The Sensel Morph
- March 29th, 2016
Design in Tech Report 2016: John Maeda at SXSW
- March 23rd, 2016
Published on Mar 23, 2016
For all of us who use a computer or mobile device, great design is changing how we live and work. John Maeda’s 2016 Design In Tech Report helps explain why.
iOS Ad Blockers: Why Advertisers Are Suddenly Going Diarrhea In Their Pants
- February 23rd, 2016
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on October 20, 2015 by Joel Hladecek
Apple recently released ad blocking capabilities in iOS, and the ad and publishing industries began frothing at the mouth. Every emotion from spitting panic to disdain have been hurled into the webversphere over the capability. And as a consumer, and an ex-advertising shill, I love it.
I am particularly fond of the most vicious ad blockers, the so-called ‘blunt instruments’. The ones that leave gaping, blank maws between thin slices of actual content. The ones that so severely disable Forbes ’welcome page’ (an interruptive page of ads feigning value with some irrelevant ‘quote of the day’) that you are required to close the resulting blank window and click the article’s original link again to see the content.
Yes, I even revel in the extra effort it requires to get past all the newly broken, well-blocked bits. It’s harder in some ways. But you know what? It’s payback time. And that extra effort? It’s a pleasure. I know that each tap and empty window is sending a message.
- December 25th, 2015
Becoming a Director: The Undisclosed Challenge of Creation in a Straightjacket
- April 12th, 2015
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on February 14, 2014 by Joel Hladecek
As professional creatives, as designers, and artists in any medium, staff or freelance, we tend to share a common career goal. After entering the workforce and working in our chosen field for a number of years, we imagine naturally progressing to directing, where we will be inspiring teams of people in doing what we have done. We may further imagine rather loftier goals than that, but surely directing is part of our journey.
Although often eager for this promotion, few creatives understand the implications of directing, and therefor fail to prepare themselves adequately for the role.
Let me state emphatically – the hardest thing any talented creative person will ever have to do in his/her career – and truly nothing is fraught with more hidden challenge – is face the moment of transitioning from being a person who makes things, to a person who directs people who make things.