sitBandR

Signs of a Lazy Web Designer

Zach Blank — Fri, 16 May 2008 20:31:39 +0000

I have been looking over some past work or revisiting it for whatever reason and in each piece the laziness is just oozing out. Here is my list of lazy web guy characteristics:

You see something and remember making a note to fix it later.
You make another note.
You don’t reset CSS - ‘meh I’ll deal with it if (when) it becomes a problem.
You say yes to a client so you don’t have to explain ‘are you kidding? not for this price!’ and email them later to say it’s out of budget.
The design requires PNGs. ‘Time for lunch!’
Doesn’t work in IE. Time for Lunch, Time for a snack, times for a snack, time for a snack, time for dinner, time for a snack.’
The client asks about a blog. You respond ‘Wordpress.com.’
Obviously the code doesn’t validate, and you REALLY couldn’t care less. Frick, the client doesn’t even know what that means.
You don’t update whatever OpenSource code you are using. ‘Who would notice but me anyway?’
You have tedious updates and changes to make and you write a blog post instead.

Any others?

New York And The new yorks To Follow

Zach Blank — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:24:47 +0000

Thinking that a week out of the term spent in New York City with a group of smart, funny, dorky, beautiful people would be a vacation would be an ill-founded understatement. For a week spent under this looming grey cityscape offers far more than a vacation. The simplicity of presence leading unexpectedly to friendships found and redefined, careers started and started over, achievements sought and applauded, and moments so soon to be remembered can seemingly be found nowhere else. And it is these moments; these undeniably significant wrinkles that define who we strive to be and they measure to how far from it we are.
The top 5 moments by which my trip is defined (in reverse order):

5) Mastering the subway:
This may seem to be something less significant, and it is. But the inherent satisfaction that comes with it is irreplaceable. Because learning a city offers a sense of pride and an ability to help others which trumps all-else
4) Scoping the competition:
There was a ton of work here. I have to say I was not impressed with most of it. I am taking away from it a lesson in approach. Studying each piece reveals the approach the creators took. And however I think it might have failed along the way, imagining the start is always interesting.
3) Supporting and being supported:
Everybody had so much going on, as is the spirit of NYC. I was able to very simply help Tyler, Shawna and Jordan with their pitch. And everybody supported me with my interviews. There was an unspoken reciprocity of support that affected everybody – and so much was influenced because of it.
2) Lunch with Jonathan:
I was lucky enough to take Jonathan Harris out to lunch in Brooklyn. He is a master of so many things I strive to become. Him and I talked about where each of us has been and where we are going. Hugely interesting!
1) Getting a job:
R/GA! I am moving to New York… The day I heard was arguably one of the most important days in my life so far. I feel that the first real job is one of those defining things, one of those situations that we will grow and learn so much in. needless to say I am very excited.

“I Choose Not To Race!”

Zach Blank — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:07:54 +0000

A blog is a free form space to explore ideas, thoughts and feelings. There are several types of blogs. Business, self-promotion, SEOcentric, ranting and so on. I started on this blog as a professional exploration of the things I think about and do. Well recently it has been far from that. Recently it has been more about ranting about the people in my life (perhaps a stretch to give them that much credit) who choose not to race.

Hopefully you know your Seinfeld well enough to understand the metaphor I am going for here, but if not allow me…

I am speaking about the people who know the truth, or outcome of a situation and hide behind their own convictions. They choose not to open their minds and accept the fact that they are being unreasonable, immature, and frankly hurting the people around them.

Well I come clean, I admit to this choice often times as well, but at least I have the common sense and decency to recognize this fault. Which intern only heightens my awareness of it in others.

With that being said, go out and choose to choose people, for I am over it, as I have been, and will continue to be and must now get back to blogging about things that actually matter to other people. I hope.

See you out there!

