Eleven Words

Work in Progress

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:28:00 -0400

How We Learn

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:54:04 -0400

The Three Phases of Everything

If you feel like you’re drowning in work, just remember that this is exactly where you should be.

And we want to help.

Phase 2 was founded specifically for designers who are striving, working, practicing, and struggling to become better.

There are innumerable resources available for casual observers and those who may one day become designers. There are millions of books, websites, posters, prints, crafts and creations that can inspire a young designer to learn more. A simple image search in Google will return a near-infinite supply of motivational imagery.

Moreover, there exists a vast library of resources for lifelong and expert designers—books by Steven Heller or Frank Chimero, websites with Jessica Helfand or Michael Bierut, and publications by Milton Glaser or Stefan Sagmeister. These are all wonderfully inspirational; however, they tend to assume the reader is already an expert. They expect their audience to know the difference between font and typeface, or how Futura differs from Franklin Gothic, or why Paul Rand is considered a modern designer even though he died nearly two decades ago.

Phase 2 is dedicated to filling this gap.

Phase 1: Imagination

Imagination occurs before we even make an attempt to learn. When we find something we like, we think, I can do that! I just need to practice! Our childhood is spent almost entirely in Phase 1. We imagine all of the different things we can be: firefighters, fairies, doctors, drivers, dogs and cats, police officers, basketball players, He-Man, astronauts, warriors, witches, wizards, and waiters. Regardless of any inherent talent, we simply don’t have the skill set to accomplish … well, almost anything.

Let’s use kung fu as an example (because, let’s be honest, kung fu is a great example). We watched kung fu movies when we were young and thought, I can do that! They’re just punching and kicking! I just need to practice! Practice at that young age typically meant punching the air or kicking our brother. But, of course, our punching and kicking only barely resembled the masters we saw on film. This is true with everything we’ve ever learned and is the essence of Phase 1.

Phase 2: Work

Work happens when we learn that doing a thing is infinitely more difficult than thinking about doing a thing. Phase 2 is when we sometimes feel like we’re drowning; when we often give up; when we discover our passions; when we decide what we want to spend our time doing. Thus, we begin the actual education process; we learn details about the thing we had an interest in.

We discovered quickly that kung fu is complicated. Suddenly, it’s no longer just about punching and kicking. Eyes level and open! Feet aligned and pointed in the right direction! Knees bent! Back straight! Arms up! Hands firm (but not tight)! Turn with your hips! Spin through your center! Kick high! Punch straight! Elbows in! Shoulders down! Watch your opponent! Commit to your lines! Breathe! Practice, practice, practice!

Then, all of a sudden, you’re drowning in information.

When we put in the work, education begins to take on real meaning. More importantly, we discover our passions. We must decide to either continue despite the challenges, or set our passions aside. If we don’t love the challenge, we give up.

Ira Glass, host of Public Radio International’s This American Life, discussed the gap between our imagination and our ability:

What nobody tells people who are beginners—and I really wish someone had told this to me—is that all of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, and it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not.

But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase. They quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it’s normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work… It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions.

Phase 3: Expertise

Expertise is the culmination of our hard work, when we have trained and practiced and dedicated ourselves to a task until it becomes as easy as we first imagined. Through our efforts in Phase 2, we find Phase 3.

After years of training and practice, Bruce Lee had become a master of kung fu. Many of the basic things he imagined when he was younger had become second nature. His skill had approached, and in many ways surpassed, his imagination. Unfortunately, the majority of people who attempt to learn these same skills did not stick with it. At some point, either they found the work had become too exhausting or they discovered that they simply did not have a genuine passion it.

Expertise isn’t a gift; it’s a reward for commitment. The reward is discovering that the things that drive us are much more than an expert skill set. The reward is in the discovery of the passions that drive us toward perfection. In fact, one of the wonderful ironies about Phase 3 is that when you discover your passion, you inevitably imagine new skills to learn. You then work to learn them, achieve a level of expertise in doing so, imagine new skills, rinse, repeat. If you have discovered your passion, you enter a loop that drives you, focuses your efforts, and pushes you further.

Only then can you truly say, “I know kung fu.”

"…what makes a great designer."

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:39:46 -0400

Work in Progress is the first of a series of workshops which aims to encourage designers who are developing their talents. Design is much more than pushing a pen across a page or moving a mouse across a screen. Design is primarily the art of problem-solving. No matter how good a piece looks, if it sends the wrong message, it is poorly designed. Like a chair that looks great, but is uncomfortable, effective design must fulfill a purpose beyond its artistic value.

