Emilie Boisvert - Designing for a Visual Culture

SaaS - Software as a service - Working together towards solving problems of the day

2012-02-09T11:38:00.000-08:00

Software as a Service - SaaS is probably one of the finest innovations of the Internet yet. With people's abilities to use the Internet more frequently and more efficiently, essentially moving your desktop "on line" is naturally the next step. Think of it... no more restrictions of what you can and cannot do. No more restrictions of who you can contact and access. As part of a whole you are stronger and the delivery of work as a whole is less restricted by your silly scanner, e-mail storage limits and independent work flow calendars. More so, with the proper network set, you can find the right people instantly per job requirement and spend less time looking for the ideal employee. I can recount the many ways it was frustrating to find the right person for a specific job that I needed done "Today" without a network of people to tap into.

By buying into a service, you are contributing a comparatively small monthly fee (and sometimes it is free thanks to minimal advertisements along the right side of your screen) and receiving a MASSIVE, constantly updated and improved virtual machine. The power is in numbers and likewise, everyone benefits. The more participants there are, the more the developers can afford to enhance your experience.

From a work experience perspective, I have learnt over time, that not every one is naturally cut out to be an organiser - least an organised person. Furthermore, I found that I either had a very a big picture thinker in my team that could never get anything done (not even keep notes) or in most cases, very talented people who are excellent at focussing on one thing but struggle to see the bigger picture.

However, having the work experience of Creative Direction, I can empathise with both sides of that coin for even with a tight well oiled structure of daily "scrums", constant reporting, target deadlines, etc. I was ever so grateful to have a database (even if it was an in house Access database). While working on developing On line work-related applications for other clients such as School Boards, Health Units, etc., I can easily picture how much of an improvement a SaaS would be for any work responsibilities either as a Manager or a contributing worker. While you are within a well structured network of easily accessible information, well organised work flows and instant support there is much less to gripe about at your job and much more time spent working feeling the rewards of a job well done.

Ultimately you have more people working together at solving the problems of the day, speeding up the momentum of progress (whatever that may be defined as for you) and lessening strife.

Less win / lose situations = less conflict = harmony

A.K.A. Everyone Wins

Fundamental Laws of Story Telling: The MONOSTORY

2012-02-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

(Continue to the end for an informational video)

Story telling is arguably the first art form that sprung from the creative human mind. It is the root to all of our myths and legends and it contains within itself the fundamental laws of the human experience. To understand these laws makes you a good story teller and history suggests that it was the good story tellers that understood the world around them the best. In many cultures, the bard, the priest/priestess and the "Shaman" (pardon my universal application of this term) had the upper hand in society - whether it be in the power reflected in social status or power in his/her abilities to provide for the community. These figures in society had the creative prowess to deliver inspiring leadership and some of the greatest wisdoms which have transcended through time in various forms.

"The Scream" - by Edvard Munch

For this reason, if true, if having a better understanding of the human experience through story telling will improve my understanding of the creative process, then I am compelled to go back to the roots of this ancient art form.

It was in stories that the story teller could teleport the human mind into a different state. Following the guided path downward, the apt story teller has the ability to safely take you through vicarious experiences of strife and seemly insurmountable challenges in stages without any harm done to you. Within we may tear up, feel scared and before we know it, the experience can feel very real. As such, it is necessary for there to develop a bond between you and the storyteller - and that is why you listen on.

It is only at the right time, after all of the various stages of facing numerous challenges, that we are dared to approach the story's climax. It is only then that a story teller has prepared you to face the final challenges that are reflected within you. We cheer for the champion - a.k.a. the locus of our identity - and whether the characters we have learned to love die or loose tragically or not, their efforts do not go in vain. Ultimately we always gain something, whether it be insight, morals, wisdom, warnings, etc.

As so too reflected in the modern world of creative productions (and not limiting to novel or screenplay writing) good stories are written every day and always beget good creative results. This is not to say that every creative process requires an elaborately woven story however, I find that to some degree, do to the inherited nature of the human experience, that all human creations will have some form of a story to it - simple or complex - conscious or subconscious - emotive or matter of factly.