Some Coments on Disappointments

Zach Blank — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:40:06 +0000

Among all the great things that happen to us. All the encouragement, high fives, and way-to-goes, it seems that there will always be those few who continually practice the empty promise and perpetually disappoint. Really this is a comment on being cynical in an educated fashion, as knowing the empty promiser will probably continue along their path it really should therefor be expected.

So I am cynical, everyone will disappoint me and I have only myself to count on. Well I don’t REALLY believe that, but it sure feels like it sometimes. I just frickn’ wish that when people say they are going to do something that they will follow through. Seriously, if I can do it anybody else can.

STOP SAYING YOU WILL DO SOMETHING AND NEVER DO IT. And those who don’t offer an excuse after the fact, I applaud you. As offering an excuse is a feeble attempt to gain trust so you can disappoint again.

Predictions Panning Out

Zach Blank — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:15:39 +0000

Go check your Facebook! You now have a new chat feature… Good or bad? Pretty of Ugly? Earlier I wrote about Facebook adopting popular features from other services and becoming a powerhouse for a digital lifestyle. Well chat is a huge step and so far it looks pretty sweet. Keep your eye on Facebook developments, they are coming quick and only getting better. Will we see another monster Google like IPO someday? probably…

What If… Let’s Explore Human Imagination

Zach Blank — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:22:45 +0000

Following in the huge footsteps of Jonathan Harris my project (name yet to be announced), is an exploration of the human imagination. Interactively, creatively, visually and of course digitally it will study the trends, themes, modern evolution and status of the imagination.

Have any suggestions that expand on this? Send em my way and stay tuned for updates.

Interaction Design v. Product Design

Zach Blank — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:55:43 +0000

Interaction design, or user experience (UX) should influence product design. Or visa-versa. Talking with an old friend who is the Director of Interactivity at a ‘brand advocacy’ agency in Portland lead to the topic of what elements are involved in interaction design. The main take away from that is product design should be the lens by which interaction design is executed or even just though about.

Digital interactive experiences for a specific brand should be on point with that brand of course, but it should be take one step further and be on point with the particular product and its design. Try thinking about interaction design through this new lens, it has defiantly brought new thought to the front of my mind.

On Growing up… but only part way

Zach Blank — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:22:07 +0000

Lives these days are really lived two fold, if not more. All of us have our human side and our digital side, or our real world and our digital world. And as life goes on we learn and grow in these worlds and inevitable learn new things. Fun right?

But what happens when this growth happens asynchronously? What happens when someone feels that their real persona is, for example, is scratching at adulthood but their digital identity is stuck in pigtails? or visa-versa. Does this create a dichotomy of realization for that person and who they interact with? Especially when interactions happen in these two-fold situations. Does this make for a sudo-split personality?

Too many digital communication outlets to count gives us the freedom to explore these personalities at varying paces, but wahoo be careful, you are risking some serious embarrassment.

Here comes the rant part of this… well… rant. If you still use AIM, which I am all for by the way, don’t block people. It is a silly feature made for middle schoolers and will only leave you with embarrassments when you read posts like this and realize how childish digital actions often are when juxtaposed with the more tangible.

I urge users for the sake an sanity to harmonize their dual existences. Pay homage to one through the grapples of the other. Because when one breaches the other and leaves a stinky pile of shit on top of what might be a diamond, you might just regret the self perpetuated split personality.

Have fun out there!

This Blog Shall Return

Zach Blank — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:29:03 +0000

What if the world had no envy?

What if as a result everyone remained nice to each other?

What if? What if? What if?

I don’t think I have ever been more excited about two words together.

Search 4.0 - no duh!

Zach Blank — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:38:27 +0000

i’ll be honest… I appreciated the change but didnt even notice it. Now a search in Google yields on first page results a map, images, videos, or whatever multimedia piece is relevant. This is universal search and we all can agree that it is universally useful. I am listening to Danny Sullivan speak about the evolution of search and how advertising has adapted along the way. We all need not be afraid, once again - Google knowing our search habbits is only there to help us - SO RELAX! Those guys are good.