Thomas’ unordered thoughts on design
When in doubt, go with the more emotional approach.
Imagine the client will see your design and immediately say OK. Would that design be more radical then the one you are working on right now?
Play hard-to-get in the beginning and let the relationship with your clients evolve with time. Don’t be too easy.
Idea is product. Emotion is communication.
Use a tight deadline to your advantage. Too much time to rethink kills creativity anyways.
The designer of tomorrow has to be: Activist, thinker, artist.
Timeless design is a Fata Morgana.
It’s hard to say what good design is. But everyone knows that it exist.
You can sketch with a pen, voice, text, software, in conversation… Find out what works for your and don’t argue somebody else into doing it your way.
You can’t improvise if you don’t play well. Become good at playing your software.
No designer I know thinks as much about his creations as when he is asked to talk about them later. Thinking often comes later.
You can bullshit when you are presenting your design, but don't bullshit while you are working on it. It will kill the process.
Marketing people. You would think it’s easier to choose a great designer than to clean up after a bad one. But how do I find a great designer? That’s your job.
“Kill your darlings”? Never. Fight for the good idea.
Really good design happens with really good clients. Designing for really good clients is really easy.
Looking back, everything becomes easier. That’s why listening to big designers talking about their work feels so soothing.
Business people. Good design is expensive, because it’s worth it. Cheap design will eventually bite you in the ass. And it’s so much more work.
Being cool favors judging and prevents doing. Don’t be cool. Especially if you want to work with great people.
Minimalism is limiting you. Do you want everything to be… limited?
Ugly things are ugly even if you know they are ugly and you are doing it on purpose. What’s your point?