Journeying Forward: Literature Spotting and a flourishing Website

2024-03-14

Isn't it interesting how events may unfold unexpectedly? That's exactly what occurred yesterday. Because I had some free time and was attending university, I went to the university library and decided that a brief peek at the newly delivered works couldn't hurt. So...what can I say? Finally, I had nine volumes, which I quickly carried with me after scrutinising them, as one might imagine.

One book I have started reading, understanding, and connecting to my thesis is Markus Caspers's (2023) "Design and Transformation: How We Shape Our Future Sustainably". Some inspirational quotes from this book are already available in the website's Key References section.

Another interesting book is Manuel Lima's "The New Designer: Rejecting Myths, Embracing Change" (2023), published by The MIT Press. At first sight, both pieces appear to match my perspective and understanding of how the function of design is changing and needs to evolve in order to remain relevant.

For the time being, the third achievement comes from the well-known Don Norman, who also published "Design for a Better World: Meaningful, Sustainable, and Humanity-Centred" last year with The MIT Press. I'll then consider adding the new books to the reference list.

But that's only part of what I wanted to convey today. The other component is the continued development of my website. What has changed there, and why? The answer to the last question is Magda. And I will go to the first one straight away.

Magda was attending university to work on her thesis project which is the practical part of her research paper. She joined me at the library later in the afternoon. We found a space, set up our computers, and began looking at the website together. Magda is a designer and upcoming Master's student in the field of design. Her thesis is named "Colourful Impact for Patient Rooms: Research for Data-Based Colour Choices in Healing Spaces" and she is a major influence in this field in Switzerland.

Magda is really good at getting right to the point, and she taught me more in less than an hour than I could have expected. One of the initial issues we addressed was the guiding principle behind the overall concept. The repetition of a visual pattern, so to say, or the first impression you get, when you hit the (any) page. We created it using new elements. We have also decreased the amount of text on each page. The site is now much more appealing, with a layout that emphasises the material and gets right to the point. Adjusting the typography is still pending; that is on the agenda for later. For now, my focus remains on refining the exposé and advancing my thesis. Everything else can evolve and flourish in due time.

The majority of it was implemented by the evening. This entailed editing my blog posts. It is truly remarkable how you find yourself repeatedly refining everything to optimise it, much like the meticulous process of editing sheep's wool until it forms a neat ball of yarn. I suppose that's why I choose to document such instances — to showcase how my work process evolves over time, how work phases renew and optimise themselves with expanding knowledge, and to remain focused on the ultimate goal: presenting the thesis to the faculty as a first draft by August 12th.

We shall see, how I will master that in 5 months from now.

PS: I have attached an image of the website in its current state, as it is expected to morph again soon. Please, note, most photo-images on the website are place holders and will be replaced over time.