Comments on: The One Design Tool You Absolutely Need to Use http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/ A Web and Graphic Design Blog Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:35:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: SEO Packages http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-6125 SEO Packages Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:57:39 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-6125 Great post. This is one of the best blog I have read. Thanks for sharing your tips. Great post. This is one of the best blog I have read. Thanks for sharing your tips.

]]> By: Richard Georges http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-6060 Richard Georges Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:35:03 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-6060 Brilliant article as usual Matt. Keep it up and the hits will keep coming. In support of your thesis, I am a proponent of: sketching out your designs for web and print in a sketchbook or journal; making a favourite group of sites that capture some of the competitors' approaches, or the feel and emotion you want to go for; creating mood boards (I need to do better with this); and searching for inspiration in unlikely areas all before I fire up a design program. This cuts down the time spent in that program 'playing around' hoping for inspiration to hit and be perfect the first time. Rich Brilliant article as usual Matt. Keep it up and the hits will keep coming.

In support of your thesis, I am a proponent of: sketching out your designs for web and print in a sketchbook or journal; making a favourite group of sites that capture some of the competitors’ approaches, or the feel and emotion you want to go for; creating mood boards (I need to do better with this); and searching for inspiration in unlikely areas all before I fire up a design program.

This cuts down the time spent in that program ‘playing around’ hoping for inspiration to hit and be perfect the first time.

Rich

]]> By: DesignLovr http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-6018 DesignLovr Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:16:55 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-6018 I actually completely agree with you. So-called "Design"-Programs just have a supporting role in the Design and Creation Process - after all we can even design with a pen and paper... I actually completely agree with you. So-called “Design”-Programs just have a supporting role in the Design and Creation Process – after all we can even design with a pen and paper…

]]> By: Dereck http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5910 Dereck Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:55:23 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5910 Could't agree more. This is something I've been talking about for years. Trying to get people to understand that software is just a tool. Your mind is the most precious and versatile tool you have. The next is pencil & paper - the only way to get your ideas down, unrestricted by any lack of software knowledge. Could’t agree more. This is something I’ve been talking about for years. Trying to get people to understand that software is just a tool. Your mind is the most precious and versatile tool you have. The next is pencil & paper – the only way to get your ideas down, unrestricted by any lack of software knowledge.

]]> By: Bas http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5879 Bas Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:20:15 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5879 Matt, thanks for writing this down! The web design world lacks a decent deal of critique (most blogs report inspiration and how-to-stuff) and your article delivers some good thoughts on the big perspective. Matt, thanks for writing this down!
The web design world lacks a decent deal of critique (most blogs report inspiration and how-to-stuff) and your article delivers some good thoughts on the big perspective.

]]> By: EricW http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5853 EricW Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:36:22 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5853 That was a great article. I was expecting you to actually talk about some "design software". You made some good points, and I have to say, I've seen way too many websites out there of people who think they know web design just because they can move objects around in Dreamweaver. One thing that I wish you added to this article is the name of some books or websites that you have used to "feed" your mind. I am always interested to learn what inspires other people's creativity. Sometimes when I am designing a new website, if my client hasn't been too specific on what they want, I look around at other websites to get some inspiration. But it's hard to find websites that aren't bland or poorly designed(especially ones that look like they were designed before the turn of the century). When you aren't feeling too creative, what do you look at or read to help your mind along? That was a great article. I was expecting you to actually talk about some “design software”. You made some good points, and I have to say, I’ve seen way too many websites out there of people who think they know web design just because they can move objects around in Dreamweaver. One thing that I wish you added to this article is the name of some books or websites that you have used to “feed” your mind. I am always interested to learn what inspires other people’s creativity.

Sometimes when I am designing a new website, if my client hasn’t been too specific on what they want, I look around at other websites to get some inspiration. But it’s hard to find websites that aren’t bland or poorly designed(especially ones that look like they were designed before the turn of the century). When you aren’t feeling too creative, what do you look at or read to help your mind along?

