Anheuser-Busch sold to Belgian beverage giant InBev for $52B. Diese Bud is für Sie (This Bud's for you).

Being one of the newest additions to Azul 7, I've been thinking a lot about what makes a great workplace lately. Here's what I've come up with, in no particular order:

Your opinions are valued, and you feel free to really speak your mind

• Your job and it's duties are engaging (that means they stretch your capabilities and make you think)
• You respect your co-workers for many reasons (they're really good at what they do, they're brilliant, they're helpful when you have a question or need a hand, and they're just generally good people that you don't mind being around for the majority of your day)
• The work the organization puts out is something you can really be proud of
• The environment is a healthy one
• The organization continually strives to improve communication and processes
• You are allowed the flexibility to do your job on your time (as long as it gets done, and gets done well, everyone is happy)
• You work in a true team environment (you want others to succeed and are free with your encouragement, compliments, and general pats on the back)

and my personal favorite…

• Work hard, play hard (we all have a life outside of work and it's important to try to keep some balance in your life!)

I genuinely feel like we're really blessed to have all of these here at Azul 7 and I am fortunate to be contributing!

 

Having recently graduated from a four-year graphic design program, education is still a prominent thought in my mind. Four weeks after starting here at Azul7 the same thought continues to narrate my bus rides home – I still have so much to learn. I realize that every rookie designer goes through a similar phase during the beginning of their career, but I cannot help but wonder if there is any way that my college education could have better prepared me for entering the world of design, particularly the growing world of interactive design?

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have been placed in the hands of a professor in my last semester of college, who constantly encouraged us to think about design as an interactive experience. Until that point in my education, interactive design seemed to be more of an afterthought in the curriculum of many professors. Since graduating, I have become increasingly concerned that not enough emphasis is placed on interactive design, and that interactive media is being positioned not as a core component but rather an elective.

Design will be a means for communicating information to audiences. In order to do this effectively, design constantly evolves with technology. As the world begins to devote more and more of its time and resources towards online and digital activity, design will do the same. So, why aren't design programs following suit? Students are required to take classes in packaging and logo design, yet not all programs require students to study web design. Websites and other interactive media are far more effective at reaching audiences than direct mail and packaging campaigns, yet certain schools continue to elevate traditional design fields above the rest.

Web design has come a long way since the 90s, and it's time that design programs, professors, and students start realizing that a well-designed web site can be far more beautiful than any bottle of vodka or line of beauty products.

Designers, start encouraging students and young designers to think beyond print. Share your work with as many classrooms and students as possible. Professors, start showing students the potential and potency of interactive design. An education isn't valuable if it isn't relevant. Students, start paying attention to what's happening in the world outside of your design classrooms. Look to business and other sectors to really see what your audience is really interested in.

As for me, I will continue to discover countless things that I still need to learn. I will also look forward to each day, knowing that another part of my interactive education is waiting for me .

(click the image to start the presentation. Quicktime is required. You can download Quicktime here)

This presentation was given to LifeScience Alley on Thursday, June 26 2008. It was a great opportunity for us to talk with those in attendance about Search Engine Optimization, Paid Search Advertising, and how these strategies influence the biomedical marketplace. You can also download the presentation in Powerpoint or PDF format.

 

When working with system fonts, you need to stop and ask yourself, is this something I can even work with? I have selected the top three system fonts based on accessibility, history and functional properties. Don't get me wrong, I am not head over heels for any of these fonts. But based on my limited selection I have chosen Helvetica, Georgia, and Verdana.

 

I have not included any of the new Windows Vista fonts because they have not been made accessible to me. In the words of Adam Gedde, the Great, “Don't rely on anything from Microsoft to be free, available or to work”. I see some of the new Windows Vista fonts have a contemporary look and functional properties. However, I am not willing to pay $299.00 for system fonts when I would rather be spending my cash money on fonts from Emigre, Hoefler & Frere-Jones, 2Rebels, or Under Ware, just to name a few.

