Monthly Archives: January 2011
Posted in Communities | Current Events | Economic Development | Politics by Steve Muller (Manager of Client Development) on January 26, 2011
Image: © Svilen Milev
There are a lot of ‘economic forecast’ events happening this time of year. One year is ending, another one is beginning, and we have the added interest of new politicians taking office in 2011 as well. While there are many views on where the economy is, where it will be going, and whether we will all thrive or merely survive in 2011, I’ve been compelled by one overriding thought: economic growth comes from certainty.
While I know that statement to be true, in my gut, I heard it convincingly shared by an economic development leader in our area several months ago, and it really struck me. That’s it… that’s the solution we need to turn our economy back toward growth, increased employment and prosperity. In a word: certainty. He expanded on the thought to say that all economic development is local, and where there is certainty, there is growth and economic development. Where there is uncertainty, there is economic stagnation with no growth or activity.
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Posted in Client Service | Communication | Communities | Sustainable Design by Brad Breneisen (Graphic Design) on January 18, 2011
The design of this machine may not look like much but it could improve the lives of millions – because designers listened.
Recently I decided to invest in a new vacuum cleaner, but only after I broke our old vacuum and bought a disappointing replacement with a price tag too good to be true – and it was. As I entered a local store ready to talk with the experts and drop some bucks I was slightly taken back to see a row of vacuums that looked more like prosthetic legs for athletes than something that’s designed to suck up clinging dust bunnies. This is a trend that I have noticed becoming increasingly prevalent in design – the use of decorative form to exaggerate the function of the object without improving it – often at the cost of the objects strength, integrity, and lifespan. Speculations aside, I decided to buy something simple, pricey, and with a loooongg warranty.
Later on that week I watched “Objectified”; Gary Hustwit’s recent documentary on Product Design. This shed light on my vacuum dilemma as it pointed out that most commercial products are brought to the shelves with little improvement and built-in obsolescence because companies need new SKU’s to market and see more consumer opportunities in a fresh coat of paint than in research and development. Good design is often seen as bad business.
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