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Every designers’ dirty little secret is that they copy other designers’ work. They see work they like, and they imitate it. Rather cheekily, they call this inspiration.
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Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.
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People ignore design that ignores people.
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Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.
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Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.
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We live in a jargon world. Jargon excludes those not in the know. Jargon also makes you lazy. And it irritates a lot of people. Especially avoid acronyms. The drive towards simple, easy to understand English will also improve your understanding of complex issues.
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Sound bites have a bad reputation. Unfair. Because they work. Power comes from explosive, cryptic phrases. So write short sentences. How short? Like this. Why? Because they’re easy to absorb. And think in simple chunks of information. It sounds simplistic but it works. Social speak is not work speak. Our social language is littered withContinue reading “Words 17”
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Less is more. Make every word count. Think in’headlines’.
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More powerful language is attractive. We live in a world of sloppy language where we have stopped bothering to seek the clarity or the drama that engages those to whom we are talking.
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The single biggest enemy of energy is the computer. People sit behind it and their shoulders slump. It’s a great tool but no substitute for meeting, greeting, listening and talking. Dynamos constantly recharge themselves. So be a dynamo.
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It’s attractive to see someone fired up. It’s not easy to be energetic when you’re very tired. And that phrase ‘I’m just so tired’ is filling the airwaves at present with so many bright young people oppressed by their own work and lifestyle. Build your energy by walking faster, setting yourself tough but achievable timelines,Continue reading “Words 13”
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If you aren’t a good team player you won’t go far. The fastest way to make it in your career is to be a great team player. The way to stardom is to be a leader of a great team. It’s a much better place to be than being a brilliant but eccentric loner.
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Work for an inspiring boss. I can’t repeat that often or loudly enough. Find a boss you like and admire and whom you think has extraordinary qualities. Study them, emulate them, learn from them.
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It’s sometimes hard to do but take a deep breath and say, every morning, ‘I’m really looking forward to today and I’m going to calmly smile my way through it’. Calm is such a good word, be it so long as you are energetic too.
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Be a pleasant, happy presence. Be the person everyone want to go to lunch with. Can you never be grumpy and short tempered then? Yes, when you are the boss and not before.
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Your job is to make your boss look good. Their job is to allow you to be as good as you can be.
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When you wake up next Monday say to yourself ‘I’m going to have a great week’ and then try to make it actually happen. Be one of the few people determined to enjoy your work and you might get on faster and further than you thought. If you are going to succeed, it will startContinue reading “Words 07”
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If you hate your job, change it or change your attitude.
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The art & science of comprehension. Don’t anticipate what’s going to be said. Let it come to you. Earn a reputation for listening. Making fewer notes and paying greater attention will also make you better company. Good listeners are believed to be nicer and kinder people.
Project 02: SoundCloud
A little rough and ready… A project I worked on sometime ago, never really saw the light of day. Posted the project to @dribbble.
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Loving to learn can be a big asset in getting on. Be full of curiosity. Ask questions. Read. Look. Wonder. Make the idea of filling your brain with new things normal.
Project 01: karsten.me
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It’s learning the simple stuff that makes the real difference. The stuff where you score is in delivery, report writing, presentations and time management – the simple stuff.
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To be told you really look as though you know where you are going is high praise. Destinations are really important places. They are, after all, where you end up.
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Get people to do something they really enjoy and you’ll be looking at a successful person.
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The London 2012 Olympics was a success in many ways. I especially liked the Adidas cover wrap campaign for The Metro Newspaper, inspiration delivered daily.
Hej & velkommen
karstenrowe.com is the tiny creative studio of designer, author, and speaker, Karsten Rowe, based in London SW19. This is my first post, I intend to share design notes, ideas & inspiration.