Writings

12
Jun
Here comes trouble. Her name is Ada.

Here comes trouble. Her name is Ada.

“Good designers make trouble.” – Tibor Kalman Ada Louise Huxtable wasn’t a designer, but she made trouble. About design. For
2 min read
12
Jun
I am an instrument. Stroke me.

I am an instrument. Stroke me.

Alex Ross ruminates on the differences between live and studio recordings in his New Yorker article, The Record Effect: In
3 min read
12
Jun
Dogs as users and humans as iPhones.

Dogs as users and humans as iPhones.

They say that intelligence can be measured by a species’ ability to use tools to accomplish goals. Alexandra Horowitz, in
2 min read
12
Jun
On the undesigned vs the aesthetic.

On the undesigned vs the aesthetic.

I’ve been trying to perfect my latté art for months. Like anything that looks really easy, it’s not.
2 min read
12
Jun
"F" is for failure.

"F" is for failure.

JK Rowling, speaking at Harvard on “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination”: You might never fail
2 min read
12
Jun
On dogs, R2D2, C3PO, + beautiful interactions.

On dogs, R2D2, C3PO, + beautiful interactions.

Beauty is mathematics. Beauty is objective. Or subjective if you insist, but only within a range of mathematical objectiveness. But
5 min read
12
Jun
Beauty is like phyllo dough.

Beauty is like phyllo dough.

In researching the aesthetics of interaction design, I’m at the part where I’m trying to articulate what makes
2 min read
12
Jun
For the love of good men and dogs.

For the love of good men and dogs.

I am a lucky girl. 2010 has been good to me, if only for the fact that I get to
1 min read
12
Jun
Stagnate or innovate?

Stagnate or innovate?

Are universities where designers go to die? Sometimes I worry about this, especially when one of my old professors writes
2 min read
12
Jun
Good design kills.

Good design kills.

Many products are ugly. Many are beautiful. But how many are the epitome of these extremes all at once? Terry
4 min read