Five steps to Success

According to Seth Godin in order to successfully when spreading ideas and earn one only needs to follow five simple rules.

1.) Set your sights on what is REALLY possible.
2.) Make wise decisions!
3.) Know your goals
4.) Understand how to get things down and change minds
5.) Earn the respect and turst of your peers.

Minority report...not just a movie

Thanks to Oblong Industries' G speak the interaction between people and data is possible.

“The g-speak platform is a complete application development and execution environment that redresses the dire constriction of human intent imposed by traditional GUIs. Its idiom of spatial immediacy and information responsive to real-world geometry enables a necessary new kind of work: data-intensive, embodied, real-time, predicated on universal human expertise.”

Designer = Communicators

According to William Bostwick of the website Core77, not because you're designer doesn't mean you can't successfully present yourself in writing as well. Using one's creativity and unique style and following Bostwick's five basic tips, this can be accomplished.

Firstly, using your abilities as a designer contour work to fit your audience and the task at hand. To know what interests the public is an inherent trait of any designer. Therefore, use it to rearrange sentences, select the proper words and "putting complex ideas into simple boxes."

Secondly, avoid pretentious, useless words or as Bostwick calls them "verbal SUVs -- big pointless words that look fancy but don't do anything." Because many people are unfamiliar with design, use words that are comprehensible and relatable.People respond to stories. Therefore, tell a story when writing about your projects. Concentrate more on how something came to be rather than what came to be.

Next, use the first person. Personalizing your writing makes it more interesting, more relatable and less formal. According to Bostwick, "A little informality goes a long way."

Finally, "Cut ten percent of all the words you write," Bostwick advises. If it isn't necessary or true don't say it. It's always best to be honest.

Powerpoint Magic

According to Seth Godin's "Nine Steps to Powerpoint Magic" here are a few ways to give a successful presentation.
1.) Only use powerpoint if necessary. While some powerpoint presentations are helpful, others can be distracting. Godin's advice: "Do it in your own words, without artifice and with clarity."

2.) Powerpoint presentations are visual aids, they are not meant to be read. So use as few words as possible. Never more than three words per bullet.

3.) Don't give presentations for small ideas. According to Godin, that's what memos are for, so always make sure, "you brought your big idea with you."

4.) To give a bit of edge to your presentation, get your own font. You can visit Smashing Magazine and buy your own font.

5.) Tell the truth. This concept goes far beyond the given idea of not telling a lie, instead it urges presenters to NOT HIDE anything.

6.) Be as brief as possible. If your presentation can be 20 minutes don't prolong it for an hour. After all today's television broadcasts have conditioned us to have very short attention spans.

7.) Captivate your audience. "Your actions should demand their attention." Ensure that your presentation is all that it can be.

8.) Get a remote because it allows you to maintain eye contact and interact with your audience.

9.) If you're presenting to a large group of people, get a microphone. It may increase the cost of a presentation but it heightens the impact of your presentation and improves your posture. In Seth Godin's words, "If 400 people are willing to spend an hour listening to you, someone ought to be willing to spend a few dollars to make the presentation work properly."

Shopping Reinvented

What thrills us so much about shopping for clothing? Is it the discovery of new possibilities? The exchange of money for our chosen pieces? Or simply the rifling through racks?

Well, If its the latter of the three, then there's a great possibility that Philips will ruin the shopping experience for you. The company is looking to bring to fruition its ideas on a technological device that would have shoppers' measurements connected to store inventory. In addition it would also allow shoppers to see how an article of clothing would look on them. Overall, the invention would allow for a quicker, more convenient and more efficient shopping experience."

Philips envisions demo clothing with “alloy fibers” interwoven, which will essentially allow electricity to extend, mold, and shape the threads to fit one’s body. Basically, Philips is hoping its auto-conforming system will allow shoppers to figure out the precise size they need without all the subsequent guesswork, …”

Marketing the MoMA with Picasso

The image of five naked women are being plastered all over New York City's subway station.

It's not by graffiti artists or random vandals, but by the marketing team of the Museum of Modern Art hoping to capture the attention of New Yorkers. Located on 53rd street between fifth and sixth avenue in Manhattan, the museum is making an effort to transform its image as only a tourist fixture. MoMA employees, in conjunction with the MTA, is displaying Picasso's "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" (1907) as well as works as many other contemporary artists like Cindy Sherman, Marlene Dumas, Hopper, O'Keefe and Matisse.

