On “ease-of-use” and accountability in design. — The first question I ask when meeting other designers is how they would define design. Some have asserted that there are no wrong answers to this question. They are wrong. Here are three examples of what design is not: “Design is making something beautiful” “Design is making something easy to…

A speculative vision of the operating system, driven by humane design principles. — Nine months ago, I set out to invent a new way of interfacing with our devices, armed with only a single metaphor: Mercury. Mercury, the elemental manifestation of fluid chrome. Mercury, the Roman deity bridging the boundary between two worlds. Mercury, the nearest planet to the sun. Although these versions…

Why I set out to re-imagine the operating system — Amidst an unstable childhood, my Desktop was my retreat — a place I could find solace and belonging. The Start button was a gateway to opportunity and each Folder a comfortable if imperfect container for my belongings. No matter how overwhelming the outside world became, I knew that my Desktop…

Exactly one year ago, I published my Apple Music Case Study on Medium. I remember trembling with excitement (and a tinge of fear) as I hit the publish button at 8PM. I remember sharing happy tears with those who kept me afloat through ugly tears. I remember waking up at…

To design is to question. At RISD, our focus has never been on how to create, but why we create. We are trained to be future-facing, to ask how the changes in our world might be observed and developed in order to benefit us all. We are concerned that RISD may not always be up…

I’d like to preface this case study by stating that my intentions behind redesigning Apple Music were in no way driven by indignation or spite. Earlier this year I applied and interviewed for a graphic design internship at Apple Music (an opportunity of a lifetime), and was turned down with…

Welcome to the NU Brand Bootcamp, a personal project I am undertaking this quarter. Every week, I will explore and redesign a logo of a Northwestern University student organization as a means to grow as a designer and understand what it takes to truly build a brand. Stuco, or the…

Welcome to the NU Brand Bootcamp, a personal project I am undertaking this quarter. Every week, I will explore and redesign a logo of a Northwestern University student organization as a means to grow as a designer and understand what it takes to truly build a brand. SHAPE (Sexual Health & Assault Peer Educators) Mission: “to provide…