 

 

 

 

 

My relationship with Helvetica is based purely on respect. I have chosen Helvetica mainly for its functional properties (it is extremely legible), and because of its historical background. Helvetica has a very distinct personality because it came out of the modern movement. This may or may not be a message that you would like to portray. Danny Van Den Dungen talks about the subversive message that modernism sends. "For us, modernism does have a more subversive side. Modernism is primarily concerned with functionalism and utilitarianism. This is something that emerged much later."

 

People seem to either love or hate Helvetica. Erik Spiekermann expresses his contempt for Helvetica because of its lack of rhythm and contrast. "A real typeface needs rhythm, needs contrast… it comes from handwriting. That is why I can read your handwriting and you can read mine. We can read it because there is a rhythm and a contrast to it. Helvetica does not have any of that." Others like Rick Poynor see Helvetica as a mark of modern society. "In a way, Helvetica is a club. It is a mark of membership. It is a badge that says we are a part of modern society; we share the same ideas. It is well rounded; it is not going to be damaging or dangerous."

 

Despite Helvetica's powerful functional qualities, it lacks accessibility. The problem with Helvetica is that it is only available to Macintosh.

 

 

 

 

 

Is Helvetica something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann in 1957

Classification: Sans-Serif

 

 

 

 

 

 

Georgia and Verdana were designed as a sans serif and serif complementary set by Matthew Carter in 1996. One of the greatest strengths of these fonts is their accessibility across platforms. Carter states, "By agreeing to make these fonts available cross-platform, Microsoft and Apple will support their customers and confirm their respect for the standards of type design."

 

My respect for Matthew Carter and his work is my primary reason for choosing Georgia and Verdana. The driving force for his work is to solve the problem at hand. His work is not dependent on an aesthetic or method, but solely on creating the best solution. The effects of this driving force can be seen in the versatility of his work from Snell Roundhand, Bell Centennial, Big Caslon, Sophia, and my personal favorite: his work for the Walker.

 

Georgia and Verdana have many functional properties that make them easy to read. Cyrus Highsmith of the Font Bureau describes Matthew Carter's respect for the reader, "Matthew doesn't just serve the reader by providing him with a readable typeface. He respects the reader. This comes from his combination of humility and the seriousness and the level of thought he puts into his craft.” The only downfall is that these fonts lack an aesthetic appeal.

 

 

 

Is Georgia something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Matthew Carter in 1996

Classification: Transitional Serif

 

 

 

Is Verdana something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Matthew Carter in 1996

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

 

 

“I am a words person, that is why typography is the obvious extension, it just makes my words visible.” Erik Spiekermann

 

As a designer, I have a special place tucked away in my heart for fonts. However, I find working with system fonts tragically disappointing. I am faced with this disappointment every day when creating accessible interactive spaces. Spaces that need to be compatible with every operating system and web browser. This is the dilemma, how do you create engaging spaces that are accessible to everyone when there are so many limitations?

 

Using system fonts creates many limitations. Typography can be such a powerful story teller. It tells about a period in time and can portray different personality. System fonts tell a story it is just wrong one.

 

They can reflect a period in time that says I am just out dated enough for you to notice. For example Arial looks like it was designed in 1982 primarily because of its high x height that was popular in the 80's.

 

Very few of the system fonts have a distinct personality and the ones that do are obnoxious. For example, Comic Sans. Although Comic Sans was only created in 1994 it has done a great amount of damage in a short amount of time. It is every where. It has become the most widely used system font. Right now I am still looking for reasons why this type face has been made so accessible. The choice is yours you can either make a stand against the spread of comic sans or you can add to the problem.

 

Courier New was commissioned in the 1950's by IBM originally designed for typewriters. At this point in time courier is not good for large bodies of text because it is not legible but is often used as a display and programming font. Until 2004 Courier New was the U.S. State Department's standard typeface, now they are using Times New Roman. Because of its history it has been used as a display font for Mission: Impossible-Opening. But when it comes down to it these fonts are obnoxious and are absolutely useless to me.

