The Pursuit Of Magic, presented at Speak The Web Liverpool on 15th Feb 2010, takes a moment to reflect on key design principles that may or may not be being used effectively by legions of web designers.

1. the appliance of science
the pursuit of magic
simon collison
speak the web, liverpool, february 2010
@simoncollison colly.com erskinedesign.com

2. a deeper understanding of traditional
design
principles
can bring that magic “something” to our web designs

3. This is not a case of...
You’ve either got it, or you haven’t
Nor is it a case of...
I think I’ve got it, and you haven’t
It’s more a case of...
You can have it if you want it

4. before I start, let’s be clear...
the web
is not print

5. The screen brings with it different kinds of
challenges for visual design, some of which
occur exclusively in interactive media. It’s
unrealistic to think our old methods can fill in all
the gaps, but new interaction patterns and visual
languages emerge everyday. These are the
building blocks for our new design principles.
Jason Santa Maria

6. and it doesn’t matter how good you are with...
HTML & CSS
jQuery
Photoshop
because these are just enablers

7. we design
to communicate

8. modernism
post modernism

15. nostalgia

16. Copyright BBC 2010

17. By Olly Moss
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ollym/2998286041/

18. Amy Martin
http://design-book.blogspot.com/search/label/posters

22. vernacular

26. humour

27. Osbornevillas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/osborne_villas/3390937252/

28. By Atmostheory
http://www.frankchimero.com/
http://www.atmostheory.com/index.php?/projects/commands/

30. semiotics

31. Symbol Icon Index

32. typography

36. http://gregorywood.co.uk

37. colour

39. balance
composition
symmetry
movement
patterns

40. restraint &
reduction

46. play
personality
self-expression

47. http://mnatwork.com

50. through all of this, we can create
magic

51. thanks
simon collison
@simoncollison colly.com erskinedesign.com