We often say on this blog that design can change the world and we frequently encourage our designer & non-designer friends out there to use their talents to do just that. In this post we wanted to take a look at designs that have in fact changed the world, specifically graphic designs that have had a large amount of influence either on our day-to-day experience or our view of the world.

In our search we have made a couple realizations. First, graphic design, while it can be a means to its own end, can have extraordinary power when used as a vehicle for communicating an idea. Considering this, we have found that the most influential designs are born from a very potent idea that resonates with a large or influential group of people. This is not to say that these designs cannot take on a life of their own outside their original purposes, as many of these designs have done just that. Second, when you encourage people to go out a make a difference, you are taking a risk. Not all design that has had impacted the world has been for good. And not all creators of these designs have understood their potential.

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What matters to you?

I’ve noticed that we ask this question to other people a lot around here. Whether it’s our clients, friends or family members, we are really interested in what matters to others. It means something to us, helps us to understand and live in harmony with each other. Why is it then, that we ask ourselves this question so infrequently?

In the spirit of the season, we would like to change that. So we are posing this question to ourselves and to you.

What matters to you?

We encourage you to take some time to stop and really wonder about it. Don’t be intimidated.  Start small. What matters to you today? Is it getting to work on time? Making sure you get through your to do list? Spending a couple quality hours with your family tonight?

Recently we created a space to collect the things that matter to us. It’s a site that holds the words and images that represent what is important to us (take a peek here). We’d love for you to take a look and if you’d like, take those ideas you’ve come up with and add to this collection of things that matter (you can also submit via the #matterstoyou hash-tag on Twitter).

So, try to set aside a moment to pause and consider what matters to you. It could be what’s in front of you right now.

Join us in sharing what matters to you!

Choosing a college is a difficult task, considering all the options students have today. On the opposite end, being a college or university trying to attract the right students is an equally daunting task.

This past year, Wheaton College invited us to join them as they tackled this task of wooing new students. Our part in this process was to help rework their admissions materials. From the viewbook to Facebook apps to direct mail, every piece of paper and digital connection point was up for reinterpretation. So we went back to school; both college and high school – learning how (and why) the average high school junior and senior choose a college or university.

Our goal was to create pieces that would stand out among other college materials while communicating clearly that Wheaton College is a high-level academic institution that fosters and promotes a grace filled community, all on the backdrop of a beautiful campus.

The “Who We Are (As You Are)” campaign was what emerged from all our research and brainstorming. This campaign was developed out of the College’s desire to help prospective students and parents see the school and its students for who they really are and encourage future students to see themselves as part of this community.

The following are a sampling of the different materials we created for Wheaton to send to prospective students as well as for welcoming them on campus.

This brochure is sent out to prospective students to introduce them to Wheaton College and encourage them to visit the website to learn more about the College.

Students who request further materials are encouraged to attend the Wheaton Connection Weekend to experience the college first hand.

The Wheaton College View Book

The Wheaton College Welcome folder

Have you ever noticed that it’s difficult to work quickly without having some sort of fall out?

Sideways remarks, annoyed gazes or full out arguments seem to happen most often when the stakes are high. Whether it be personal or professional, tight deadlines and high pressure seem to be a breeding ground for resentment, frustration, miscommunications, ultimately resulting in unnecessary mistakes. We have all lived through the stress filled days and hurried nights to know the toll it takes on a company. But we are all aware that tight deadlines are inevitable and will happen every now and again. Rather than being surprised by the havoc they leave in their wake, why not plan for the storm before it gets here?

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Remember in college when everything was new? You were just starting to dig in to the industry you hoped would one day offer you a job. You were doing everything you could to absorb all the information that you could fit into your 3 ring binders. Learning was top priority.

For quite a few of us that was a long time ago…10 years? 20?

Are you still learning?

Really?

In the beginning I’m sure you took risks, pushed yourself hard. Getting your business started was difficult and took a lot of time and energy. And, like hard work often does, it payed off. Now it may not seem as necessary to run quite so fast or push so hard.

Unfortunately sometimes success can make us a little lazy. We know we should continue to learn and keep up to date on programs and trends, but somehow these things get pushed to the back burners. Until something changes. Like the market or our clients. As we all know, things do change, and quickly. So having resources you can tap into on a regular basis (even when things are going well) for information is increasingly important.

We have found that keeping up to date on technology and trends keeps your ideas flowing, helps you work more efficiently and allows you to offer clients more.

It’s true that you can’t possibly know everything, but you can figure out what you are interested in and what is important to your area of expertise and follow it like a stalker. If you use a certain program on a daily or weekly basis, get to know what it can do. Chances are you will find out something that will make your work faster and easier.

It is so easy to fall behind on program capabilities or trends due to the fact that they both change so rapidly. To make sure you are on top of the things you need to know it becomes increasingly necessary to keep a few resources in your tool box that you can check in on regularly. Try building at least a half a day each month to update yourself. You’d be surprised at what it could do!

Here’s our list. We’d love to hear from you! What resources do you have, or what keeps you from falling behind?

INSPIRATION/TRENDS:

• HOW magazine
• Communication Arts
• Print
• Computer Arts
• AIGA Inspiration resources
• AIGA Design Archives

HOW-TOs:

• Adobe TV (training for Adobe programs)
• Online Video Training, both paid and free: Lynda.com
• Computer Arts Projects Magazine – in-depth tutorials each issue + downloadable resources
• Make working in Microsoft Office less painful here