Do you matter? How great design will make people love your company

Great design is the best means of building an indirect relationship with your customers and giving them value with your service. It encompasses everything about your business and how it interacts with the client not simply the aesethtic treatments and it should be honest and authentic and demonstrate a company’s core values. Remember that your employees are  just important as your customers. How do they perceive themselves as contributing to the customer and to bettering their own life experience as part of your organization? 

This approach has to be engrained with everyone in the company from the top down as a primary strategic approach of your business. It’s the responsibility of everyone not just the designer to creates an enriching customer experience. It doesn’t happen overnight and you continue to have to fight for the quality of design across the board. Listen to your designers because they are the people who best can help you understand the human element in your market and how to connect to your customers needs in unarticulated ways on emotional levels.

Just look at how your clients respond to designs. This is an emotional connection. Design can uncover  new markets or client needs you weren’t even aware of. Give your designers the time and ability to experiment and even fail as long as they’re moving forward. If we look to learn rather than just being right than we’re already succeeding. It’s not something you can quantify in a spreadsheet  but it can truly transform your business into a leading powerhouse of creative ingenuity and a successful design culture.

Whitehouse.gov redesign

Love this redesign, it’s truly reflective of the new spirit of change in the whitehouse.

steampunk keyboard

This is too darn cool. Vintage technology style that reminds me of the original H.G Wells Time Machine. I never knew what steampunk was until now. Check out more pics of it.

Why Works Sucks and How to Fix it.

This unique approach to working habits turns our perception of our own value in the work place on its ear. We shouldn’t have to worry about being confined to our office/cubicle and locking ourselves into particular hours. Your physical location no longer matters or when you are doing your work. What matters is the results. Did you meet your goals? Are you being productive? It’s no longer how long you sat in the office for the day or if you were stuck in a meeting. Creativity and inspiration can come at different times during the day and week so why do we confine ourselves to 8 to 5. Take the morning off and then if you want to  work later in the evening then go ahead. Come into the office or not at all that day, get the work done on your time not the company’s. With email and the phone you can still do your work just as effectively at the coffee shop or at home in your PJ’s and if there’s an emergency they can reach you. Treat adults like adults and they’ll be more productive. Give them control over their time so they can enjoy life and enjoy their work and manage it like the rest of their activities. As long as your meeting your goals and objectives why should you tie yourself to a location and a clock. Best Buy has been using this method for their corporate offices and employee satisfaction and retention have steadily gone up since it’s adoption as well as huge gains in productivity. The stats back-up the theory. I suggest everyone take a look at this book to think about work differently. I only wish the book gave a bit more in depth steps of how to switch over to a ROWE (Results Only Work Environment), but I think that’s why they have the kits you can order or to hire them for consulting services.

The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy

1. You’re   the driver of your bus

2. Desire, vision, and focus move  your bus in the  right direction

3. Fuel  your ride with positive energy

4. Invite people on your bus and share your vision for the road ahead

5. Don’t waste your energy on those who don’t get on your bus

6. Post a sign that says “NO ENERGY VAMPIRES ALLOWED on your bus

7. Enthusiasm attracts more passengers and energizes them during the ride

8. Love your passengers

9. Drive with purpose

10. Have fun and enjoy the ride