This ability to solve problems is exactly the kind of skill that a designer must cultivate to progress from novice to master. It is also the kind of skill that cannot be learned except through practice. The aim of Work in Progress is to encourage emerging designers to look past their screen, their code, and their tools and find ways to apply design principles to their lifestyle.

Within every designer there exists a creative spark; a need to make bad things good and good things better. Bridging the gap between our taste and our ability is a process that cannot happen by accident, nor will it appear in an instant. It is developed through personal interaction, dedication to craft, dialogue, friendships, and above all, work, work, work.

What follows are twenty principles which intentionally blur the line between work and play; guidelines which will develop a designer’s dedication, not just their skill. As a designer grows, particularly when they feel overwhelmed, it is their passion which will help them progress. Rather than focusing on what makes great design, Work in Progress is focused on what makes a great designer.

Work in Progress

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 10:37:00 -0400

Work in Progress

A Manifesto?

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 07:53:00 -0400

Tina: Would you say it's more of our manifesto?

Ethan Smith: It kinda is.

Tina: The Phase Two Manifesto...
hmm. Bruce mau calls his the manifesto for growth
Manifesto for Progress?

Ethan: "What follows is a manifesto of sorts. Twenty guiding principles which intend to integrate design into your personal fabric. Rather than focusing on what makes great design, Work in Progress focuses on what makes great designers."
that sounds really forced.
except the last line

Tina: Yeah. Could we just cut the first part?
"The Phase Two manifesto focuses on what makes great designers..."

Ethan: Well, let me send you the entire section…

Tina: AH! Reading this makes me really excited

Ethan: Neat!

Tina: Hmm.
Okay, I'm going to barf out ideas.

Ethan: cool

Tina: Design with a purpose..
a new concept that isn't necessarily talked about, rather overlooked
here to help those kicking and screaming and not quite sure what they're doing
to provide options for people who thought they didn't really have any

Ethan: Oooohhh, that's good.

Tina: a manifesto to not only work harder, but smarter
so that you can cross that bridge a little faster

Ethan: that's it.

Tina: a little better

Ethan:smarter

Tina: yayy!

Ethan: k, I'm calling this done: What follows are twenty principles which intentionally blur the line between work and play; guidelines which will develop a designer’s dedication, not just their skill. As a designer grows, particularly when they feel overwhelmed, it is their passion which will help them progress. Rather than focusing on what makes great design, Work in Progress is focused on what makes a great designer.

Describe Work in Progress

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 07:47:16 -0400

Ethan: If you could describe "Work in Progress" (both the presentation itself and its purpose), how would you do it. Even something short and disjointed. Like, if you had to describe it to someone in 100 words, what would you say?

Tina: Hmm…

It's a resource not to show the right way to apply design into your lifestyle, but how to do it better.

In a way, you can consider it a tool...a compass to help make the path a little easier

and to be honest about developing design skills and how it's not being glamourous, given, or easy whatsoever

Being a designer is a huge responsibility, and it's a responsibility we weren't trained for.

We weren't asked or told to do this. We're crazy enough to want to do it ourselves.

...hmm. Not sure where I was going with that haha

Work in Progress isn't here to validate what you're doing is okay. It's affirmation that yes, you can get through this as long as you work hard and work smart.

Hmm...what do you think? Kind of rambling.

I think we're more about affirmation than validation

It's about being honest of what we are capable of RIGHT NOW, not later on, because we're not there yet

Ethan:The rambling helps. I was ranbling myself and it was leading nowhere. This really helps.

Now, why does Phase 2 do it? Why are these presentations/workshops our goal? Or even part of the plan?

Tina: NO IDEA.

Just kidding

Ethan:hahahaha

Tina: Phase Two wants to ignite and support that creative spark that happens when you realize you're doing what you love

That creative spark...that NEED to make things better doesn't happen by itself

It happens because of interactions, dialouge, and things that happen that make you want to make things better

With our events, workshops and this book, we hope to be apart of that conversation

Either by fostering it, or starting it

Was that in english?

Ethan:oh man, that's PERFECT

Kung Fu

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 07:42:00 -0400

Ethan: I just realized as I'm typing that my regular example, kung fu, is actually a PERFECT inspiration for Phase 2. The entire martial arts industry is devoted to practitioners in phase two. Unlike design, which focuses its publications almost exclusively on phase one and phase three, you could fill a library with martial arts books for people in phase two. In martial arts, phase one is assumed (movies, etc.) and phase three is expected (schools, books, etc.), but everything they do is laser focused on people in phase two and helping them develop thrir own passion for the art.

Tina: LOVE this. How can our Phase Two make that different?