 

When it comes to system fonts I have very little to work with. At this point These are the fonts that I have to work with Arial, Arial Black, Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Comic Sans MS, Consolas, Constantia, Corbel, Courier New, Georgia, Geneva, Helvetica, Impact, Lucida Console, Lucida Grande, Lucida Sans Unicode, Monaco, Palatino Linotype / Book Antiqua, Palatino, Tahoma, Times New Roman, Times, Trebuchet MS, and Verdana are all of the system fonts being used by the different operating systems. Calibri, Cambria, Candara, Consolas, Constantia, and Corbel have just been introduced and are only available to Windows Vista and are intended to replace all other system fonts used by other operating systems. Microsoft and Macintosh are both trying to solve the problem independently only creating a greater problem.

This is what I need at the most basic level, a sans serif and serif font designed to be functional, timeless, easy to read and accessible to every platform functional. Please anyone step up to the plate give me something to work with.

When working with system fonts you need to stop and ask yourself, is this something I can even work with. Some system fonts are absolutely useless but no need to worry I rated each one for you.

Is Arial something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Robin Nicholas and Patricia Sauders in 1982.

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

Is Calibri something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Luc(as) de Groot in 2007

Classification: Modern Sans-Serif

Is Cambria something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Ian Koshnick in 1989

Classification: Transitional Serif

Is Candara something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Gary Munch in 2007

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

Is Comic Sans MS something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Vincent Connare in 1994

Classification: Casual Script

Is Consolas something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Lucas de Groot is a 2007

Classification: Monospaced Sans-Serif

Is Constantia something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: John Hudson in 2007

Classification: Modulated Sedge-Serif

Is Corbel something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Jeremy Tankard for Microsoft in 2005

Classification: Linear Sans-Serif

Is Courier New something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Howard “Bud” Kettler in 1955

Classification: Monospaced Slab-Serif

Is Geneva something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Susan Kare in 1997

Classification: Realist Sans-Serif

Is Georgia something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Matthew Carter in 1996

Classification: Transitional Serif

Is Helvetica something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Max Miedinger with Eduard Hoffmann in 1957

Classification: Sans-Serif

Is Impact something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Geoffrey Lee in 1965

Classification: Realist Sans-Serif

Is Lucida Sans Unicode something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes in 1993

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

Is Lucida Console something I can work with?

Rating: Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes in 1985

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

Is Lucida Grande something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes in 1985

Classification: Humanist Sans Serif

Is Monaco something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Susan Kare and Kris Holmes in 1997

Classification: Monospaced Sans-Serif

Is Palatino Linotype / Book Antiqua something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Hermann Zapf initially in 1948

Classification: Old Style Serif Typeface

Is Tahoma something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Matthew Carter in 1994

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

Is Times New Roman something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Stanley Morison and Victor Lardent in 1931

Classification: Serif Typeface

Is Trebuchet MS something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Vincent Connare in 1996

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

Is Verdana something I can work with?

Absolutely Useless 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Tolerable

Designed by: Matthew Carter in 1996

Classification: Humanist Sans-Serif

So I thought it was a normal Thursday morning, until I was confronted with the fact that my blog post was weeks overdue. So I turned to my team for help. "What should I write about?", I asked, "just give me a topic and I'll write about it." "You're only as good as your latest Photoshop filter", said Charissa, "there you go, get to writing." I started thinking to myself, yeah right, as if I know anything to write about Photoshop, that Adobe guy is way smarter than I am. I gave it some time to sink in and started to realize maybe she had just given me a great topic. There seemed to be some inner meaning behind her advice. It was like an inside joke without the joke. You're only as good as your latest Photoshop filter, what exactly does that mean? Well, here's what I think she meant: You're only as good as your creativity takes you. If your creativity stops at a Photoshop filter, well, you've succeeded in utilizing and learning the tools of the trade. Keep trying. Real creativity goes beyond the obvious tools right in front of you, it requires a significant amount of belief. Belief in yourself that you can not only utilize the tools at hand, but introduce a fresh and unique way to integrate those tools into your concept(s) and approach. That belief then takes you to finding ideal combinations of those tools introducing new techniques into your skill set. This belief now starts taking you down an avenue of unlimited possibilities. It's not until you find yourself going this direction that your designs really start to have their own voice and personality. Of course finding this dark, hidden avenue takes a number of years, but when you find it, the work you'll start producing will blow you away. Now imagine executing your designs with a rock solid creative development team and you just might start considering a change of religion. To Adobeianity to be exact. So what I really think she was trying to say is, don't let a Photoshop filter drive your belief in yourself. Those are just tools and pieces of the bigger picture. It's how you use those tools and then move beyond those tools that really define who you are as a creative. Thank you Mr. Adobe, it's now up to the rest of us to advance beyond your latest filters.

