idsgn (a design blog)

Thirty Conversations on Design is a collection of thoughts from 30 inspired designers, authors, and creative professionals.

Releasing the conversations in groups of 10, the project’s initial offering features insight from Erik Spiekermann, Ellen Lupton, Massimo Vignelli, Paula Scher, among others. The project, created by Minneapolis-based design firm Little & Company, asks participants two simple questions: “What single example of design inspires you most?” and “What problem should design solve next?”

Some interesting insight on the ‘green design’ trend by architect Edwin Chan (Gehry Partners):

As designers today, we should address the problem of how to reconcile our own survival on the planet with the quality of life we’ve been accustomed to. Nowadays there are a lot of talk or rhetoric out there about ‘green design’ or being ecologically conscious. Frankly speaking, I think that’s a lot of bullshit. In fact, it’s a little bit of a fad. There’s always been talk about [designing] energy conscious since the ’60s, and to me the current trend is just a rehash of what’s been good design all along.

Massimo Vignelli (Vignelli Associates) says to design for the people:

We really have to define what people need rather than what people want, which was what was done before by marketing. Marketing was looking for what people want—people do not know what they want… Design has to be more responsible to towards design itself, towards the user, and towards society.

Check out upcoming conversations throughout November with Chip Kidd, Debbie Millman, and others at Thirty Conversations on Design.