A few years ago I received a book from a Colleague that absolutely changed my views about design. In-fact, it was this book that really pulled me from behind my computer and put me in the face of Designers, CEO's and Thought Leaders. It was this book that helped me understand that with (at this time) 13 years of design experience, a long list of happy clients, and awards to show-off, I was STILL a novice on a very big landscape. This book: "Design" - by Tom Peters, is what really started me on this journey of Design Thinking as a craft. It was not until MUCH later that Tim Brown of IDEO bought some strong foundation to the thing I had been operating in for about 4 years at this point.
Today I want to share 10 nuggets out of this book, 10 "art of facts", that you can chew in and perhaps get a better understanding of what the heck we are all supposed to be doing in the space of design... This list resonates with my soul.
Thanks Tom.
TOP 10 To-Do's
1. Be a "Soul" supplier. At every point n your Design process, do a soul-check on what you are creating. In other words: Don't think "pretty". Think "profound".
2. List your "loves". Get a little notebook, or open a file on your computer, and keep track of product and service offerings that earn your .... Enduring Ardor.
3. Harness your "hates". While you are busy at #2, keep track of stuff that earn your ... Absolute Enmity. Think about the common attributes of the stuff on both sides of the ledger.
4. If it feels good, dote on it. Cultivate a fingertip feel for Design-induced Emotional Attachment. Find a way to carry "it" around with you ... just as I carry around my turnbuckle!!
5. Be of service. Foster a Design-driven approach to the way that you develop not just lumps of stuff... but also service offerings and business processes. (That means YOU, Finance Department Head)
6. Hunt for bargains. Look inside your medicine cabinet, your toolbox, your kitchen cabinet, Learn from items therein that are low in cost and high in Design impact.
7. Judge EVERYTHING by it's cover. Make every package worthy of it's product. Just because Design is not a surface thing (per se) doesn't mean that surfaces don't matter.
8. Watch for signs. Monitor the signage all around you for examples of Soulful Direction and Woeful Misdirection.
9. Be true to forms. Invest time, energy, and Design Know-How to the creation of all (ALL) business documents
10. Rage on. Get mad, and get even - with companies that offer shoddily designed stuff. Remember It's their fault, not yours.
Tom Peters