Take a peek

I think it's the easiest methodology ever, and the one we most often forget.
Before you start drawing anything, even before sketching, and I would even argue even before thinking... do your research, do a little competitive analysis, look at what has been done in the field. What is the common solution for that. What are the design patterns mostly used for that. Take a look. Look around.
After that, start thinking, and make sure your solution is equal or better than that.
Easy right? ;)

Sleepy

What's the best way to start your day?, what routine do you have?.
I wake up everyday at around 7am. I get dress. I leave home. I read on my way to the office. I get to the office. I write a small post. I check e-mails. I make my self a coffee. I start working on whatever I need to do. Some days I change that with some exercise and meditation.
That's it.
But for me... I think what really get's me started, is talking to people. I could be half the morning working, and I'll be sleepy, but if I have half an hour with a college and we talk about nothing... that's it, I'm up!
Charging energy through talking to people. That's me.   

The power of layout

There is just a beautiful sound and taste to the organization of information.
In the past few years, my job has become more about presenting information than designing interphases. I find my self designing presentations and making decisions on what to show, what not to show and how to show it.
At the beginning I thought it was a boring task, and I didn't see the point. Now I think it's a tremendous creative challenge. To create the right script, for the right audience, to communicate the right thing in the right proportion with the right layout, it's... complicated to say the least.
And I love it, now I love it, and I get a kick out of every presentation I have to create.
I think it's the "communication" side of it, to be able to consolidate a thought into one screen that is readable and clear.... that is exciting!

Let go

Today I have to let go someone from the team, in a little while actually...
I don't like it.
I mean.... I know I made a good decision, I know I follow the right process, and I know it's the best for the studio and the growth of the team, but.... I don't like it, I don't like to face the situation, I don't like to push him in that direction.
I understand that sometimes this kind of decisions comes in place, and that it's needed to achieve a goal... but man.... it's hard.

He'll have a worst day than I will, so.... step it up!
Be brave.

I'm busy

I have to do many things today, I have to get done proposals, and reports, and pitch concepts and meet clients.
I am busy. I have my list, the first thing I need to get done is one proposal.
On with it.

The internet of relevant things PART II

This is the thing, technology is growing and will keep on growing, that is a given, and that is good, it allows us to create new things, to make new solutions, to explore new behaviors, it's truly amazing.
Now, for us designers, it is also a challenge. We need to understand the limits and potential of that technology and choose how to use it.... and that is the key... how to use it.
Repetition of the same solution with a small variation is part of what we do... I get it, but... isn't it annoying?, and I understand, market share makes it possible for those products to exists, that is also truth, and that is fine, but what worries me the most is the fact that we call "smart" to objects that can hear or see or speak.... we well know that having that abilities does not make you smart, at all.

We don't need smart objects, we need relevant objects. Objects that respond to a particular context in a unique and relevant way, we need objects and ecosystem that compliment our habits and explote our capacities. We don't need objects that can hear us, we need objects that can interpret. We don't need object that can search, we need objects that have opinion.

We still have time till we see relevant things all around us, and we still have time until we don't see irrelevant things all around us, but wouldn't it be more fluid to only have relevant things?.

The Internet of relevant things

I mean, I'm all up for technology development, believe me, but enough is enough... how many more tracking sporty wrist bands do we have to see?. This one measures your blood pressure, this one too, and this other one your heart beats, this one too, this one is black, and this one is grey.
Come on!
The fact that you can measure somethings doesn't make it relevant. We need to make those tools "relevant" not smarter... we need to push for the internet of relevant things in stead of "smart" things.

This has just started a couple of years ago, and I'm already tired of it.
No more smart bands please... let's make something relevant.