Design Diary by Nathan Monk

Design can save lives

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:31:42 +0000

I was having a discussion with one of my ex-tutors whom I respect on both an intellectual and design level. He asked me, “Where is design going?” I had no immediate response but I replied, “I think it’s at a crossroads. It could go one of two ways. It can carry on with this excessive visual fluff, or it could be useful again.”

He started to talk about the role of design in the world and asked me; “What do you sell to your clients?”

I thought this was an odd question and quickly replied with “Design”. He told me that I was wrong… and I was. Anyone with access to a computer can quickly put something together and pass it off as ‘designed’. The role of the designer has changed, and perhaps the title has become somewhat defunct. A good designer is a thinker. It is our ability to think in unorthodox and creative ways that separate us from those who have access to design software.

To further compound his point he reminded me of a concept he proposed to me nearly four years ago. Design can save lives. On the surface this sounds ridiculous and it took me some time for it to sink in. I said it over and over in my head trying to make it click. There are many things that I was told that didn’t take effect until I left university, but “design can save lives” has only just started making sense to me.

I came home and watched a documentary on the children of Zimbabwe. It made me stop in my tracks and reassess everything. At the same time I was still trying to figure out the “design can save lives” riddle. How could my design save the lives of these children in Zimbabwe?

Then I had my lightbulb moment. I was thinking literally, not laterally. “Design can save lives” is not a reference to saving lives in a direct manner, he was telling me that design can be meaningful on a socioeconomic scale. When you combine this with the revelation that designers are thinkers, there lies a powerful underlying statement. We could solve huge problems.

Back at uni he would give me these riddles and the answers made me feel like I could do anything. Today I have that feeling back.

Web FontFonts

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:25:45 +0000

Web FontFonts :

Excuse me, this is important to us typographers. Especially typographers that deal with the web.

So many different models starting to appear. Really want to do a write up on them - I still don’t think it’s perfect yet.

From this typewar leaderboard could one assume that boys are...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:15:33 +0000

From this typewar leaderboard could one assume that boys are better than girls with type?

Can you spot the mistake? I spotted this in a large department...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 11:58:00 +0000

Can you spot the mistake?

I spotted this in a large department store.

Adobe BrowserLab

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:18:21 +0000

Adobe BrowserLab:

Just used BrowserLab for the first time. It was a good experience. I’ll use it again.

If you need to test browsers quickly without access to the real thing, this is good.

Woke up this morning to a cup of Metroscript.

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:58:35 +0000

Woke up this morning to a cup of Metroscript.

So close…

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:25:36 +0000

So close…

Fontspring

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:43:50 +0000

Fontspring:

@font-face without an annual fee.

There are going to be so many interesting developments with @font-face.

Typetester

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:39:13 +0000

Typetester:

Compare fonts for the screen. Nice tool.

Getting there…

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:13:49 +0000

Getting there…

I’m cooking up something hot for you.

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:36:09 +0000

I’m cooking up something hot for you.

Typotron 15. This is possibly better than sex. When I say...

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:07:00 +0000

Typotron 15.

This is possibly better than sex.

When I say possibly…

Mockingbird

Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:34:26 +0000

Mockingbird:

Make website wireframes easily, collaboratively and quickly.

deplorableword: Thanks to everyone to showed up yesterday for...

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:30:24 +0000

deplorableword:

Thanks to everyone to showed up yesterday for the Birmingham Tumblr Meetup and to everyone who spread the word even if you couldn’t make it. Couldn’t have done it without you guys!

We’ll probably be doing it again next month, so make sure your start following everyone to showed up so you’ll be in the know.

stuffage

kitchenparty

teaim

lumos

clairehartley

nathanmonk

chrisdesouza

dizzydizzydinosaurs

discodrive

yetanothergin