03 January 2002

Joe Clark, "Symbolizing Accessibility," joeclark.org, 3 Jan 2002

After half a decade of attempts and a misapplication of the “classic” wheelchair icon, we finally have something that might work as a generic indicator of accessibility – from Apple, of all places.
Jim Hopkins, "When designers ignore consumers, products can flop," USA Today, 31 Dec 2001

  Sometimes, the problem with faulty designs is that no one wants to say no to a bad idea. It might be the pet project of an overbearing CEO who ignores the advice of his development team. Or a company invests millions in a gizmo only to have consumers, brought in at the 11th hour, reject it. At that stage, the company doesn't want to write off its investment.
  "Saying no is just as important as saying yes," Cogliandro says. "In fact, it's more important."
Scott Kirsner, "Homepage Improvement: Ten resolution that will wring more results from your website," Darwin, Jan 2002

5. Stop taxing your customers' patience. If your homepage includes a zoomy 974K Flash movie that visitors are forced to watch every time they come to your site, ask your designers why people who already are interested in your company must be required to watch an ad for your company before they can get information from your company.

01 January 2002

Noah Adams, "New Voice in Folk Rock: Singer Mason Jennings Traffics in Love and Melancholy," npr.org, 1 Jan 2002

  ...he learned about the power of space in music: The feeling created when a breath ends or when a guitar stops for a moment, and silence lingers.
  "In today's age you go into a studio and people always tell you to put all of these instruments into your record," says Jennings. "I just like to write with economy and try to set up an architecture in the song where I don't need to add anything."
More thoughts on doing just the essential.

31 December 2001

less really is more

I want to put down something I've learned through years of driving one or two new cars weekly. Is is this: less really is more. It's easy to make a good expensive car; the trick is making a good affordable one.

Max Knudson, "Free rides hit end of the line," Deseret News, 28 Dec 2001, deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,355015105,00.html?

21 December 2001

Why High-Tech Firms Can’t Afford to Ignore Patents," Knowledge @ Warton, Dec 2001- Jan 2002

An article I wish I had read before the company lawyer came asking about patentable inventions.

19 December 2001

Janice Crotty Fraser, "Groundwork for Project Success," webtechniques, Jan 2002

Upfront steps to help make web projects a success.
Dan Bricklin, "Thoughts about the Segway HT: Why it's not just a scooter," Bricklin.com, 17 Dec 2001

You should look closely at disruptive technologies, and not just dismiss them out of hand.

Dan Bricklin, the creator of spreadsheets, points out the disruptive possibilities of the Segway. Well done with great links to Segway comics on Salon.

15 December 2001

Jeffrey Zeldman,"Why Don't You Code For Netscape," A List Apart, 7 Dec 2001

The method outlined in the NYPL Style Guide (valid XHTML, tables for basic layout, CSS for all else) works in any browser, though the design may be ever–so–slightly degraded in 4.0 and older browsers. I often follow this method in designing projects for clients, and recommend it in my consulting practice as a means of bringing document structure and forward–compatibility to large–scale content sites.
Adam Greenfield, "The Bathing Ape Has No Clothes," A List Apart, 7 Dec 2001

...I believe that success in design strongly implies a satisfying the requirements of a user. This is what distinguishes it from art or self-expression...