PagePlane.com

February 21, 2011

Ideas 101

Design is not rearrangement

The reason I am pointing you to James Geary's TED Talk on the subject of metaphors is because it reminds me of how important it is that our designs don't simply replay the same old, tired messages. (As I was writing this, my first thought was to use the phrase, "break new ground" — it doesn't get much worse than that.)

Geary mentions a George Orwell essay in which he offers six rules for improving the writer's use of the English language including: "Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print."

That's quite a challenge. Doubt me? Try writing a few paragraphs without a "well worn" metaphor. Imagine too if we, as designers, were to rewrite that rule in graphic designese — something like, "Never use a marketing approach, page layout, or color scheme which you are used to seeing in print."