Pica Conference Day 1

Day 1 of GDC’s Alberta North Chapter Pica conference in beeeeautiful Banff, representing Guru Digital Arts College. Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Laurie Rosenwald (of rosenworld.com)

1) Make mistakes and use them on purpose.

2) Don’t start with nothing, i.e. a blank page: start with something – a scribble, a black mark, a ripped piece of paper, a mistake – and let the project grow from that serendipitous beginning.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Randy Hunt (of etsy.com)

1) Milton Glaser says that “Design is a plan to get from the current state to a future state.”

2) A plan is a set of defined questions (note: a plan only defines questions, not outcomes).

3) When answering these questions, patterns emerge.

4) Recognizing these patterns is a starting point for change. Specifically, change in the way we design.

Randy also reminded me of the important fact that design is only great (and useful) when it’s backing a powerfully good idea. An idea like etsy, that survived long enough to let its design catch up to its good-idea-ness.

He also reminded me about how hip the Canadian look is right now. Lumberjack plaid shirts and lumberjack beards everywhere. Hoser high fashion.

Advertisement