[theforum] Challenging Drupal: Put up or shut up

[ekm at seastorm.com]

"Directors" -- another great org structure discussion that can be held
independently of making progress in the here and now.

Re: FRONT END

I wasn't around during design contest time, though I've never been fond of
design contests.  Ultimately to create a design, you risk doing a ton of
work that will never be used.  But hey, look what we got! Two labors of
love, two designs!!! Instead of being sad that we "only" got two designs,
why not be GLAD we got two great designs to work from???

I would have loved to have been more involved in evolt front-end in
earlier years, but first, I was shy and second, it seemed to me that Isaac
(and I think aardvark) had it tied up back then. I didn't feel
particularly needed.  I am not considered an "ooh wow" designer by most,
but my designs do serve their purpose.

My recollection is that around 2000-2002, we spent a lot of time thinking
very carefully about visual branding and such.  We developed some great
ideas, that Martin and Tara have continued to carry through in their
designs.  So how about we look at the front-end glass as *at least*
half-full?   I firmly believe that you don't need to be a licensed graphic
designer to build a good usable website, and further, that we have all the
talent we need right here in front of us.

There are things about each design that could be adjusted as needed, but
the basic concepts are quite lovely for evolt.  Truly good design is of a
relatively timeless nature, and I am personally not of the mind that a
site should be completely redesigned every year or two.  Good designs
endure. A lot of my designs have been used 5+ years because they were well
built designs (for lazy clients).  Fancy pants trendy designs are the ones
that need constant refreshing... oooh it's the year of teeny tiny text!!!
oooh it's the year of stripety stripe backgrounds!!! etc.

In addition, let me be the first to put a foot down and say we are not
going to design by committee.

That said, we can design as a team.  Right now, to my mind, that team is
Martin, Tara, and Me.  I am waiting to hear from Tara what she comes up
with in the next few days and then the Evolt Front End Team is going to
build a front end. We are all perfectly capable people, we have a history
of branding that goes back a long ways, we have talent in all the areas
that we need it.  We won't be asking your opinion until it's final
approval time, and even then, you don't get to micromanage us.  We are the
experts. ;-b  Similarly, I look to the backend team to be experts in their
area.  You guys are welcome to sort yourselves out accordingly.

Let's give the process a chance and see ourselves for the experts we are.

Go Team Evolt!  Rah Rah!!!

Erika

>> > normal habit of designing by committee is absolutely the primary
>> > problem there.
>> Yep. And I wonder if we don't need to have one person in
>> charge of look and
>> feel, a creative director
>
> of course we do. for about 9.5 years now.
>
>> I'm not sure we have anyone with that creative design
>> experience available though, do we?
>
> I'll take whoever is available as a creative director, over continuing
> to have every decision on every aspect discussed into oblivion.
>
> And then, while we're at it, appoint a technical director, a director of
> content, etc.
>
> Committees are great, as long as only one person has their hands on the
> tiller.
>
> joel
>
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