Design Business Review
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- Keenan0
haha...That comment about me seeding this post with multiple usernames...that was a joke...I hope most of you caught it.
Yes, this publication is a Fwis project. That's no secret. It's right there on the site. We got a lot of great writers and some great content. Like letterhead said, we wanted to get the dirty details on how design studio's make money—no lofty principles and pontificating. Its just god stuff, bottom line.
- God stuff, eh? Am I in for a revised Bible?Scotch_Roman
- so, you're not posting under sidneyblank, and Williamsir?Josev
- Scotch_Roman0
1. Mr. Multi-Personality is shady indeedy.
2. I promise to buy this book if at least one of my two proposals currently dangled out there turn into actual paid work.
- Keenan0
No Josev, I am not. But we did end up getting in touch with Sidney Blank who runs a design firm called Supermetricity. He had some thoughtful critiques of the publication, both the good and the bad.
you can read it here: http://supermetricity.com/
But since it is issue one, we are more than happy to receive feedback from the community. We have no idea what this magazine will be like a year from now. It all depends on what works. And what we are hearing is that people want to hear how other people do business — not principles of business, not broad strategy, but case studies, tactics, actual methods in use.
- Scotch_Roman0
The content sounds exactly like the sort of information I need right now. I'm in the process of launching a business (I'm not sure when a business can be considered "launched"... I just became LLC and have just enough work to keep the wolves at bay thus far).
To me, the design part is relatively easy. Building, organizing, planning, and networking have been the monstrously daunting tasks for me thus far. Been working on a business plan in my free time, but it's like doing surgery on myself. Painfully slow.
The book sounds like a useful read, despite what I've heard about the slapdash production.
- Keenan0
Yeah Scott. You are right about the production. I mean, we are using Lulu, and they give you zero control over paper stock (flimsy high-gloss cover...lame!), and they make no guarantees for trimming and what not. We had to design around some of those limitations. For issue two we might switch over to MagCloud—totally different format, but great print quality and paper stock. But what is really nice about them is they have open forums that the development team actively participates is and listens to. They will soon be way beyond Lulu. They are even working on an API!
Anyways, you are right about the content. We are trying more and more to get the right info out of our interviewees. It takes some cajoling—we get so used to repeating the same useless clichés. We are refining it as we go, and it will only get better.
- Keenan0
We are working on switching over to MagCloud. Anyone tried it out?
- Daithi0
This arrived to me (Dublin Ireland) just before the weekend. At first I was disappointed with the low quality of print, but it meant that I chucked it in my bag and wasn't too precious about keeping it 'nice'; which meant that it got read. As a recommendation, the first thing I did this morning was to give it to my business partner to read. Looking forward to seeing this develop as a project — well done to all involved.
- ********0
FWIS is not only a relentless self promoter and spammer, he's also an enormous proponent of plagiarism, trend whoring and generally being a thoroughly irritating 'pig-weasel' like fellow.
Having had the mispleasure of reading several pages of this publication I can confirm that it is based pretty much on opinionated, poorly written drivel. So if poorly written drivel is your cup of tea, I can recommend this book.
- Wow, why so pissed? Did he plagiarize your work?Scotch_Roman
- I'm not pissed, he's just a thoroughly irritating person that thinks he is cool by smoking a pipe.********
- Well, I smoke a pipe. I'm sure as hell not cool though.Scotch_Roman
- Plagiarism is a big deal though. Who did he rip or support in ripping?Scotch_Roman
- kaonashi0
Scotch_Roman, fwis is quite the well known personality over on yayHooray, where he makes his home. max_prophet and I --and the whole of yayhooray -- know his shenanigans quite well.
This Design Business Review thing is like a lame attempt at HOW's business issue...itself a lame attempt at discussing design and business.
- Scotch_Roman0
Interesting. I wonder though, if the book is as bad as you say, how did he rope smart people like Michael Bierut into the program?
- kaonashi0
"program"?
He e-mailed some questions and included anyone who answered back.
- kaonashi0
This isn't AA. There aren't 12 steps. This isn't a "program"