How to design better?

Grid system design should begin with a constraint. Something that is knowable and unchangeable. This constraint is used to build the modules of your grid. In book design, that constraint is defined by the page through subdivision. Book designers take the page, divide it up into a modular grid of spaces. These spaces (called modules) are then... See more

1. Describe your company. What does your company do?

2. What are the objectives? Spell out the goals and the reasons behind them.

Increase sales / promote awareness / expand client base / obtaining data or information / change image / improve competitiveness / reduce cost / raise MSRP / enhance customer experience / change demographic / provide a... See more

at an institution, you can’t just do what is best, you also have to build trust and coordinate with others so you are on the same page. This, however, doesn’t mean that you should abdicate your judgment and get in line.

I like the approach Sholto Douglas expressed in his interview with Dwarkesh Patel:

If I’m trying to write some code and something

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Every decision is a bet. To increase your odds of winning, place bets where you have an unfair advantage. Whether it’s your expertise, network, resources, or a unique insight, leveraging these advantages can make all the difference. When starting my agency, I had years of agency experience, a good reputation, and an existing steady stream of... See more

All this is to say is that for design, as for other fields, the road to greatness is often paved with obsession—an immoderate, unjustifiable surplus of care. Doing things that no-one asked for with a love that no-one could reasonably expect.

After ten years, nine months, and six days of running my agency Superfriendly, I shut it down. Finishing a project often triggers a sense of loss. When I pursue a worthy bet, I’m working toward an outcome for a set amount of time. And then, one day, I’m not. Even when I finish instead of quitting or giving up—especially when I do in a way that... See more

While I was making Sparkle’s website, I realized that this working definition of “quality” wasn’t enough in this new context. A magical experience would show, not tell. It would give you the sense of living in the future and seeing the future happen before your eyes. It required something the people at Every have written a lot about: It required ta... See more