Ethan: I think an important thing is to get past the old idea that all good graphic designers are "self-taught."There's an old guard who didn't have the deep well of education that now exists, and they see expertise as fundamentally better than early experience. That's just my theory, though. Karate isn't like that. They are actively LOOKING for young, enthusiastic people and helping them develop a passion. Designers wait until you find your passion, THEN let you in the inner circle. Phase 2 is the first step in kicking in that door.

Tina: I've never thought about it like that. How people don't "train" young artists

Ethan: Nope. And we all suffer from this same misconception that we should be experts before we can be accepted by the experts. We all do it. One of the things that make Kate, Will, and Draplin so revolutionary is that they ARE the experts, but they actively seek out and spend time with non-experts. Specifically because they want others to become experts, too.

Reading 5

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 06:19:04 -0400

If this were attempted in the United States, someone would probably get shot.

This video has been viewed well over 35 million times, and it’s easy to see why. This is a bold and complicated marketing scheme for TNT in Belgium. A quiet square is transformed into a thrilling and chaotic scene cut right out of a movie. Cut right out of several movies, really.

I thought of this video immediately while reading the Community chapter. The entire event may best be described as “passive participation.” The spectators may not be taking an active role in any of the planned events, but the entire scene is worthless without a crowd to react to the chaos. The marketing team who conceived this event was acutely aware that, without a genuine crowd reaction, the entire plan would be a waste.

More importantly, though, a large part of why this was so successful is because the marketing team clearly did their research about the community to which they would be performing. If this had been performed in some parts of the world, there’s a very real chance that a crowd member with a gun and an over-inflated sense of public justice might take it too seriously.

It’s slightly disappointing, I must admit, that it is for TNT, but I still love the idea of creating anything that is intended to fundamentally change one’s daily experience with familiar surroundings.

This is my inspiration for the video which will accompany my...

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:52:08 -0400

This is my inspiration for the video which will accompany my book. It will serve as both an introduction to the project, and a chance to spotlight some specific items.

Reading 4

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:19:54 -0400

“Towards a Tender Society,” by Harrell Feltcher

These three reading assignments were presented in the perfectly right order. For my brain, at least.

Feltcher’s illustration of the importance of empathy is not only beautiful, but sorely needed in the world. This is one of the ways that design (and designers) can have a marked impact in the world. The world is waiting for another renaissance, but it will not come through any individual or any collection of talent. It will come when we find a way to speak to the world in a way that they can understand, and reflect what the world understands in a way that gets people speaking to one another.

A designer’s audience is also their greatest resource. Rather than simply trying to send a message or change a behavior, an effective designer can find a way to engage their audience, either physically or emotionally. The description of the perfect design also happens to describe a wonderful individual: Personal, emotive, and empathetic.

Reading 3

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:10:00 -0400

From Participate: “Foreward” & “What is Participatory Design?”

Maybe it’s some small part of my contrarian self, but I’m often turned off by the idea that participatory design is somehow new. While true that the tools designers use to create participatory design are certainly recent inventions, design has always been participatory. A grand example may be St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

This magnificent structure simply couldn’t have been built by a single individual or even a small group. Every aspect of the building was a group effort. Every design element (from its inception through its creation) required a massive number of people, most of whom have been totally forgotten to history.

Often, the problems seems to be that designers identify with an extremely limited history. “Design” as a subject typically extends about 100 years, perhaps a little further. But design is simply not that new. Even the wheel had to be designed. Every written language started as a series of shapes. Every religion, ideology, or dogma has required a method of communication and all of them have been, in part, visual.

But maybe I’m over-thinking this. Maybe the problem isn’t that designers need to stretch their memory, but stretch their imagination. There is absolutely no reason that design should be a solo effort. Maybe the technology of the last 100 years, while giving us the tools to create design, has also limited our vision. And that’s why participatory design is so important; to stand as a constant reminder that you are not alone on this planet. You can’t do it alone. And you were never expected to.

Reading 2

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:55:00 -0400

“Towards Relational Design and More on Towards Relational Design, “ by Andrew Blauvelt

The natural direction of design is toward context. After a century of experimenting with form and expression, designers have been given the tools to apply their designs to the viewer. Rather than attempting to force a specific ideology (as the Futurists were fond of doing) or trying to create a universal system without any specificity (as the Modernists did), design is now centered on the audience rather than the maker. Design can be hyper-focused to a specific audience, group, or person. Through the proliferation of social media, design is now playing a role in illustrating cultural attitudes.

In the end, both the Futurists and the Modernists were right. Design can shape an opinion, or present an unbiased message. Design is not limited by any philosophy.

10 People

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 05:35:00 -0400

Mig Reyes // Humble Pied

The idea is simple: get simple, quick design advice from some of the world’s best designers. Make it easy for those you’re asking, and make it easy to watch for everyone else. What I like is how personal this is. In truth, Mig started this project to enrich his own life and design, but the project lends itself to being shared.

