There are dozens of stories to tell about design. Many of them do not fit neatly into programming categories. For example, at a recent national design conference, one of our designetwork writers had several conversations with prominent designers – which turned into a narrative on contemporary design. Or, on a spur of the moment, another one of our writers was so moved by a Noguchi lamp that she felt compelled to make an inspired observation.

This is not heavy-duty stuff. Some are short stories, some are long; they may be about the past, present or future; without detail; imagined or factual. But they all have one purpose – to bring the world of design closer to you.

what's in you cube
 

What do people who spend their day faced with solving creative problems choose to surround them selves with in their work area? Do these items serve as a momentary refuge to glance at when road-blocked? Are they cluttered tchotchkes, sentimental souvenirs or sources of inspiration?

Most people probably know a designer who has an usual collection. Some of the designers we know have collections such as tin lunchboxes from the 1950s, the entire Simpson family of Pez dispensers, hot-rod hot wheel cars, Sno-globes, family photos, flipbooks, European candy wrappers, children’s drawings, and wind-up toys. Is there something about spending the entire day being creative that begs for gadgets, mementos, or familiar diversions?

What’s in your cube? Inspiration or clutter?

An interview with red letter principal Juliette Brown

multidisciplinary designers
 

Some people are just flat out talented. Take someone like Michael Graves, a world-renowned architect, who has also designed furniture and home objecst and has done so much to bring design into the popular culture with his products that are sold at Target stores.

Some designers have the ability to cross over from one form of design to another almost effortlessly. There are graphic designers who design furniture, web designers who are also filmmakers and architects who can design just about anything.

The Designetwork profiles multi-disciplinary designers at all levels from established designers to up-and-coming designers. What are the themes in their work that carry across different disciplines? How do you make the leap from designing a logo to designing a chair?

Matt Young: at the intersection of graphic design and furniture design

John Gorelski: crossing the boundries from a multimedia designer to filmmaking

what in the world i do
 

I have to admit that my parents and family of five brothers and two sisters could never really understand what I do as a designer. I finally figured out that they were like most people, who don’t understand (or maybe even care) what designers do in the world.

I’m sticking to my belief that there are amazing people in the world doing amazing work as designers – and that you might actually be interested. The concept for this programming is about getting a look at the wide variety of design disciplines. It’s an ongoing series of candid snapshots of designers working in different fields, filmed in quick, ten-minute scenarios. It’s a window into their world.

-DF

Television interview about typeface design with Steven Heller, Jonathan Hoefler and Tobias Frere-Jones

A demonstration of 10 different optical illusions by Professor George in less than 2 minutes

hiring a designer
 

How do you select the right designer or design firm for your needs, what criteria do you use to evaluate the many choices available?

Let quality guide your reasoning. Start with a good understanding of your needs and compare and rate the options accordingly.

Quality is defined as demonstrated success in working on projects similar to your own, with budgets similar to your own, and achieving results. A designer who has previous experience within a category or project area will have a good understanding of the audience or marketplace and awareness of the competitive landscape. Likewise, it's important to find a designer or design firm able to work within your budget parameters.

How do you select the right designer or design firm for your needs?