Tenets & Tools

When you start with a project, you do set some rules to play with. We call it as design tenets in my world. When i started working on Design U here are the tenets I have set.

• 3 colors to play with: Black, white and grey

• 1 highlight color: yellow

• 1 typeface: Share Tech Mono

• Components: Basic shapes and arrows

• Tool: Keynote

  

As a student of cognitive science, graphic design is far far away for me. My focus has been and will be on problem solving and systems thinking only. I adore all things easy on brain. Visuals are one of them.

Our brains take so little time to process complexity when it is presented visually. If you have any pull towards simplifying complexity, visual thinking is the biggest tool in your arsenal. By design our brains process visuals 60x more than verbals.

Anyone who knows me a little or been in my class, I am a heavy black pen (one of the profile types by Dan Roam. I use, over use, abuse and misuse the whiteboard in every session).

While I have an amazing visual design thinkers and doers in my team, I want to showcase to my students that you don't have to have all the skills to share your ideas, tell stories, craft interfaces etc. Mastery in visual design takes time but the fundamentals can give you a kickstart on Day one. Start working with basics and everything will fall in place. If i can do visuals, anyone can do it.

Forever indebted to Arjun Phlox for teaching me how to think visuals. Huge thanks to Jack Butcher for inspiring me with his minimal visuals for complex concepts!

DesignU is aimed at designing me while I share facts and phenomena that has a potential to make you better everyday.