Design Matters

Design Matters is a radio talk show broadcasted every Friday from 3–4 p.m. ET. It is hosted by Debbie Millman with a guest designer.

Debbie Millman is the managing partner and president of the design division at Sterling Group, one of the leading branding identity firms in the United States.

The talk show I chose to listen to is the one with Stefan Sagmeister in July 2007. In my earlier blogs I had to listen to one of Sagmeister's "happiness" speech and I found it extremely useful. This talk show with Millman is also about how to be happy and perhaps change to be happy.
She mentioned one of his AIGA postcards that she just loves very much. It was a list of things Segmeister wants to do before he dies. It's in rough handwritings on a piece of torn (and dirty) notebook paper. It is quiet interesting. Segmeister is so great at using handletterings. Too cool.



Millman's introduction of Sagmeister was his 1999 AIGA poster. I guess he really marked himself (and his assistant) the letterings on his body using an xacto knife... I can't imagine he was happy when he was doing it...



The more I learn about Sagmeister the more I am inspired to do something good (to the public and to myself). If you're happy, your work will show.
I think today design students (myself also) use the computer too much. Everything designed seem to be computer generated and it is aweful. Maybe that's why I like Sagmeister's work so much because he uses real actual things to make type and projects. I stumbled upon one of his posters and I find absolutely in awe and beautiful—posters for Levi jeans. It was given away free if you buy a pair of Levi jeans. What Segmeister did was to actually shread the jeans up into its parts... Again, very cool.



For Segmeister, to be able to come up with ideas when the deadline is still far away with no pressure makes him happy in design. And traveling (and driving a motocycle without a helmet somewhere...) makes Segmeister happy in life.

I think it is important for us, as designers, to be able to be happy with our design and our life.
And to finish off this blog, I'm quoting one of Millman's guide to her personal happines that she mentioned at the beginning of the talkshow:

"People are like plants; they need a lot of water."

First, I don't drink enough water, so I have to bear this in mind. But second, and more importantly, is that people like plants need care, nutrients, and the sun; for designers to grow, we need understanding/learn/acceptance of others strength and weaknesses, expand our knowledge, and a creative source... That's what I think and will try to remember.

For other podcasts, here's the link to both the podcast list and the live show link.
(I didn't think they'd have commercial, but... they do.)

Sagmeister’s full list of 20 maxims in his book Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far:
1. Helping other people helps me.
2. Having guts always works out for me.
3. Thinking that life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
4. Organising a charity group is surprisingly easy.
5. Being not truthful always works against me.
6. Everything I do always comes back to me.
7. Assuming is stifling.
8. Drugs feel great in the beginning and become a drag later on.
9. Over time I get used to everything and start taking for granted.
10. Money does not make me happy.
11. My dreams have no meaning.
12. Keeping a diary supports personal development.
13. Trying to look good limits my life.
14. Material luxuries are best enjoyed in small doses.
15. Worrying solves nothing.
16. Complaining is silly. Either act or forget.
17. Everybody thinks they are right.
18. If I want to explore a new direction professionally, it is helpful to try it out for myself first.
19. Low expectations are a good strategy.
20. Everybody who is honest is interesting.