The 2008 Design Research Conference was a great success. So much so that we are devoting an entire issue to the conference. For those of you who were unable to attend, here's your chance to get a recap. Special thanks to Amber Lindholm and Matt Gardner for a fantastic conference.
Enjoy,
Amy & Kate
The school year has just begun. Some of us are just beginning our design journey at ID, while others are almost finished. Since so much of what we design here has contextual implications, it is important for students to be aware of events around the world in order to create relevant designs.
We have highlighted some recent and upcoming events for the remainder of 2008 and some of 2009 for your reference.
2008, International Year of Languages and the Year of the Potato
January
Amy & Kate
With the school year coming to a close, students are relieved to be finished with classes, and anticipating the summer. For most students, it is a nice feeling to no longer have to go to 350 North LaSalle on a daily basis. In spite of the unkind economy, many ID students are off to internships and jobs this summer, some having already started.
While some students have already said goodbye to Chicago and friends, others will say those goodbyes at the Strategy Conference this Thursday and Friday.
This is our time to say goodbye to you as we sit at the Mercury Café on Chicago Avenue. Thank you to all the students, faculty, staff and alumni that have taken the time to read the New Idiom this year. We greatly appreciate the students who have contributed to the newsletter. In addition to the writers, we appreciate the comments from people on articles. Those comments help us continually learn and improve the New Idiom. We hope to expand our small, but loyal group of writers next semester.
Have a great summer!
Amy & Kate
The next issue will be published May 19th.
Good luck to everyone with final projects.
Congratulations to the graduates! You will be missed!
Good luck in your future endeavors.
Kate & Amy
Only 2 weeks of classes remain at ID, and with the end of the year approaching, projects are finally coming to fruition. Our team was able to talk to Gabe Biller, Kristy Scovel, Alex Cheek and Jordan Fischer, who comprise two school projects that are aiming to improve and add to some of the research techniques that the school prides itself on. These projects allow us to focus this issue on the student culture here at ID of constantly giving to the school, whether it's in the form of enhancing ID methodology, trying to improve student facilities, or improving the student-employers network. (kudos to Daniel Erwin and Amanda Wirth for helping to bring in Don Norman for an excellent lecture.)
At this point in the semester, many ID students are angst ridden with their workloads. I know that us foundies are at our wits-end. Between the construction of an elaborate brand book and the attempt at an engaging interaction animation, we are either on the verge of tears or self-pitying anger.
In our extreme distress and exhaustion, we constructed a Mood Matrix (which we found out was not a matrix, but a two-by-two – oh what we have to learn!). Everyone has a post-it with his or her name on it and everyday we change where we are on the two-by-two. At the beginning of the week, we tend to be frustrated and checked out, after Wednesday we usually become a bit more engaged and satisfied. For a good laugh you should come to the third floor foundation area and check out this fantastic display of analysis.
By Kate Pemberton
You see what we go through to bring you the most up-to-date news.
Let me start with a shout out to the students who have taken time in their schedules to read the New Idiom this week. B session has just begun, meaning a few new classes for most of us on top of our regular workload of semester-long workshops. (Foundation students get more in deep into all their semester classes.) Although this means we’re halfway done, we can only wish that the work is halfway complete. In some ways it is, but the nature of classes here is not really linear in idea development and workload, but rather more exponential (see image). Here’s my rendition of time versus motivation (and fear), based on observations of fellow classmates:
This week, we’re sitting in Alliance Bakery in Wicker Park. They have good coffee and beautifully decorated cupcakes and cakes. Its an interesting space as well. If you plan to stay at the bakery to enjoy your coffee and baked goods, you purchase your goods and then go outside and walk to the next door to sit down at eclectic tables and couches. The two spaces are not connected on the interior. Sitting at one of the tables reading the articles written this week, I realized a common theme. There is potential to do so many great things with the degrees we receive from ID.
By Kate Pemberton
We are sitting here at The Coffee Studio in Andersonville. We came here for inspiration from Miguel and Lee Cano, two ID alumni, who recently opened The Coffee Studio. The two opened the shop after establishing a nearby design firm.
The Coffee Studio is an example of how ID graduates can take their design skills in interesting directions.
We wish you luck with RecruitID and your other job endeavors.
Amy and Kate
New Idiom official website: thenewidiom.com
