On this date ten years ago, I reflected on the first decade of my career as a designer, a professional milestone not unlike reaching a scenic overlook on a steep mountain climb or a mile marker on a rocky long-distance trek. As I looked back over the years and wrote each lesson, I conjured up …
Author: Michael
Searching for an Info Design Community
I’ve spent most of my career looking for a community — a collection of like-minded folks who care about information design the same way I do. People from all different backgrounds, different specialties, and different places along their journeys. People I can learn from, share with, talk shop, knock back a few beers with. People …
Ready to Know
In the worlds of information design and data visualization, there’s plenty of attention paid to the Data and Information side of the DIKW continuum and how to transform one into the other. If the problem is defined and data are readily available or researchable, it’s just a matter of doing the work — engaging process, skills, …
On Being Real
So here we are, the end of another month. Once again I crack open WordPress and ask myself: What’s worth writing about this time? What do I care enough about to spend time assembling words and pictures on a screen for others to read? And what will others find valuable enough to invest their time …
Design’s Dueling Dualities
Design is in a continuous state of flux. The more design evolves, the wider the pendulum swings between polarities: tradition versus modernity, old-school versus cutting-edge, slow-and-steady versus quick-and-dirty. So much design chatter today is like a perpetual tug-of-war, with fierce advocates, clever arguments, and strong emotions on both sides. The dualities below have become all-too-familiar. Some are in direct opposition, while …
Revisiting My Undergrad Honors Thesis
In April of 1999, after about a year and a half of research, writing, and designing, I defended my undergraduate Honors thesis on information design. Eighteen years have passed, and I’m finally sharing it publicly. But my story here isn’t about the content or the details (see the PDF below). It’s about the experience and the lessons …