I found this video to be most helpful. It is at risk of pointing out the obvious however the speaker does a very good job of formulating the fundamental concepts of storytelling in a very neat and well rounded fashion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The MONOSTORY:

Common Freelance Mistakes

2012-01-31T19:34:00.000-08:00

Someone approached me today asking for me for advice on Freelancing. I had to stop and think about it for a minute. "Me? Giving advice?", I asked myself. Who would have thought that? But as I sat down and began to consider writing a response, I realised...

I made almost EVERY mistake in the book!

Artwork by: Daniel Conway

Time flies and 8 years have gone by since I started up my career as a Graphic Artist. I was a different person then but as I began to write the following down it came to me all too clearly.

If I could go back ten years and tell myself any word of advise it would be the same thing all of my advisers told me throughout my journey, and that is:
"You WILL make mistakes".
To me that's a big relief. My whole future is painted before me all the while knowing that with every fall I'll know how to get back up again.

When I was younger I felt that I could armour myself up and just take the blows but as I realised over time (and thanks to the help of many many people along the way) the bumps and bruises were mostly self inflicted. The most important part however is that mistakes do happen and that's okay. The day I stopped judging myself and my business based on the inevitable passed events, was the day I could move ahead with ease. And the funniest part is that in hindsight, the mistakes I made were minor. I didn't start a nuclear war with North Korea. At most I missed a deadline, or misjudged a client or the amount of time it would take to do the work. If you had no way of anticipating it, how can you blame yourself? All you can do now is to take it for what it was and move on. Next time you can try to anticipate the same thing again when it comes... because trust me... it will.

So now that we have the big relief of knowing that your future is full of pitfalls, here are a few things to consider with a grain of salt:

1. Build Healthy Boundaries. Everyone does better with set boundaries. Ever befriended your boss or partnered with a friend? It may feel more comfortable at first but it can get hairy fast. Trust me, I've done both and if something goes wrong, chances are your relationship is irreparable. In the case where I did business with a friend I found myself fortunate enough to have such a great friend. With abit of time and mending we were able to move past that part of our lives. In general though, I try to avoid doing direct business with friends and I certainly learned the lesson of befriending my boss the hard way. Avoid difficult business relationships by building healthy boundaries. There is no shame in keeping people at arms length when you are focusing on providing whats best for them.

2. Its always about the client. More importantly, The client's preferences are more important than whats truly good for them. Part of protecting you and your client is ensuring that both parties know where they stand in the relationship. When dealing with clients (or your boss) the other party may not always be correct but they are ALWAYS right.You can try to give them what is best for their needs by making suggestions, but in the end it NEVER MATTERS whether they take your suggestions or not. It is their responsibility to ensure that they are doing what they think is right for their business - not you. 99% of the time, if it is explained clearly as to how they will benefit from your suggestion, common sense dictates that they will go for your recommendation. However, you owe it to yourself to give yourself that protection and not equate their successes/failures with yours. You will save yourself and your client a lot of frustration that way. Learn to let go and remember that's its their baby you are working with, not yours. A freelancer that gripes about almost every client does not have healthy boundaries set.

3. Rely on your inner strength. Inner strength is often too romanticised to be accurately described. I equate inner strength with wisdom, which essentially is knowing when to act offensively, defensively and neutrally. When picturing inner strength I picture is as the Norse did. In Nordic Runes, Algiz (Elhaz) was frequently inscribed on Norse shields to symbolise protection but in truth it has little to do with violence and aggression. It depicts a person with arms upraised, elk's antlers, or a representation of the Norse God Heimdall who holds his sword in one hand and his horn in the other -- guarding the divine realm of Asgard. In the old Germanic languages, Algiz means "defence" or "protection" and symbolises defence of all that is sacred to you. Likewise, its your job to make sure that you are steady and protect yourself by separating yourself from your clients with a professional and personable detachment. This does not mean you should function like a robot. Algiz is often seen as a living breathing tree. In other words, inner strength can be seen as flexibility and solidarity in sticking to your principals. It is a non aggressive state and it is neither positive or negative but simply a neutral state. I can guarantee that having this type of attitude will ensure that both you and your client will have a good relationship.

