The Email Wars

LOPP: “There is a lot of swearing at SXSW – Be Prepared”

What do we know about Apple? Great Design, new ideas.

What words are inside design? Sign, SIN, Dine, etc…. Lots of things that design can become or mean.

How many of you are designers> (hands up all over)

Definition: Design is a present, It is an unintentional discover you make.

The obsessive design story: really odd packaging, and really strange ads. The new Mentos Box, how many people know about it? Why did they change the packaging to a box? When he closed it it clicks. There is an actual latch on it. It really works. That to Lopp is great design. Not just a square box, but one that serves a function and works.

Process = peace: in design and engineering keep them from killing one another.

Apple designs in order to give “presents”. Things that are worth waiting for. Like Apple packaging porn. They talk about how thought out the product packaging it at every step of the reveal when you open it. The stores are modeled after museums. The brand delivers the story about what you are getting for “Christmas”. That is the reoccurring theme, they design for people that look forward to Christmas AM when they get to open something that they are so excited to find out about. Design to excite, stimulate, and drive the person to WANT to own something from your brand.

“HOW the fuck do you do that?” – From Lopp.
I can’t tell you how, I can tell you of a few ways. It has alot to do with us screwing up alot. We keep the bar incredibly high. Pain, fear and blood is the norm.

FEAR of Design Feedback:
Fear of Blue – the idea that EVERYONE has an opinion on colors.
Python code – so many people don’t know it. which is a barrier to entry is knowledge. Not creating a barrier of entry to give an opinion is an issue
Fear of Ponies: All the requests that a client gives that really are the best possible ideas all gathered into one place. They actually want a pony, Fun, cute, works, likable. The problem is that everyone wants a pony and sometimes designers must give the client what they really need. Maybe a racehorse or maybe a mule.

There are gems inside of all of this feedback that they get from the teams.

Where to Sweat:
We do pixel perfect mock ups. We give a complete feeling for entire product. The perfect pixel mock up IS hard.

10 to 3 to 1 Rule:
10: how many mock ups we do – 10 versions – there are 10 that are really good
3: We get those ten down to 3 – gives us a lot of room for iterations.
1: gives us the best

Paired design Meetings:
2 meetings each week.
- Brainstorm meeting. Just throw it all out there.
- Then paired with a production meeting. This is the opposite of the brainstorm. It is facts, how to, why, and when.

The Pony Meeting
It is the meeting for the Ponies.(The Ponies in this case are the internal clients at Apple aka Jobs) It is were every two weeks or so we present the design ideas to the decisions makers to give their opinion. It gives them visibility into what is going on and keeping some controls around it.

JOHN GRUBER: “THIS IS THE BLOOD PART”

Notion that is wrong: The better the design work, the less resistance it meets.

Better necessarily implies different. If what you are doing is not different, how can it be better if it is the same? Different = Scary?

Because of this many people NEVER go for GREAT design. They are afraid to innovate. If it is comfortable, it is not great.

“Exactly the same but better.” It does not make sense. It is safe, not new, not disruptive, not game changing.

The PLEA Bargain:
Take the plea – or take it to court. Most people take the plea and not the risk. Design is like that. There is NO guarantee. Managers want to take the safe route on design. Others once they take the risk see the impact and success.

“Don’t try to be original, just be good.” Different VS Original? If is a conflation of cause and effect. You don’t create great design by trying to create something good. You do good work to create something original.

When you try to get designs approved: you could give them some great design, and they will have opinions, but they could never do it. It is the idea that matters more than the execution.

Designers are EXPECTED to be CLEVER. Not expected to be expected.

Good work is always expensive. As soon as a client hears price they automatically expect more in return. If I pay you alot, I want to see ALOT of design. That is a broken idea. Clients should be paying for something that is done well and can be well executed.

APPLE logo: Why would they use the APPLE with the bite out of it. It actually represents the original sin. So why would it every have that idea? What does it mean? They weren’t going to say, just teased the audience.

How can you make design that will stand the test of time. What will 20 year bring? Look back 20 years and see if your ideas would carry over for design ideas then.

DESIGN IS MAKING DECISIONS AND PACKAGING THEM AS A WHOLE.
It is not letting a client rip things apart, control direction, ideas, etc. You have been hired to deliver a total package. You have been hired to create the design. You need to stand up for your design, be able to present it, defend it, support it and sell it.

ARE you willing to be called an Asshole? If you are reading this and doing what he is saying, you better be ready to be called an asshole. They want to have input at the client, but they want you to compromise. Might not be the best idea. Compromise is about avoiding conflict. But design is about creating conflict. When they call you difficult what does it mean? Are you a jerk or are you more dedicated to the integrity of your work. you are not your work, it is not about you but about the work. Learn the word NO. Don’t be araid to use it. No can be the word to get you to great design.

Blood, Sweat, and Fear: Great Design Hurts
The core dilemma for talented designers in any field is this: If you strive for greatness in your design, you will meet resistance; if you strive to avoid resistance, you can’t do great design. Different is scary. Great design has to fight with the idea that many see “better” as meaning “more of the same”. The better your work and the higher your standards, the more you’ll have to fight against the urge to stay within the warm, safe confines of mediocrity.
Panelists:
John Gruber Raconteur, Daring Fireball
Michael Lopp, Apple Inc