By the end of this six week art campaign, beginning in the Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street subway stations in Brooklyn, Moma officials are hoping that New Yorkers will be more interested in frequenting the museum and buying museum memberships. Kim Mitchell, the museum's chief communications officer tells, "The whole city is important to MoMA, and this station just seemed to be a good to start the experiment."

Could you fill out my survey? Pass.

It seems like everyday we run across tedious online surveys. Though the better part of us would love to help a fledgling business out, the length and monotony of online surveys often discourage participation. Seth Godin lists five ways to compile an effective survey.

1.) Avoid length surveys. To keep the participants' attention and ensure that they answer your survey honestly, the survey should contain no more than 10 questions. After this, surveys get exhausting.

2.) Avoid loaded questions. In Seth Godin's words, "If you ask, 'which did you hate more...' then you've planted a seed."

3.) Try to make some of your questions interesting. The more engaging the survey is, the better the answers will be. Boring question beget boring answers.

4.) Every question counts, so in as few questions as possible try to ask what you truly want to know.

5.) Along with interesting questions, try a unique format. Different is always captivating.

Heinz packaging: Favorite but faulty

"The one thing design must do is fulfill its function efficiently" proclaims Alice Rawsthorn of New York Times.

However, sometimes the familiarity of a design it often outweighs the a customers preference for efficiency. Heinz's classic glass bottle has become and icon and an indispensable part of the American household even though the plastic version allows users to easily acquire the contents.

The reputation, comfort and classic effortless look that accompanies the glass bottle even allows for expensive restaurants to carry the condiment without repackaging. It's eco-friendly packaging is also another notch along its belt.

Singletown

These days, its seems like marriage is slowly becoming a choice rather than an expectation. The world has now becoming more accepting of the 45-year old successful unmarried female lawyer and the 50-year old bachelor.

More than accepting, they've even become accommodating. At Venice Architecture Biennale in 2008 the Dutch design studio Droog Design & KesselsKramer showcased an exhibition called S1ngletown.

"S1NGLETOWN focuses on the world of contemporary singles. Its relevance is broad, as all of us are likely to belong to this group at some stage in our lives — and likely more than once. In fact, some sources predict that a third of people in developed countries will be living alone by 2026.
S1NGLETOWN is an exhibition that’s also a town, an abstract interpretation of a new kind of urban space. Visitors will be able to walk its streets and interact with its products and citizens, and view their homes."

Good news for the Undomesticated

A Swedish brand, Eton Shirts, has developed a cotton-fiber that no longer requires ironing After washing, the fiber returns to its original shape simply through body heat. While this invention reduces energy use and is another step on the eco-friendly front, it poses a major question:

With the banishment of several step in the manufacturing and the invention of many environmentally beneficial products, will unemployment rise as the world's population becomes more "green?"

Food Pills

In years to come, many have often contemplated the future of food.

Will a tiny pill be able to hit the spot the same way a whole plate of soul food does? Or will our sustenance simply be acquired intravenously?

Philip Design details a possible future for us in three ways.

Diagnostic Kitchen: by using a nutrition monitor nestled in a wand you will be informed of your nutritional requirements and 'how much you should eat to match your digestive health.'

Food Creation: this invention would allow a user to input available ingredients into a system that would essentially combine the items into the preferred form and consistency.

Home farming: this would include people hosting interdependent ecosystems in their homes, for example fish and edible plants.

Who needs a phone when...

You can communicate with you thoughts....

KKDI's Design Studio has showcased a new intra-body communication technology that allows data to flow from the body to gadgets.

No more sharing business cards or swapping emails, information will soon be exchanged through a simple handshake.

Time is money

Designers, the first and most important rule of decision making, according to Seth Godin, is to never ask for more time.

Time, some may say makes for an informed decision, however, it doesn't. It usually just decreases the quality of the final decision.

"More information may help. More time without more information just creates anxiety, not insight," Seth Godin argues.

In addition, the time you would take mulling over the decision, could be spent starting the project or another.

A presentation is a privilege

Don't waste it, Seth Godin warns. And follows by suggesting four ways to make the execution of this privilege even more captivating and valued.

1. No presentation, is a good presentation. If you can send a memo instead, it would be better. Your audience can read faster than you can present and they can then look forward to your presentations since they may become rare.

2. One on one presentations are the second best kinds of presentations. A face to face pitch is much more rewarding and effective.

3. Third most important....INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS!!

4. Lastly, ease up on the bullet points and stick to thought provoking stories and pictures.

House of Rockwell

Thankfully, the All-American and heartwarming illustrations of Norman Rockwellhave been revamped, invigorating public interest in this American artist once again. Hoping to turn The Norman Rockwell Museum into "nexus for the study of American illustration art," what some may dub, a lost field, the museum has announced plans to establish the Rockwell Center.

