Shameless, dirty, design shirkers . . .

Hippychick

Member
We've all seen the epic logo fails, most being of an 'unintentional' saucy nature (am sure they know in a lot of them – great publicity) but I enjoy the logos clearly designed by managing directors/CEO's, or their dog.

The arrogance is quite astonishing as they don't seem to appreciate, in the slightest, how important image is for business, and any layman/punter/potential customer looking at a clumsy logo could be instantly lost to any competitor simply because theirs actually looks professional.

I don't want any business to fail but I guess I have worked for too many twats who employed designers but still thought they knew better.

I can just imagine board meeting on this one: "Ooh, ooh – there's another 'V' in 'advanced' and . . . holy potatoes, an 'S' in 'vision'. Cancel the designers . . . I think I've nailed it."

I bet he needed a change of underwear straight after that one, but I may do too for different reasons as it's livery too, and homepage is also riddled with my pet hates:

http://www.cylex-uk.co.uk/reviews/v...vanced-vision-surveillance&companyId=14191259

Text formatting is also clearly for losers, isn't it , Mr. Francis? Advanced vision clearly
does
not apply there . . .

Delicious.
 
Oh Hippychick.

I can tell you've been hurt (creatively) quite badly in the past at some point.
I feel your pain as many of us on here have also have/are having similar experiences.
Poor Hank had a brush with it only this morning.

On the old forum we had the "FFS" thread.
It was like a little self help group where we could share our creative frustrations and it worked quite well.

Hang in there. you're not alone. ;)
 
Wait until you start dealing with people who don't appreciate usability and just how important it is. This isn't quite the same, but it clearly demonstrates the thinking that goes into a lot of things that a non-designer probably wouldn't even consider.

Today and Friday I've been working on a touchscreen project that consists of a wall of nine 46" screens with touch functionality. It looks great when it's playing a video or animation, but the client wants users to engage with the wall and insisted on a large map of Europe that can be dragged, zoomed and has lots of places to touch to display varying amounts of information related to their project.

That's all well and good, but imagine you're stood in front of these screens, close enough to use the touch functionality. You won't be able to see anything other than what's in front of you without taking a step back. I'm 6'3 and even I'd struggle to reach the top screens when they're positioned in place.

Now imagine a wheel chair user trying to use this screen. Thankfully a thoughtful designer such as myself has been fighting to keep this practical for such a user in the face of clients who just don't seem to appreciate that someone who's not as able bodied as the rest of us may wish to use it to…

Client:"Move that touch icon up there."
Me:" That's at least 6' foot off the floor, a wheelchair user won't be able to reach it"
Client:"It's ok, we'll have attendants at the event who can assist them."


That's usability folks! Just get a 'regular' person to help you!
 
Given such new technology and how fast it is developing, with evolution, I think we will have very long arms at some point! Or just one very long finger (and just incidentally – I understand very young children are 'sweeping' over printed pictures now as they believe everything functions like an iPad/touchscreen).

An opposite kinda quandary to do with size – the only brief I have ever said 'no' to because I couldn't do it. On the face of it (was employed as Digital Artist at a design agency at the time, so I did all their retouching, visualising and any imagery, basically). It was for Hutchison 3G launch, so a few years ago now – but we were working with another agency in London who were handling all non-print media, and I was asked to generate some icons from very ropey shots taken from actual screens on handsets themselves. After chasing client on where origination for these was, it eventually fell to me to just get on and do them.

I had an obvious strategy which was to take fuzzy originals and size-up into a grid (icon generator/software not an option with this one), selecting main dominant colour in each square which would become the pixel when shrunk to icon size. Only trouble was, on doing a test one, it didn't quite look like the original when alongside though I had done as accurately as possible given reference, but I had to hold my hands up and admit defeat – very frustrating as I still pride myself on being able to achieve anything involving pixels (a lot from scratch such as: http://flying-colours.me.uk/3g.html – regenerated in Photoshop from clunky 3d package original, & http://flying-colours.me.uk/kenco1.html etc).

Freaky weird, as so simple, but so not . . . just so embarrassing!

P.S. If anyone saw Links Engraving page – worth mentioning that they regenerated without kerning (the 'L' and 'I' have clearly had a domestic, and you could drive a tank between 'A' and 'V') and removed the curb chain links between feint lines underneath, inexplicably leaving lines on either side(?!) making it even more horrible than the one they originally asked me to do. Strange, as they are actually in the business of generating perfect text before they set it in stone, so to speak – but personally, looking at that header, quite frankly I'd go elsewhere . . .
 

Client:"Move that touch icon up there."
Me:" That's at least 6' foot off the floor, a wheelchair user won't be able to reach it"
Client:"It's ok, we'll have attendants at the event who can assist them."


That's usability folks! Just get a 'regular' person to help you!

To help with their usability, maybe you could suggest they offer step ladders to their 'attendants' and anyone else under 6'3"
 
Oh Hippychick.

I can tell you've been hurt (creatively) quite badly in the past at some point.
;)
Actually, not so much – integrity is everything and don't think my hand has ever really been forced.

In employment, any design that was bad wouldn't get past the door (but I would, because they'd fire my arse) and freelance, you can say piss off, mate – or you just focus on the money and run.

I just enjoy poking fun at supreme arrogance, despite being supremely arrogant myself, but in a good and perfect kind of way . . .
 
I just enjoy poking fun at supreme arrogance, despite being supremely arrogant myself, but in a good and perfect kind of way . . .

Nothing wrong with that.
I can be quite bombastic at times as it feels good and I like the smell of my own farts. ;)
 
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