]]> By: Sneh Roy http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5818 Sneh Roy Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:03:43 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5818 Another compelling and intriguing piece of writing Matt. Well done! First of all I agree about "choices". As designers, good design is about making good choices and great design is about making the right choices. But ... A good designer is also one who caters to the needs of his clients and balances the "choices" in a manner that satisfies all. It may not necessarily be the best design out there, because again "design is about perception too!", but choosing a "not so great" design won't make the designer any less great in this case, IMO. "The only thing that can really make you a better designer is the grey matter located right there between your ears" .. to some extent this may be true, but I will have to respectfully disagree. Our mind is very powerful indeed but we have yet to discover telekinesis that would actually move mountains and whip out websites with just "brain power". What makes a person a better designer is not just the mind, but also a strong will, a lot of discipline, hunger and practice. I used to think that too, if I have a strong sorted out mind, I'll be a great designer. Not true! A great writer maybe, but not a great designer. After undertaking a daily project, I am now realizing the value of repetitve practice and self-discipline. You may argue now that self-discipline comes from a strong mind .. I'll give you that. But you can practice and re-do something over and over again and it will make you better. In fact practice makes you so good at the task on hand, that eventually you learn to switch off your mind and do it on automaton occasionally and it turns out just as well :) Another compelling and intriguing piece of writing Matt. Well done!

First of all I agree about “choices”. As designers, good design is about making good choices and great design is about making the right choices.

But …

A good designer is also one who caters to the needs of his clients and balances the “choices” in a manner that satisfies all. It may not necessarily be the best design out there, because again “design is about perception too!”, but choosing a “not so great” design won’t make the designer any less great in this case, IMO.

“The only thing that can really make you a better designer is the grey matter located right there between your ears” .. to some extent this may be true, but I will have to respectfully disagree. Our mind is very powerful indeed but we have yet to discover telekinesis that would actually move mountains and whip out websites with just “brain power”. What makes a person a better designer is not just the mind, but also a strong will, a lot of discipline, hunger and practice.

I used to think that too, if I have a strong sorted out mind, I’ll be a great designer. Not true! A great writer maybe, but not a great designer. After undertaking a daily project, I am now realizing the value of repetitve practice and self-discipline. You may argue now that self-discipline comes from a strong mind .. I’ll give you that. But you can practice and re-do something over and over again and it will make you better. In fact practice makes you so good at the task on hand, that eventually you learn to switch off your mind and do it on automaton occasionally and it turns out just as well :)

]]> By: CSS Brigit | The One Design Tool You Absolutely Need to Use http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5784 CSS Brigit | The One Design Tool You Absolutely Need to Use Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:31:04 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5784 <strong> The One Design Tool You Absolutely Need to Use...</strong> In this article, I am going to make an effort at debunking a design myth, and by extension underline what I feel is the absolute most important tool of any designer. You dont want to miss this one.... The One Design Tool You Absolutely Need to Use…

In this article, I am going to make an effort at debunking a design myth, and by extension underline what I feel is the absolute most important tool of any designer. You dont want to miss this one….

]]> By: Vladimir Remenar http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5781 Vladimir Remenar Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:00:17 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5781 The one tool: inspiration I can use any tool as log as I have inspiration, whether it's a pen and paper, Photoshop, ... And I can use my brain to think all day long about designing something but it just doesn't do any good if I have no inspiration. The one tool: inspiration

I can use any tool as log as I have inspiration, whether it’s a pen and paper, Photoshop, …

And I can use my brain to think all day long about designing something but it just doesn’t do any good if I have no inspiration.

]]> By: sibidiba http://blog.echoenduring.com/2010/02/04/the-one-design-tool-you-absolutely-need-to-use/#comment-5761 sibidiba Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:02:27 +0000 http://blog.echoenduring.com/?p=2494#comment-5761 I agree also with Jeff Reeves, that a complete software design must include the completed software. http://www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/reeves_design_main.html I agree also with Jeff Reeves, that a complete software design must include the completed software.

http://www.developerdotstar.com/mag/articles/reeves_design_main.html

]]>