Welcome to As The Platform Fills, a weekly series reporting on the latest sightings, observances, and events taking place right here — outside our office — in downtown Minneapolis overlooking the Nicollet Mall Light Rail Platform. The lives we observe are complex. The dramas we record are real. Things get weird. Stay tuned each week for more real platform action. It was just another morning at the office. I was clicking, dragging and typing when I heard muffled gasps down the hall from one my coworker's offices. Then a shriek. Then a "Holy shit!" and some shocked, cackling type of laughter (Must've been Joe). Soon footsteps pattered in my direction, and I was instructed that I needed to look out the window at the platform. Excited, as I always am at these moments of platform drama, I popped up eagerly to look out the window. "What the!", I exclaimed. This couldn't be real. But it was very real. Someone had actually driven about 50 feet onto the train track. Not only that, but they had managed to get half the car up on two wheels onto the platform, which is about 2 feet above street level. We all stood gawking, jaws open. Many questions entered my mind… What were they doing in their car? Were they an out-of-towner? I'll be the first to admit the tracks running through downtown have thrown me off once or twice. And I've driven down a one-way before, and in a bus lane. I'm far from perfect behind the wheel. But this; this was beyond just a little slip-up. Once this driver realized he/she had driven on the tracks, was he/she thinking they might actually get up and over the platform to the street? Or were they drinking coffee, texting, and behaving in a very non-appropriate driving manner?

Let your passions move you. Don't be defined by what you aren't; be defined by what your vision of the future will be. Don't be afraid to think big. Think. There's a bigger ocean. Your only limitation is your confidence in your compass. In the last few years I've been listening to a debate about what the future of advertising isn't. I sometime find it ironic that an industry that should be creative has such a difficult time articulating a vision. As I look back and I consider what inspired me. What stands out to me is that the people I recall first are the ones that were the smartest, kindest, and the most thoughtful about their profession. They never stopped studying, teaching, exploring. Their lives were defined by their passion and they shared their passion every hour of every day with those that were willing to learn. Inspired by a life of work, Saul Bass www.designmuseum.org/design/saul-bass Burne Hogarth www.bpib.com/hogarth.htm Jack Unruh www.jackunruh.com/real.html Stan Richards www.adcglobal.org/archive/hof/1999 Milton Glaser http://hillmancurtis.com/hc_web/film_video/source/milton.php Woody Pirtile http://www.pirtledesign.com/index.htm Eric Madsen http://emadsen.com Matt Mahurin http://www.tlchicken.com/view_story.php?ARTid=3345 and http://www.about-tracy-chapman.net/videos.htm People I love to watch: Joe Duffy www.duffy.com/duffy/index.aspx Alan Colvin http://designcue.com Woody Pirtle http://www.designerid.com/video.php Pentagram http://hillmancurtis.com/hc_web/film_video/source/pent.php Russel Davis http://youtube.com/watch?v=6F1T9RDBY3I IDEO http://ideo.com Miscellaneous thoughts; Stanford Design www.fastcompany.com/fast50_08/index.html Ted www.ted.com Art Center www.artcenter.edu One Club www.oneclub.org Cannes www.canneslions.com Second Story http://secondstory.com Communication Arts http://commarts.com