old Stuff"Recently I’ve had to pack some old stuff, and that brought me back old colors and technical styles…" Designed by Thais Trizoli from Brazil.previewwith calendar: 320×480, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200without calendar: 320×480, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200Welcome Summer"Transformed, resized and rotated. Shapes were made at Adobe Illustrator with a color Warm pallet in a clean and peacefull order." Designed by José Pacheco from Portugal.previewwith calendar: 800×480, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1200, 1920×1200without calendar: 800×480, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1200, 1920×1200Pine Tree"This calendar features the famous Polish pine tree on the top of Mt Sokolica, Pieniny Mountains. I took this photo last summer in July and want to share it with you on my calendar. Have a nice July!" Designed by Daniel Moskal from Poland.previewwith calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050Join in next month!Please notice that we respect the ideas and motivation behind artists’ work which is why we’ve given artists full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience through their works. And this is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us, but designed from scratch by the artists themselves.Thanks to all designers for participation. Join in next month!What’s your favorite?What’s your favourite theme or wallpaper for this month? Please let us know in the comments! And have a smashing July, folks!© Smashing Editorial for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: Wallpapers

  

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  June 30 2010, 5:46am | Comments »

• I posted to smashingmagazine.com

  Why Design-By-Commitee Should Die

  http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SmashingMagazine/~3/I1aNfwqHLP8/