Tina Roth Eisenberg // Creative Mornings

Again (and this will be a theme as I continue to write), a project that started with the specific intent of enriching her own life, Creative Mornings is easily shared. In fact, the idea was so simple, dozens of other cities have jumped in the game. Everyone involved has the chance to feel like this is for their own personal benefit.

Aaron Draplin // Field Notes

Always a big believer in being your own best client, Aaron started Field Notes specifically to create objects for his personal use, knowing that others would want them, too. Field Notes quickly became the pinacle notebook for people in the know.

Drew Melton // The Phraseology Project

A great example of a personal project using crowdsourced information for the fulfillment of the artist, but which benefits everybody. Drew Melton is an amazingly talented letterer. The Phraseology Project was created as a way for him to push himself, practice, and experiment.

Ben Vickory, Aaron Rayburn // FortPort

a blog created to showcase their favorite stuff, FortPort is fulfilling to everyone who follows it.

Markos Moulitsas // SBNation

One of the world’s most famous political bloggers and founder of DailyKos, Markos has another passion: sports. For almost no other reason than to satisfy his own passion, he created a small network of sports blogs. SBNation has grown into the largest fan-created sports network with more than 300 blogs. What’s more, the network has spawned The Verge, a technology blog.

Tim Hoover, Jessica Karle Heltzel // Kern & Burn

Described as a “curated discussion” about entrepreneurship in the design community, Kern & Burn is a simple idea that had instant legs. More than being interesting to the design community, the project highlights the direction that the entire community is moving.

John Maeda // Laws of Simplicity

What began as a research project about how people can simplify their lives became a book about the importance of simplifying all of our systems (life, design, computer programming, etc.) in the face of an increasingly complex world.

Bryony Gomez-Palacio, Armin Vit // Under Consideration

Brand New is the best known of their endeavors, but Under Consideration has churned out a non-stop supply of design inspiration for more than 5 years. From their blogs to their books, everything they do keeps an eye focused on designers.

Richard Saul Wurman // TED

Perhaps the most successful example of a simple idea which has grown to improve the entire world. Wurman organized a TED conference in 1984 to highlight the best of technology and design in and around Silicon Valley. TED has been an annual conference since 1990. Speakers ranging from internet celebrities to former U.S. Presidents speak on every possible subject with the specific purpose of making the world a better place.

5 Things

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:39:00 -0400

My father had a massive collection of albums. I loved flipping through the covers, exploring the liner jackets. So many of them were inspiring, like the die cut cover of the Rolling Stones’ Some Girls and and the sci-fi surrealism of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen.

But none were quite as intriguing as Santana’s debut album. The drawing of a lion created using human imagery is… awesome. I can’t really think of another word to describe it. Along with the custom-drawn type, the cover does more than look great, it speaks to the contents of the album: Fierce, aggressive, psychedelic, and human. And I don’t even like Santana.

I can’t remember when I started buying Thrasher magazine, but I got my first skateboard when I was 11. Like every other boy in the late 80’s, I loved everything even remotely connected to Powell Peralta and the Bones Brigade. My favorite skater was Steve Caballero, though I can’t remember why, and his was my first deck.

Skateboard culture is inseparable from art and design. Along with the design of the decks themselves, stickers, shirts, shoes, patches, and every other conceivable outlet was (and still is) used to promote skateboarding. Not only does each company have an identity, but every single skater builds and promotes a personal brand.

Punk rock show flyers.

What else can I say? Is any form of advertising more visceral? Pure D.I.Y. mentality and an extremely low budget. This is the aesthetic of my youth.

In my grandparents’ basement were boxes and boxes of old magazines. I would spend hours flipping through and reading them. Some, like the first issue of Newsweek, were informative and enlightening. Others, like my uncle’s copies of Zap Comix, were terribly inappropriate (and therefore enticing) for a young child.

Whether by nature or by nurture, I am obsessed with information. These magazines were a treasure trove throughout my early childhood.

The year before I was born, my parents, their friends, and their siblings decided to get together, drink a bunch of beer, smoke a bunch of *ahem* and figure out which one was the best cribbage player. They have been doing it every year since.

Each year, the creation of the invitation is a fairly major family undertaking. We spend months deciding what would be funniest or most appropriate, then days or weeks designing and creating the invitation itself.

These days, most of the invitations are done digitally, but when I was young, we had to create them by hand. In the snapshot above, for example, I designed the title box in a word processing program and printed it on a dot matrix printer. The photos are cut and pasted and nearly all of the text is dry transfer.

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