“Rockwell is very accessible, but when you understand more broadly and deeply how much influence his work wielded on an entire nation, you have a much richer experience,”said Laurie Norton Moffatt, the director of the museum.

Having his first illustration printed for the Evening post at age 22, Rockwell's photos are charged with emotion that keep his prints forever relevant.

(Image: Rockwell's "New Kids in the Neighborhood" 1967 )

Van Gogh Tug-o-War

Yale University is suing for the rights to ownership of Van Gogh's "Night Cafe."

The painting was donated to the school in 1961 by alumnus Stephen Carlton Clark and has been housed in the Yale University Art Gallery ever since. However, now the University's ownership of the 1888 painting has been challenged by a man who says he's a descendant of a previous owner.

Our future...according to Microsoft

From health-care to retail, Microsoft has mapped out our futures. Microsoft Office Labs have glimpsed ahead and proposed a way of life for consumers.

By 2019, according to Microsoft "your health team can share data seamlessly." The company imagines a future where individuals can monitor their own health with the assistance of "smart, connected devices."

Secondly, the Microsoft believes that through predictive measures, banks will be able to provide individuals with their finances seamlessly and efficiently.

Next, manufacturing would be faster and more productive, with workers collaborating across time zones.

Lastly, and probably most anticipated, is a greater and more efficient retail process. With this, stores and merchandise will be easily accessible and retailers can anticipate and provide shoppers' needs.

Dieter Rams: Ten principles of Good Design

Good design is innovative.

Good design makes a product useful.

Good design is aesthetic.

Good design makes a product understandable.

Good design is unobtrusive.

Good design is honest.

Good design is long-lasting.

Good design is thorough down to the last detail.

Good design is environmentally friendly.

Good design is as little design as possible.

Universal Principles of Design: Alignment

"The placement of elements such that edges line up along common rows or columns, or their bodies along a common center."

A great design does not have to be teeming with unnecessary pieces and crazy structures, instead a great design contains order and alignment.

Major Schmajor

It doesn't matter what you study, according to Scott Keyes of The Chronicle, it's what you learn...


"Stop Asking Me My Major"
http://chronicle.com/article/Stop-Asking-Me-My-Major/63453/

"One minute I'm crying in my pajamas, the next minute I'm SUPERWOMAN!"

The HAGA Event on March 3, was possibly one of the best experiences a graduate could hold for beginning their careers. Several tips derived from the event were:

1.) Persevere. There is a reason why artists are often thought to be starving, because most times we are. But its all worth the big break in the end. The day you decide to give up can be the day that holds a new future for you.

2.) On that note, though this is one of the few professions where passion is required, it does not excuse a lack of work. You may not always FEEL like working, but it IS a job, so continue working.

3.) ALWAYS document your work.

4.) Believe in yourself and stay confident in what you have to offer.

5.) Dream big, but stay practical. Do not quit your day job, you still need the money to fund your dreams and the health insurance to keep you well.

6.) Make a plan, but don't expect to stick to it. Its always great to set a goal, however as an artist you may never end up where you think you may for opportunities may come along that sweep you off your path. Unexpected doesn't mean unfortunate.

7.) Keep up to date with your craft and those things that surround it. Learn to navigate the latest software and fraternize with other artists. Concentrate on tweaking your own craft, but don't shut the world out.

"Do what you have to do now, so you can do what you want to do later."

On his blog, Seth Godin warns against the "I-don't-feel-like-it" syndrome.

As artists, we often feel the need to be "inspired" before beginning some sort of work; we need to be "in the mood." However, according to Mr. Godin, this approach borders on self-complacency and laziness.

It's not called leisure, it's called work because its difficult.

"... Your feelings are irrelevant to whether or not the market expects great work. Do the work. Ignore the feelings part and the work will follow."- Seth Godin

Abracadabra!!

Joy throughout the land!" Seth Godin blogged after telling of a story of an almost delayed flight that was quickly returned to schedule.

The story was brought up to show the dazzling effect of a rescued situation, of one that looks difficult but is then remedied or as Godin calls it "The Houdini technique."

"Houdini never said, 'check out these trick handcuffs and watch how easy it is for me to take them off.' "

Godin's advice for selling an idea/product is a "rapid change in expectations."
Make easy things look difficult.
Make difficult things look easy.

Mies Van Der Rohe

"God is in the details."

"Less is more."