Since I moved over to wordpress my site has been slow and buggy – so I’m doing a switch! If something is wonky todayplease come back tomorrow….
June 20, 2009
Switching webhosts
June 17, 2009
Kick-off prep
Tomorrow I am kicking off a really large initiative that will be exciting, fast and possibly crazy. Everyone has an opinion, much is based on personal preferences rather than user needs. I’ve set up goals, tasks and milestones, and so far am planning lots of exploration to begin with, followed by lots of user-driven iteration. I’ve also set up checkpoints with the many levels of stakeholders, so that there is at least the appearance of consensus. Deep breath.
June 15, 2009
Ooh la la prototyping
Just had a really great conversation with my team about innovation, mental models, navigation and visual hierarchy. What helped spark all this great thinking? An interactive prototype showing three slightly different versions of an idea. The designer worked with a prototyper – it took about a week to turn around, because as it was coded she began to codify the design and work through the interactions. The team topped it all off with an interesting design review where we openly discussed the various model’s successes and failures, what we might change/add, and how we might use the prototypes to sell our idea.
Now this may not seem out of the ordinary for many of you, but our development model here has been not to waste effort, and that means prototype using reusable code. For me, that just defeats the purpose, but changing how things are done is not an easy feat. I am working to sell the idea of prototyping at all levels – from designers and dev to PMs and biz folks. But its slow.
In the past, I’ve been all about prototyping – from quick and dirty paper sketches to throw-away html. Or full-color mocks linked to mimic an interactive experience. Depending on what we were trying to learn of course. We are designing interactive experiences – we need to think about those interactions, and only using mocks/wireframes doesn’t always cut it. We have to think about the entire experience.
So today I’ve launched the newest version of my site. If its at all wonky, I apologize. I couldn’t just go with someone else’s wordpress theme; I had to design my own, and I’m still working on it.
The last version of dorelvis went live sometime in 2001 – so its time. It looks so dated now – but at the time, not a lot of people had their portfolios online, and it helped me find work.
So let me know how you like the new look and functionality. Most of the same stuff is here – just reorged etc.
June 14, 2009
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
I have a new condo and can’t stop looking at furniture online. I am torn between my love for ornate, traditional details (like moldings on bookcases) and retro modern stuff from the mid 50s. I seem to want a formica kitchen set! I already have (lets say) eclectic taste. So I look through great sites but cant make any decisions.
September 14, 2008
I just don’t know what to do with myself
I’ve been watching a new series on AMC called Mad Men, about advertising folks in 1960, and I’m really struck by the titles. I think they are definitely an homage to Saul Bass, who created some of the most memorable work ever. See a gallery of examples, particularly “the Man with the Golden Arm”, “North by Northwest” and “The Seven Year Itch.”
I am actually a little bit obsessed with film titles. Some of my favorites:
June 14, 2008
They don’t know where they want to go
It wasn’t all work work work last week in NY; I also had a chance to get inspired by art.
I went to an amazing exhibit at the Whitney called “Picasso and American Art” that shows how Picasso influenced many American artists — sometimes using a side-by-side view of the original piece and the pieces that were done in response. I am blown away. Some of the work was done almost a hundred years ago and yet it looks fresh and new.
I also have a new respect for Jackson Pollock. Truely. The layers of meaning and texture certainly spoke to me.
June 20, 2007
RANT: I am so old
In NY I stayed at the Paramount Hotel. The website talks about “lobby socializing,” and I say, yeah — you have to socialize in the lobby because your room is so small you can’t actually fit another person in it.
My room was just barely bigger than the queen-size bed.
There were no extra outlets, except in the bathroom, so if I had had a place to put my laptop (there was a small cafe table, but the artful lamp was so low to the table that I couldn’t open the screen) there was no place to plug it in. I ended up unplugging the clock.
The bed was on the floor. This is NY guys! I’m not sleeping on the floor – who knows whats down there?
There was a small closet with 6 hangers. Inside the closet was a small “dresser.” In quotes because it wasn’t as nice as something you might buy at IKEA. Three drawers — about 10 in x 6 in with a 3 in depth. So I could almost fit my underwear and socks in it — but no place for my actual clothes.
There was a full-length mirror on the bathroom door — but to actually stand in front of it meant I’d be standing on the bed.
The space for the toilet was maybe 24 inches. not very much room to manuver if you get my drift.
The elevators were each lighted with colored lamps — but they weren’t very bright. I’m not getting into a blue elevator with some stranger I can barely see in NYC at 3 am. Just not gonna.
And can we discuss the hallway lighting? Pretty. Dim. Not good for NYC at 3 am. Not very conforting.
I was fracking longing for a holiday inn! I’d trade trendy for functional any day. Substance over style.
March 5, 2007
There’s a whole generation with a new explanation
Just spent a few glorious days in NYC at the AIGA Gain conference.
A few takeaways:
- Why do designers wear uniforms? (I know we really don’t officially, but how many of us wore rectangle glasses, mostly black, interesting messenger bags and artful hairstyles?)
- Tom Kelley is smart, engaging, and quite the storyteller. I admire his enthusiasm and style. I’m a Tom Kelley groupie.
- Many of the presenters spoke about their user-centered methodology, using ethnography and empathy to see the solutions that are just staring at us in the face, and my teams have been doing this stuff for longer than I can remember. Wow — I’m on the leading edge! Who’d have thunk it?
- I am re-inspired to design thoughtfully — I can use design to do good
- Everyone has trouble articulating design rationale’s to non-designers. I am not alone.
- My friends Jody, Wendy and Marcy are the best and I miss them.
February 14, 2007
I could use a little muscle to get what I need
Today I need to speak about my love for Bill Shatner.
I know, he’s old, bloated, a caricature. But damn he’s funny. Have you read his blog? And when he was James T. Kirk he was a hottie who hammed it up better than anyone else. And have any of you seen Rocketman? Its a fracking classic.
Today Fametracker also exposes their love.
