If you will be in Phoenix this weekend (September 29th – October 3rd) be sure to check out FORWARD – Phoenix Design Week. They are even doing a panel on in-house design: http://phxdw.com/index.php/conference/in-house-design-panel

via tweet by @NikiBlaker

The American Inhouse Design Awards is the original and the premier showcase for outstanding work by inhouse designers. It is a unique opportunity for inhouse design, marketing and communications departments — within corporations, non-profits, publishers and media companies, associations, government, education and other institutions — to be recognized for their talent, for the special challenges they face, and for their contributions to their businesses and institutions.

via GDUSA American Inhouse Design Awards.

A friend recently started working more heavily with interfaces and user experience. To help her get started I complied a list of resources and thought I’d share them with you as well! — Amber

This is the very FIRST resource that popped into my head so I’ll go ahead and embed it here. Well worth a watch:

Videos

• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/05/25-user-experience-videos-that-are-worth-your-time/

RSS Resources

• http://www.alistapart.com/articles/
• http://carsonified.com/
• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/
• http://www.uxbooth.com/
• http://37signals.com/svn/posts
• http://uxmag.com/
• http://www.boxesandarrows.com/
• http://www.everydayux.com/

General Resource & Tools

• http://design-newz.com/ — use this and search for whatever – UX, buttons, footers, headers, forms, etc (search form is at the bottom of the page).
• https://browserlab.adobe.com/ — see your website in a multitude of browsers for cross-testing
• http://cacoo.com/ — my favorite new tool! like omnigraffle but easier and online for sharing
• http://www.typetester.org/
• http://www.abtests.com/ — you should get all up on this idea and the site helps a lot
• http://ajaxload.info/ — for when you need a little GIF

Individual Articles

• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/12/08/principles-of-effective-e-commerce-search/
• http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/09/24/10-useful-usability-findings-and-guidelines/
• http://www.uxbydesign.org/2009/06/24/20-user-experience-books-you-should-own/
• http://pelfusion.com/inspiration/30-best-examples-of-blog-post-footer-designs/
• http://www.alistapart.com/articles/indefenseofeyecandy
• http://www.gurtle.com/ppov/2009/06/03/is-ux-an-art-or-a-science
• http://www.tripwiremagazine.com/tutorials/tutorials/16-crucial-webdesign-and-usability-best-practice-compilations-and-tools.html
• http://www.uxbooth.com/blog/complete-beginners-guide-to-information-architecture/
• http://www.inspiredm.com/2009/05/15/ux-madness-20-fantastic-resources-for-user-experience-know-how/
• http://www.usabilitypost.com/2009/04/15/8-characteristics-of-successful-user-interfaces/
• http://www.uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2009/03/evangelizing-ux-across-an-entire-organization.php

by Jon Benjamin

Editor’s Note: Please welcome Jon Benjamin who wrote the following blog post on being an in-house designer and working in a cube. This article was first published on his company’s blog. Want to contribute to our blog? Send an email to blog at inHouse Design Association dot org.

If an artist chooses a constraint… he presumably believes that he will benefit artistically from having a smaller sphere of choice. Some examples of chosen constraints are sonata form, sonnet, haiku, iambic pentameter; still-life painting, charcoal drawing; two-person play, comedy of manners; Greek temple, Roman arena. (Livingston)

My constraint of choice is the “cube” or as some refer to as the cubicle. At first look, the “Freedom” of the free-lance would seem a far superior choice to the graphic artist. The free-lance has the freedom to create a work environment that reflects all that is conducive to creative thinking—choice furniture, quiet music, and few interruptions. Although the cube may not possess the environmental qualities that promote creativity to its fullest, I will argue that the constraint of the cube does provide for high-quality work that is better suited to the client. Design, by definition, is problem solving, and—boy—do you have to problem solve in the cube. The tempo is fast, interruptions are commonplace, and the workload is intense—what better environment to force a designer to create efficient and effective systems that allow for good, consistent solutions. It is working within these systems that excellent work can be created. Rarely is the work clever or cerebral, but occasionally, when it is called for, it can be. That is the point, as graphic artists, our work should be a result of our clients wants and needs—which less often calls for a dramatic creativity, and more often calls for solid, consistent, and successful design. This might be a stretch—but I will liken it to Vermeer rather than Picasso.

Beyond the constraint of the cube, as an in-house graphic designer working for an AMC, I have the added benefit of possessing a pre-developed understanding of each client and their needs. Being on the “inside” I develop an understanding of each client that could never be attained from the “outside”. Also, by superseding the “getting to know you” steps, efficiency is dramatically increased.

Great design doesn’t need unlimited budgets or tons of man-hours. The constraint of the Cube can help the graphic artist produce work that is effective and efficient, and over the long haul, develops a certain client trust that can lead to a deeper relationship and greater success.

Jon Benjamin | jonwbenj.carbonmade.com

Management Solutions Plus Inc.

Rockville, Maryland

www.mgmtsol.com

Do check out the In-HOWse Designer conference and it is well worth it if you can attend. This year the event will be in Washington DC from September 10-12.

I have attended in the past and it can be a great way to talk to other designers from small and large in-house departments.

The one piece of advice I’d give to our members if you go is to be positive. We know that an overwhelming majority of you love to be in house and wouldn’t trade it for an agency job. When I attended the event a couple years ago I was really dragged down by how many people thought this was the place to come together and complain vehemently about the problems that in-house designers face. While we do have different challenges we also have some of the greatest benefits — so I urge anyone attending to explore those benefits and come together to make something better.

via http://ifitshipitshere.blogspot.com/2009/06/save-your-logo-help-save-animals-plants.html

Monograms Index.