4. Be the solid rock in a storm. Your clients rely on you more than they know sometimes. I like to see myself as a gentle adviser.... a solid rock in a troubling storm. Most of the time, I get clients that are having serious trouble and really need someone to sort their marketing materials and their web presence. Its a gut wrenching experience for them so I try to be organised, clear in my communication, concise and thorough. Most importantly, I include them in on every step of the way, especially with the clients that are happy to have me make decisions for them.

5. Find compassion. Its easy to get mad at ignorant people. Its harder still to find compassion. Just like you, your clients also make mistakes. Always try to remember where they are coming from. Don't excuse bad behaviour but usually there is a reason for every action they make. Breath and find the cause of their behaviour. Did you not get back to them in time? Are they stressed out about something unrelated to you? Don't take it upon you to fix every situation, but know that they happen to everyone. Your clients will always appreciate that about you - even if they cant put their thumb on what it is exactly.

6. Communication is everything. Grace your clients with emails and documents that are informative and brief. Clear and concise communication allows for the client to have answers before they start questioning. There is nothing more difficult than working with a worried client and 99% of the time you can't blame them for it. The common reaction stems from a feeling of powerlessness resulting in a desperate attempt to get something done - it can be anything really. Most people feel a sense of accomplishment just knowing that the hamster wheel is turning. They may not realise it but as a result, they step on your toes a little too much, rendering the work next to impossible to accomplish. Remember who you are, and keep your clients feeling secure knowing that you know what you are doing, because - face it, you do. Providing documents and regular emails at milestones helps a great deal. I am in the midst of setting up a SharePoint portal so that each of my clients can access information about their project at any time. They will be able to access information such as meeting notes, an excel sheet of the hours already spent on the project, samples of the job at various stages, estimates and the amounts due and their due dates. *Another important note: there are freelance websites out there that promise you job connections at the expense of some of your rights as a freelancer. These websites are fine if you need to build your clientele but make sure you read all of the fine print. Also, I find it more beneficial to keep my clients communicating directly to me and not through a third party website. This way I have control over the conversation.

7. Stay on top of invoicing. There is a reason why everyone pays their hydro bills on time. No money... no power and water until the amount due is payed. Hydro doesn't turn off your access to your amenities whenever it gets around to it. They turn it off at 9 am on the morning your notice said they would come. This type of relationship may seem cut and dry but it is what it is, and people will take you more seriously for it. In fact, you will gain more respect from your peers this way and your clients wont have to worry about you having difficulty keeping your books straight. Late invoicing can also mean that your clients dont remember the cost amount, or that they never payed the due ammount and worse still, they may think you double invoiced them.

8. Never Undercharge. the only thing worse than over-charging is undercharging. You may not gain some clients by overcharging but you'll have client's abusing you if you undercharge and you wont get any more work by being cheaper. If I wish to weigh my estimates and make sure they are reasonable, I always compare it to the “Pricing and Ethical Guidelines” book published by the Graphic Artist Guild. The estimates I produced are often surprisingly low in comparison because of the work experience that I have. I am confident that I can get the job done in a reasonable time so the final cost is sometimes lower than the 15.00/hr designer's final cost. Any time spent on meet and greet meetings with the client and email or telephone communications gets absorbed in the final cost and is considered a courtesy to the client. More so, I only charge for what I can deliver efficiently. Any time spent on personal development is NEVER charged to the client. If I choose to spend the time on something new and revolutionary, that's my choice, not theirs.

