When discussing new technologies with clients and peers I often hear the importance of not building “technology for technology’s sake”.   I agree that this should be prevented but I prefer to think positively and speak about how we want technology to work instead of how we don’t want it to work.  In doing this, I use the word Sprezzatura.

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A New York Times article recently revealed that Groupon employs over 400 writers and editors to produce the humorous sales pitches that move their discounted wares. Banter such as “Like the seedpod of the sacred lotus, golf courses are filled with holes and cause feelings of euphoria when chewed” is intended to capture the attention of online shoppers. In the crowded “deal-of-the-day” space, Groupon is betting that their heavy investment in the creation and craft of words, and their unique voice, will put them at the top of the heap.

Often, when we begin brainstorming a new online experience for web or mobile, the first things our clients talk about are functionality, architecture and design. Copy and voice are recognized as important aspects of the brand, but most people feel it can be slotted in later in the process, even after the site is completed. But the words we select and craft play as important a role in the function of a site as the backend code.

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Last week, we were lucky enough to attend two design events in town – Boston’s 22nd PechaKucha event and Club Oberon, and the 37th annual Dwiggins Lecture in the Boston Public Library. We asked each other questions to share our thoughts on these events with you on the Bulb, and invite you to contribute to the conversation.

I have lived in Jamaica Plain, MA for about 15 years. Known as JP, it is admired for its diversity, community involvement, and being a bastion of progressive politics. Our geography balances the gritty city with some of the city’s best green spots: Jamaica Pond and the Arnold Arboretum.

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Focus on narrow, specific tasks. It doesn’t take a survey to tell you that users are less focused when they are using browsers and apps on a smartphone. This means that you should focus your design on a small set of well-defined tasks. Don’t try to squeeze everything under the sun into a single app.

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Interactive experiences on mobile devices are no longer limited to simple information finding like phone number lookup or location finding. Users are taking advantage of a variety of interaction modes. Everything from social media to reading to collaboration to gaming to shopping to browsing are used regularly on a variety of mobile platforms.

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The month of February always promises to bring the same thing – a downpour of jewelry and flower ads.  Kay Jewelers, Jareds, and other brands roll out the same predictable commercials about three times a year: Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. The ads are so familiarly boring that you probably don’t even notice them anymore, except perhaps when you find yourself humming their catchy-yet-meaningless jingles.

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Graphic designers love wood type primarily because it is BIG – and sometimes very weird.

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I made my first visit to the new Art of the Americas Wing in the MFA on opening day. It was great to see the new spaces and the new pieces of the addition, but also to see familiar pieces from the museum that are shown in a new light within the wing. I was struck by the way the context in which pieces were displayed really contributed to the way I saw them.

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