Hindsight is always 20/20, and there’s many things that influence design choices along the way (believe me!). Nevertheless, looking at, and analyzing, other people’s work can only make me (and maybe you!) a better designer. As a wise man once said, “A smart man learns from his own mistakes; a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”
For as far back as I can remember, I’ve always looked at things with a critic’s eye. Kids grow up saying “Why? Why? Why?”, but I never grew out of it. Maybe it was growing up with an extremely D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself), engineer father, or just my simple fascination with how things work, but I have always lived by the designer’s credo, “Is that really the best way to do that? Question everything.” This feature is 8-year old me saying, “Why?” + the design education and experience I have gained since then.
The articles I write as part of this feature will be infrequent, and based on my own personal usage/experience. I do not receive products for review; I am only doing this as a cathartic muse; not for an editor. If you learn something from something I post, great! If I annoy you… have a whiskey, relax, and write me a coherent response. I am always open to a friendly, constructive debate.
My first post, is about the mysterious hidden controls on my HDTV. These have bothered me for a long time, and at one point, were long forgotten. I rediscovered them recently, and they have sort of become the first inspiration for “Monday Morning Designer”. I will ask you to not expect every “M.M.D.” posting to be as long, and drawn out, as that one. Some (most!) will be short and sweet.
Since I started with a quote, I might as well continue quote bombing you, and end with another one that everyone (not just designers) should keep in mind:
“When we ask a designer for a bridge, he will look at first for the best ways to cross a river.” – Donald A. Norman
aroBANTER 
Leave a comment