Words 33
Maths is easy; design is hard.
Words 32
Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual.
Words 31
Design is as much an act of spacing as an act of marking.
Words 30
Don’t design for everyone. It’s impossible. All you end up doing is designing something that makes everyone unhappy.
Word 29
Bad design is smoke, while good design is a mirror.
Words 28
A designer is a planner with an aesthetic sense.
Words 27
Design is where science and art break even.
Words 26
I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant loosing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figsContinue reading “Words 26”
Words 25
I love this remark. Researchers once put a team of white, alpha male brains in one room – desperately clever men – to solve a series of problems. In another room a diverse group were assembled, from professors to train drivers to checkout operatives, crossing race, age and gender. And – surprise, surprise – diversityContinue reading “Words 25”
Words 24
If your dreams don’t scare you, there probably not big enough.
Words 23
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.
Words 22
Good design is obvious. Great design is transparent.
Words 21
People ignore design that ignores people.
Words 20
Everything is designed. Few things are designed well.
Words 19
Design is a plan for arranging elements in such a way as best to accomplish a particular purpose.
Words 18
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.
Words 17
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”
Words 16
Less is more. Make every word count. Think in’headlines’.
Words 15
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.
Words 14
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.
Words 13
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”
Words 12
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.
Words 11
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.
Words 10
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.
Words 09
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.
Words 08
Your job is to make your boss look good. Their job is to allow you to be as good as you can be.
Words 07
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”
Words 06
If you hate your job, change it or change your attitude.
Words 05
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.
Words 04
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.
Words 03
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.
Words 02
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.
Words 01
Get people to do something they really enjoy and you’ll be looking at a successful person.
Pictures 01
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.