First, care.
I believe that the first step to good design is to care. To look at something and not be satisfied; to see potential and relentlessly seek to make it happen. Caring recognises when something doesn’t need to change, and embraces change whole-heartedly when it does; it ruthlessly pares-down and refines; seeks to build what is needed. I choose to care — about life, about people, about typefaces, and art; about emotions and story-telling; about making positive change for the better.
Second, people are everything.
I believe design should always be people-first. Everything we do — whether in science or the arts, creating or demolishing, giving or receiving, looking back or looking forward — must always come back to people; everything is only about people. This is why I caring about things matters: behind every message given, every communication received, every space experienced, every feeling expressed, is a person. Good design matters because people matter; because the way in which we interact matters; because clarity of message, and communicating as intended, matters.
Third, explore.
I believe that adventure is the essence of life. There are still so many frontiers to discover. Adventure outside, on the road; adventure inside, in our homes; adventure with each other; adventure in our careers, in our work; adventure in what we craft, create, share and ship; adventures in what we protect, advocate and believe is worth fighting for. There is always something to discover, someone to meet, new places to discover and unseen details to uncover. The world is an amazing place, and there is so much to see for those who would simply slow down and absorb everything they can.
Fourth, you.
I believe that for us to help others, we must first help ourselves: take a day off; read a book; view some art; try something you new — rekindle your imagination. Prove to yourself that you are more than you think you are, because you are amazing. I know this because you are human, and the value and potential of every single person is astounding. I also think this is the hardest part of all: believing in yourself — it is the area I need to work on the most.
Care. Love. Explore. Imagine.
See what others don’t see, show them what you see.
Values
These are the values in my approach to work:
- Attention to detail changes everything.
- Being human is about sharing stories.
- Identify the meaningful, abandon everything else.
- Everything, always, is about people.
- Ship, iterate, build, create.
- Content precedes design.
- A website is like a plant: it needs attention, good soil, and sunlight.
- “Good enough” is over-rated.
- Quality trumps quantity.
- Design is about how something works, not what it looks like.
- Travel helps me understand others and understand myself.