9. Volunteer. Acts of virtue are always self rewarding. Don't work yourself to the ground with it but a little goes a long way - both for the people you volunteered for and your own soul. Volunteering also gives you more experience and exposure. You never know what connections you may get out of it.

10. Stay Networked. Networking can be initially very intimidating but its not that hard. Somewhere wired down there you are engineered to be a social creature. Build your network by starting online. Learn about all of the social networking websites out there and start with a few that you can handle. Remember social networking requires commitment. I have a google + account, facebook, Linkedin , a Deviant Art account which I am just starting up and this Blogg which all connect to my portfolio website. I use any opportunity to link them. This month I'll also be going to the Small Business Centre in my local city to attend "Networking Night". Doors open at 7 and it costs 7.00 to get in. Passing out business cards and learning about other people and what they do can do better than get you job leads. It can inspire you and even connect you with other professionals who are working on remarkable things that you could be a part of. So a little word of advice: its not that scary to shake hands and exchange business cards, and the rewards are great!

11. Love what you do. I know this one sounds clichéd, I had to include it because its so very important. If you love what you do and don't come across too wound up and worried, people will think you are on to something and will want to be a part of it. Everyone wants to ride the joy waggon. Its refreshing and its the only waggon that has no kinks in its wheels.

12. Stay focused. Stay focused and keep working away at it. If you aren't getting any work for a 2 week period and you are starting to get worried that nothing will come of it, DON'T WORRY. It always comes. You could spend that time networking and building up your profile... maybe even work on a pet project that you can hone your skills with. Stay close to your heart and stay focused. Also, don't let anyone change that focus or bring you down. It is not worth it. If you are getting the feeling that you have a client that's just never happy and will bring you down, end the relationship as soon as you can and as diplomatically as you can. Two things to remember:

On the public front, you don't want to be associated with a bad partnership. Bad business owners do bad Business and go under sooner. You don't want to be a part of that - no matter how much money they try to throw at you.
People who are never happy, never think its their problem. You don't want a client that has any reason to talk badly about you to other people. You shouldn't care what other people think of you, but your standing in the community is always reflected in what the community has to say about you.

So I hope this helps. Looking back, I have made every single mistake here. The best part is that I have learned to dust myself off and be a better person and professional for it. I also know that I'll probably make some of these mistakes again - so knowing that, its a big relief.

Hopefully the next time, I'll just be that much better at dealing with the situation, and so will you.

Only with Collaboration Will We Ever Truely Achieve Greatness

2012-01-30T19:01:00.000-08:00

I saw an ad online today and I was appalled...

"#1 in Logo Design Bidding - 99designs.ca/Logo-Design - Our Designers Compete To Design Your Top Logo. You Pick the Winner!"

The newest online business trend is Design Bidding and it sickens me just how extreme it has gone. Essentially you compete against other designers in a desperate race between quality and price. As a result, design is cheapened to mere visuals that look cool but do nothing for the client. Ultimately, people are floundering about looking for ways to cheapen themselves, tearing themselves and each other apart. What we need is collaboration, not competition. It is the very essence of why you hired an agency to cover your branding and design needs and not your cousin's younger brother who knows some photoshop comand keys.

At the expense of sounding bitter I cannot stress this point enough.

I can tolerate the mildness of certain freelance websites such as Elance.com where freelancers can offer their services by bidding a cost against other professionals for the same job. Whichever the client prefers based on the professional's portfolio weighed against cost, gets the job. Its a more controlled facsimile to real life. But even in an environment like Elance, a lot of the professional's rights are denied and when I weigh that against the benefits of the exposure... at the end of the day, its not as beneficial as they make it sound.

What I can't tolerate however is hundreds of designers feeling so desperate that they would design a logo for you (which essentially is the biggest part of your branding), enter it blindly into a competition against other similar "designers" without knowing anything about you or your business and crossing their fingers that they might make 50 bucks!

Do you think Pepsi payed 50 bucks for their logo?

