The Power of a Pretty (Inter)face
How important is ‘the pretty factor’ for a regular business website? I’m talking about websites for basic businesses, like accounting, plumbing, coaching services, that sort of thing. Not lifestyle products that already have great visuals built in. Let’s assume you’re selling something that is not glamorous, but is incredibly useful. Like, accounting software. Your average user—a small business owner— wants to […]
Photos of Paris? How hard can it be?
Harder than you think. I was hired to create a site for Paris By Design. How do you sell custom tours to Paris and Montreal? Start with lots of big beautiful photos. (Duh.) But not just any photos. Very, very specific ones.
TrendWatch: Adult Coloring Books, Art Nouveau, and Henna Art
Adult coloring books are a phenomenon. Three of the top 10 bestselling books in the UK are adult coloring books, and 8 of the top 20 bestsellers in the US. You may be wondering why on earth this would be so appealing to grownups… I’ll get to that. But first, let’s talk about the design aspect and […]
Persuasive Design in Support of Syrian Refugees?
Could this be the new peace symbol of our times?
Popular Montreal-based author-illustrator, Elise Gravel has granted permission for this illustration to be used free of charge in support of the non-profit organization, Rivo-Résilience, to promote a positive message of welcome to Syrian refugees arriving in Quebec, Canada. Organizer, Marie Brodeur Gélinas, aims to sell the buttons for $1 to $2 each, with proceeds going to helping the new arrivals.
Designing a Priceless Heirloom
Lemmee tell you about my latest crazy project: creating a prototype (and template) for a genre-busting concept: a family memoir/cookbook for the Heirloom Meals Recipe Project in Massachusetts, USA. This was the brain-child of Carole Murko, whose unflagging enthusiasm for family food stories has spawned a weekly radio show on NPR (National Public Radio), regular tv appearances, and several hour-long […]
The (Chocolate) Ripple Effect of Public Speaking
No-one really warns you about the consequences of public speaking. I was clueless until this week, when I gave my first solo talk, Beyond UX: Designing for Delight at WordCamp Montreal. I practiced it out loud until the dog couldn’t take it any more. Even so, there were things I did not foresee. Performance Malfunction The presentation went surprisingly […]
Montreal vs. Toronto
Curious about the pros and cons of living and working in Toronto versus Montreal? Check out this fun infographic that I designed on behalf of the UNISEO agency for their client Proforce, a recruiting firm. Of course I had to include some cute vector characters and fun illustrations. Click here to view it at full size. (Note: if you’re using Safari, you need to click […]
Mad Men inspired patterns
Having a designer for a partner can be a real pain. Especially when it comes time to decorate a new home. Nothing off-the-rack will do. On top of which, everything must undergo rigorous UX testing and UI approval prior to any purchase: no rough edges, no awkward angles, no unbalanced forms. There really should be an endurance […]