Posts from April, 2009

Integrity

I think of myself as having “integrity.” In fact, I’d say that the idea of being an honest, trustworthy guy is integral to my self-image. And I think that relatively speaking, there is some truth in it: I don’t often lie or cheat, and I am very open with anyone about all parts of my life and business. I love what I do, and what I do pays the bills, so I’ve got every reason in the world to be honest!

But unfortunately, “having integrity” is something more than the superficial decision to tell the truth when pressed. The idea of real integrity is something much deeper than simple truth-telling, it’s the concept of a deep transparency: a commitment to building a character that is not merely honest on the surface, but deeply committed to doing what is right–even in the face of difficulty or personal loss–right down to the very core of one’s being. Do I really have that kind of integrity, as a designer, as a professional, as a husband, and as a son?

I’d like to take a closer look. Lets unpack this a little bit together, and look at the ways that we as a culture have forgotten about real personal responsability, and ways that we can go against the grain of mainstream culture–both personally and professionally–to become real men and women of deep, unwavering integrity. more »

The Slow Design Movement

Slow Food

You’ve no doubt heard about the “Slow Food” movement. Originating in the bay area (where else?), it’s come to be the envy and inspiration of “foodies” the world over. And why not? There is much to be gained from taking the time to enjoy one of the most important parts of our physiological existence: eating. I love to cook, and cooking is best when good food becomes a way of thinking, rather than a list of expensive ingredients and complicated instructions. Good food comes when we take the time to be inspired, the time to consider the process, the time to execute the process faithfully, and the time to enjoy the result. Without all of that time, food becomes just one more thing you have to “do” during your busy day.

In this article, I’ll be proposing that product design is on the verge of a similar revolution, and that if we are aware of it and take full advantage of it, a “Slow Design” movement could completely change the way designers think about their craft, and could hopefully even have influence on the way our customers think about the products they are consuming. more »

Hicks-Gibbon: “ready for liftoff!!”

If you haven’t checked out www.hicksgibbon.com lately, do it. Do it now! That way you can say you were the first kid on the block to see it; way back before they were cool. Next stop, world domination via greeting cards and gifts. Don’t believe me? Just wait. You’ll see.

Easiest possible stepper w/ arduino

Eureka! I was able to get my mini steppers working (as described here), and boy was it easy! Here’s the arduino code I used. Hopefully I’ll soon figure out how I can drive five of these at once using only one arduino. I’ve got some ideas; we’ll see how that goes.

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