Design Rules Redux

When I was looking back on my Design? Design! blog, I ran across a post I'd written in December about some Design Rules to Live By written by NY designer Christopher Fahey on his blog, graphpaper.com.

Reading them again made me realize how a lot of what he suggests are simply good rules to live by in general.

I've definitely been thinking a lot lately about integrity in the workplace and where to set my boundaries about what I can and cannot live with personally. Once I get out of school, what kind of environment do I want to work in? How do I start moving towards that goal right now?


The rules that strike me most at this moment are:

• Do work you can be proud of.


• Work for clients and bosses you like and can be proud of. Show sleazebags the door.


• Don’t lie.


• Understand that your audience is not you (and learn who they are), but always treat your audience how you would want to be treated.


• Generate ideas constantly. Write down every idea.


• Design can happen first, even before a need or problem is identified.


• But design isn’t just “a good idea”. It’s a good follow through, too.


• Make ‘em think: Don’t be afraid to be a snob. Some people just won’t get your idea without thinking about it. Some people just don’t want to think. But those who do will appreciate being challenged.