    No matter where you go in the known universe, there is design-by-committee. It has become a pecking order of disaster for the society that used to pride itself on being a mover and shaker and that allowed its mavericks and dreamers to innovate their way to success. In a business climate fueled by fear and the “Peter Principle,” as it is today, a decision not made is a tragedy averted. So, decision by committee provides a safe and often anonymous process for finger-pointing down the line… inevitably leading to the creative, of course.[Offtopic: by the way, did you already get your copy of the Smashing Book?]Why It HappensWikipedia describes it thus: The Peter Principle is the principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.” It was formulated by Dr. Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull in their 1969 book The Peter Principle, a humorous treatise which also introduced the “salutary science of Hierarchiology”, “inadvertently founded” by Peter. It holds that in a hierarchy, members are promoted so long as they work competently.Sooner or later they are promoted to a position at which they are no longer competent (their “level of incompetence”), and there they remain, being unable to earn further promotions. This principle can be modeled and has theoretical validity. Peter’s Corollary states that “in time, every post tends to be occupied by an employee who is incompetent to carry out his duties” and adds that “work is accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.Whether on staff or freelance, we all walk into meetings prepared for our work to be torn to shreds. And it always is. The client sits there trying to explain to you how a logo the size of a small melon should sit on a 9×12-inch ad.Our core competency is in creating something that is the perfect communication vehicle for the given message. But then subjectivity walks in the door, and the creative is left standing there, looking like an incompetent who needs a committee to complete their work.Others Have Noticed Its EffectsMichael Arrington, founder and co-editor of TechCrunch, a blog covering Silicon Valley technology, and a widely respected and influential person on the Web, recently wrote:There’s a saying I love: “a camel is a horse designed by committee.” A variation is “a Volvo is a Porsche designed by committee.” Some of the best product advice I’ve ever heard goes something like “damn what the users want, charge towards your dream.” All of these statements are, of course, saying the same thing. When there are too many cooks in the kitchen all you get is a mess. And when too many people have product input, you’ve got lots of features but no soul.Through it all, I’ve heard some wondrous and magical statements come from the mouths of non-creatives as they “join in on the fun” of designing in these dreaded committee meetings.My favorite exchange to date happened in a meeting that a secretary sat in to take notes but who eventually took over the conversation. I looked at her and then the art director, who sat sheepishly quiet (from too many emotional beatings, no doubt), and asked why a secretary would be allowed to give design feedback. She pulled herself up in her chair and said, “Well, you do want this to be the best product it can be?”“The best it can be.” She was somehow convinced that her opinion overshadowed all others, including those of the art staff. In her mind, she was actually saving the design. Stories like this abound.You’re Not The Only OneWanting to feel I was not alone, I posed the question to the art directors among my umpteen connections on LinkedIn. The responses were varied, passionate and maddening at times. One of my favorite Los Angeles art directors gave me a list of her favorite sayings overheard in committee meetings:My wife wants more circles.My husband says it doesn’t hit him in the gut.My kids say there are too many words.My dog didn’t wag its tail.The waiter said he’s seen something just like that in France.I need more oopmh 
in it.I’ll know it when I see it. So go back and make more.I love what _____ did. Can you do the same, but with carrots?What are you doing after work?The next respondent to my question asked, “Did you forget to take your meds today?” Another chimed in, “I don’t want to give you any stories because I don’t want to cry!”One creative director added these: “Why isn’t my logo bigger?”, “Why can’t we use all of this empty space over here?” and “It’s too promotional”. He adds: “
Anything from anyone who’s ever said, ‘I’m not creative, but…’ or ‘It needs more… something.’ And anything from anyone who ‘knows what they don’t want but has to actually see what they do want because they can’t describe/direct/vocalize it.”Plenty of responses advised us to let go and just take the fee and do whatever the client or committee wants. This is a “service industry” after all. One graphic designer wrote:One thing I try to do is understand why certain decisions have been made, and I do this by questioning the person doing the direction (this could be a colleague, sales person, client, etc.). If that person has legitimate reasons for asking for specific things, and they can back up that it will work, I’d like to know.Another voice added, “He who pays calls the tune, even if they’re wrong, and even if they have poor taste. That is important to keep in mind.”As much as I agree, there is still that voice inside me that screams bloody murder at the idiocracy of group decisions. Feeling the same way, an art director in Texas wrote, “The client may pay for the work, but who takes the blame when the client campaign fails miserably because the client did not listen to the advice of the designer?”Who Should Ultimately Decide?For better or worse, I agree with another passage in Mr. Arrington’s article:Product should be a dictatorship, not consensus-driven. There are casualties, hurt feelings, angry users. But all of those things are necessary if you’re going to create something unique. The iPhone is clearly a vision of a single core team, or maybe even one man. It happened to be a good dream, and that device now dominates mobile culture. But it’s extremely unlikely Apple would have ever built it if they conducted lots of focus groups and customer outreach first. No keyboard? Please.He also illustrates his point brutally with this hard fact:Digg is sort of on the opposite end of the spectrum. The company has been standing still now for years as Facebook, Twitter and others have run laps around it. But the company is famous for listening to its hard core fanatical users.My point is best made through the brilliant, funny, intelligent Better Off Ted. In one adventure, the corporation empowers everyone to make decisions about products in committee. See what happens to the simple product. The always classic “Process (aka Designing the Stop Sign)” is another frightening example soaked in truth.Marketing aims to create consumer interest in goods and services based on the assumption that the target consumer is buying a lifestyle or habit, with some income, location and loyalty considerations thrown in. It draws from information about the target demographic; however, personal preferences about color, type size, logos and so on do not represent those of the target demographic. One person on a committee might be a target consumer, but certainly not the committee as a whole. Should people from disparate demographics second-guess the visual approach taken by the designer to the target consumer?Mr. Arrington believes that the plan trumps all voices. His article ends with a very assertive video about winners and losers. Most creatives choose to let it wash over them and collect their pay check. I suppose I don’t agree because I haven’t seen many pay checks made out to “Dance, monkey, dance!”What’s The Solution?From all the responses and stories, it seems there are few ways to live with the design-by-committee lifestyle. Suggesting what a marketing plan or piece of copy is missing or implying that the secretary is unable to spell will only get you pegged as “difficult” and make you appear as though you “overstep boundaries.” Asking a non-creative who gives you excruciating input why they think you’re incapable of doing your job will brand you as “defensive” and “combative.” Give in, and you’ll earn descriptions like “flexible” and “easy to direct.”The sensible answer is to listen, absorb, discuss, be able to defend any design decision with clarity and reason, know when to pick your battles and know when to let go.A photographer I know once said, “I’ll give the model a big mole on her face, and the committee focuses on that and are usually satisfied with the momentous change of removing it and leave everything else as is.”Whether you’re on staff or freelance, the political dance of correctness and cooperation brings a new story and new experience every day. And isn’t that one of the great things about this business… even if it goes around and around sometimes? You can just blame someone using the new buzzword, “Commidiot,” which is a committee member who has no idea what is going on in front of them but feels they have to say something of importance to justify their presence in the room.(al)© Speider Schneider for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine Post tags: commitee, Design

  

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  June 29 2010, 6:31am | Comments »

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