Armchair Quarterback
June 3, 2004
This has been an exciting week for me, with two (1, 2) listings on public sites that made my head swell even bigger than its' natural proportions (Right, Doy?). It has, however, introduced me to a relatively new idea I have been getting to know over the past year: Public Scrutiny. As a Communications Director, I often have pieces of my work floating about through Canada and even the US, whether it be on the web, in print or in the form of a video. What have I learned? A couple of things....
First of all, once it is out there, it's gone. This is not completely true in the web world, where things are much more dynamic, but still once you pick a design you better stick with it for a while. In video and in print, there is no turning back after it is mass produced, and I can't tell you how many times I see a video or piece I designed and cringe a bit, obsessing over that one little detail that no one else sees but me.
Second, the old adage "You can't make everyone happy," really rings true. Some people love your work, some people hate it, some people...ehhh. Once you can get past this and focus on making the majority happy, or at least your customer, things get a lot better.
What brings me to this topic is that with my work in the public web forum this week I have come across comments that *gasp* knock my design decisions. The nerve! Well, not really. Actually I don't mind the critique, I have used it in the past to better my work and will continue to do so. However there is a difference between constructive criticism and public idiocy. And from what we have seen this week, if idiots could fly, this place would be a freakin' international airport...or something like that.
The problem with these idiots is that they throw their rocks from an obscure cave and no one knows the address. They typically leave a comment with no link back to their own work, I guess it is too beautiful for us to lay our mere mortal eyes upon. But recent discussions have been undermined by such idiots and, in my opinion, threaten the openness and great resource that is the web development/standards community. So, lay off guys or provide a link like a real man (or woman)....
Isn't this just like our society though? A small percentage of the people out their actually doing something, while the greater whole poke them with a stick...
I can't complain though, I yell at the Jayhawks on TV for not hustling enough, but I get out of breath on my way to the fridge.
Filed under Design, Life in General, Rants
Comments
Dad says:
Welcome to the real world Sparky! You have mentioned the most important aspect of the experience though! Learn from others critiques, good or bad. Regardless of whether we like them or not, many times there are at least some parts that have merit. The key, as you said, is to pick out those things and use them to better your own productions. THEN, get their addresses and email them to me and I'll hunt the #@?!*($%
down and take care of them! (Just kidding on that part!)
You do GREAT work!
Love, Dad
Comments are closed for this entry
Doy says:
I think, too, there's a culture that develops on design sites that invite scrutiny...one that I think begs for personal taste rather than design critique.
My first bout on the How design forums invited comments such as, "Don't use gradients," "Don't use swishes...those are so 90's," and the like.
None of those are real design staples and don't do anything to make me better at what I do.
So...I roll with the punches and try to critique others based on form and function and theory where it applies, and let the anonymous nay-sayers fall by the wayside...
and hopefully steal their clients.
Oh...did I say that out loud?