We’ve come so far. The end of the year is just over there, out of reach, but you can smell it coming. There’s still work to do, books to read, and goals to knock out. Did you ever have senioritis? If you are a high achiever, probably not. If you are easily distracted, like me, then it’s a real thing. I’m not there yet, but it’s a battle. Let the links show–I’m still on task.
Books
Whoa, Vol. 1
Conversations To Make You Feel Human: A limited edition print publication of 100 copies exclusively sold at Metalabel (for American collectors), and an unlimited digital edition worldwide
Flexible Typesetting is now yours, for free
Originally published in 2018, Flexible Typesetting has sold thousands of copies and given a new generation of designers fresh mental models to craft meaningful, multidimensional typography
HTML is for people
HTML isn’t only for people working in the tech field. It’s for anybody, the way documents are for anybody. HTML is just another type of document. A very special one—the one the web is built on.
Web Design/UX/UI
Made in Figma: The National Park Service goes from paper to pixels
How do you design an app for 431 diverse national parks and monuments? By taking a page from iconic NPS park brochures. Learn how a small team adapted Massimo Vignelli’s seminal design system for a digital interface
Designing for anyone: The power of accessible products
…accessible design isn’t just about adhering to technical guidelines – it’s about creating products that work for anyone, in any situation
Graphic Design/Branding
Japan Airlines’ sleek rebrand is a soaring success
Traditional heritage meets modern design
‘Nothing like this has been done before for Bond’: Behind the design of the stunning new James Bond book covers
Artist Michael Gillette returns to 007 after 16 years
Tools
Google’s NotebookLM is one of the most powerful use cases for AI
The free tool now lets you create custom audio summaries and apply AI to your notes in new ways
Industrial Design
Zenga bros’ lamps, desks, and camper vans spontaneously turn into skateboard ramps
…a series of furniture pieces which are custom built to accommodate the urge to skateboard anytime, anywhere
Mola Structural System
A new way to study, teach and design structures
La Geria Lanzarote rug by Jose A Gandía-Blasco Canales for Gan
Spanish textile brand Gan has released a woollen rug that replicates the unique topography of La Geria – a protected landscape on Lanzarote, where wine is grown in conical pits dug into the volcanic soil.
Work
Note to New Design Managers
Having elevated a handful of talented folks into design management roles, I’ve come to observe a few things they can benefit from when they take on this new responsibility.