Advising graphic design professionals across the country.
I've written for HOW Design, one of the leading magazines for graphic design professionals, on a variety of subjects.
Excerpt: Information Overload
"…Not surprisingly, the infographic’s rise in popularity follows fast on the heels of an information glut. Advanced technology, including computers, has allowed humans to immediately capture, store and analyze huge amounts of information. According to a recent Pew/Internet poll, approximately 73% of American adults now rely on the internet to access this information, which is an all-time high. We’re so inundated by data, in fact, that we desperately need a filter for the noise. Infographics allow us to quickly make sense of the political, societal and global complexities that bombard us on a daily basis.
…So the graphic designer becomes a filter of this data, arranging it in a visual form to be used by real people to understand their world in meaningful ways. Traditionally, we’ve turned to information from editorial publications, advocacy groups, and institutions like schools and government for such data.
But when the corporate coffee shop provides education about immigration and the economy, it’s time to recognize that the graphic designer plays a critical role in information analysis. ‘The point of analytic design,’ said information design guru Edward Tufte in a 2004 interview, ‘is to assist thinking.’ Given what’s at stake, it’s up to graphic designers to assure their visual analysis is both honest and accurate…"
Download the full article (423kb PDF).
Excerpt: Deflate the Tire Kickers
"…Focused messaging crafted to attract high-paying, serious clientele creates a buffer between you and every tire kicker out there, but it can’t stop them all. You’ll have to learn a few more tricks to weed out the ones that slip through your well-oiled marketing machine. Once a prospect has contacted you, it’s time to play detective. Look for clues that will reveal the true nature of these time suckers before it’s too late. Here are a few questions to ask yourself about these prospects…
- Are their expectations realistic?
- You want prospects who have a clear understanding that tight turnarounds and large projects require a bigger budget. “If someone wants the Ferrari,” says art director Anthony Dempsey, a Columbus, OH-based designer, “they know what it is and have already made up their mind. It’s the guy looking for the car that’s loaded, gets a ton of mileage and costs squat who will burn you.”
- Are they making wild promises?
- Many tire kickers just want a bargain and will make extravagant promises to get one. They’ll shamelessly dangle all kinds of carrots in front of you: more and bigger projects in the future, an unending stream of referrals or big exposure with your name in lights. But if they won’t put their commitments into a contract, you’ll likely never see them fulfilled…"
Download the full article (362kb PDF).