This brings me once again back to my previous post. A bad designer offers you 100 different designs to choose from. Maybe someone who can doodle 100 different doodles and put your name next to it can offer you that kind of variety but in the world of design, less is always more.

A good designer listens to your wants and weighs them against your needs. A great designer will rush through all those hundred options in their head and meticulously pick out the most solid of concepts that fit your needs. A designer is not only measured by the visual, but most importantly by his/her ability to coordinate your access to the outside world. In many ways, when assessing whether or not you have hired a good designer - whether it be freelanced or fully employed - its what you don't see that matters most and I can guarantee you, that is where most of the effort goes.

So hopefully to rest my point once and for all...
Its only with collaboration will we ever truely achieve greatness.

Memes pwn Genes - Great Communicators shape the world better than Caveman over there ever could

2012-01-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

In my previous post, I concluded that the due diligence of a designer is to be the rock in the storm of a transcending culture of a publicly used Internet. With all of it's content and clatter of information, content and communication is key. People are all too used to getting information they need directly and right away so you better get to the point. In other words, its the well versed visual designers, the effective software engineers and the concise communication specialists that have the upper hand now.

As the popular show The Big Bang Theory suggests...
It pays to be a nerd... (an appropriately versed one of course)

But most importantly, it pays even more to know who you are in the grand scheme of things. We live at a time when our identities slip between our fingers faster with each passing moment. And as we are still adjusting to the idea of jumping from fishbowl to fishbowl - it's all too easy to forget and get absorbed by what is happening around us.

Today, Memes are not just co-evolving along side genes, they are steering them. In other words, the evolutionary race is speeding up to the pace of thoughts - which if you pause to really think about it, is scary fast!

Do you have what it takes to keep up?

Art by Ken Wong

Design Vs. Decoration - Seperating the Stuff from the Fluff

2012-01-26T15:47:00.000-08:00

"Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration."

— Jeffrey Zeldman

I'd hate to start off sounding like a pessimist but when I read this quote I could not help but smile candidly. Deep down, all good designers know this. Whether you are an architect, a software user interface designer or a magazine layout designer, at the end of the day its always about content.

Good design teams always consider the content before the aesthetic. Notice I said "teams". As much as I find solo acts of pulling rabbits out of hats exhilarating it gets old fast...but to get back to topic...

Once you have the concept revolving neatly around the content the easy part of graphics follows suit. Without the content the appearance of what you are looking at has no meaning.

Aside from the disappointing font size and weight in the above example, the concept speaks for itself. This ad speaks CONTENT! Need to strengthen your teeth? Never considered it before? Well consider it now because while you drive down that highway looking at that billboard your laughing the content 100km/hr right into the part of your brain that will remind you later when you look at yourself in the mirror and brush your teeth.

And for those of you who design websites for a living you all know this too well. It is always a dream come true when a client has a good understanding of what their business does and what they have to offer. Your initial meetings of acquaintance have a simple and graceful question and answer flow about it and off you go into your corner plugging away. But for the most part its a learning curve, for the client and even the designer. Either they never wrote a business plan, don't remember it or don't see how it relates to their new awesome modern pie-in-the-sky website 2.0.

So to sum up, the only thing that differentiates a good designer from a great one is Content. Communication is the first step of the design process and like it or not it comes up again and again and again throughout the process. The good news is that if you have clear content and have effective and diplomatic communication skills (with a little added patience) 99% of the time the process goes smoothly and you have a happy client telling others just how awesome you are. Just like content comes before visuals, a good designer can seperate stuff from fluff , gut feelings from well reseached trends, and save a whole lot of headache. I'm not saying we should all chuck our intuition out of the window (thats our well of creative resources) but in the modern craze that is the internet, where culture, business, religion and politics are transending daily, people need some solid ground to relate to - and that is why they need you.

Perhaps as designers, we should be following our own advise when taking clients through the process of any design project. Perhaps we need to re-evaluate our own methods of communication and focus on the concept of what needs to be said. How else do you get the client to understand you and your needs?

Its always about content.