Comments on: design droplets FREE prize – Comment and Win

By: Raph Goldsworthy

Raph Goldsworthy — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:37:51 +0000

Thanks to everyone that commented and offered their opinion. I will definitely try to incorporate many of these suggestions into the new design that I am currently working on.

@ rahshia – thanks for the great comments on the design. Th RSS logo does need to be rethought. The google ads do bring in some money, which is currently helping to pay for the hosting etc…

@ Robert Lewis – Since there are already such awesome sites like idsketching.com and solidsmack around design droplets will not be focusing on these areas.

@ Chris Buerckner – I really like the idea of following a students career as the progress from student through to professional. As part of the new site design design droplets will feature a job board that is Australasia specific.

@Pete Hall – A logo is currently in the works. There will certainly be many more design Q&As.

@ Murray – Hopefully the new site design will help to make the advertising less annoying. I will also try to more away from google ads and towards having two or three site sponsors.

@ Liam – I will try and implement an article structure to make the articles easy to scan and will try to edit some of the Q&As to be shorter and more to the point. I will definitely try to get some more interaction design articles and Q&As up.

@ Michael – I will try to work on the Q&A format. As for the type of designers interviewed, I have been trying to keep it as open as possible. As I believe it provides readers with better exposure to many more views on design. I believe is important for all designers even seasoned pros to be exposed to new views and ways of doing etc….

Again thanks to everyone who commented.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 19:59:51 +0000

I really like concept of Designer Q&A. That said, I think there are a couple ways it can be better:

- Make it shorter. The interviews are really long, so either narrow down your questions or edit the interview before you post it. For me, a blog post needs to be efficient to be most effective.
- Focus on the types of people you interview. I’m interested in Michael DiTullo but then not interested in Brittany Veitch. The opposite will be true for other people I’m sure. I guess this is actually a bigger recommendation to focus your position and not try to be all things to all people.

I really like designboom’s interview format – it is short but the questions are challenging and provocative enough to keep me coming back. Also, they’re focused on talking to signature designers who mostly do architecture, furniture and housewares. They’ve got it covered here, but maybe you can find some position that isn’t owned by another blog.

By: liam

liam — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 11:12:03 +0000

hi raph,

i have found the designer interviews, can at times be a little wordy. i read a fair amount of stuff through my rss feeds every day, 120 or so items, and you really need to get my attention in the first two sentences. perhaps the kernel of awesomeness contained in the interview could be right at the top? and make the text a little easier to scan read.
also, i’d love to see some features on interaction design, i know you know a little about it, and have some contacts. it seems that this area could well become more important to product design, then trad. industrial design is currently, and personally, i’m kind of interested in learning skills in this area, but am not sure where to begin.

By: Murray

Murray — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:54:12 +0000

- I have to agree with the others about the RSS logo, it doesn’t really make itself known.
- More articles targeted towards students, but not exclusively writing for students.
- Less advertising would be nice, but I appreciate that this is necessary in order to fund the site.

- Perhaps a few articles pertaining to newer areas of design (i.e. interaction design).

By: Pete Hall

Pete Hall — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 06:27:19 +0000

-A logo would be nice, although the current two tone color look of the name “Design Droplets” does function in that role, a graphical representation would be interesting
-Anything pertaining to the design student
-I agree with rahshia, a rss logo with a bit more pop would be nice, I just noticed it actually.
-a border or opaque color to delineate a post title from the rest of the page, the light blue on white blends together easily.
-is the “Other Awesome Blogs” needed on both the footer and the sidebar?
-more professional designer Q&A’s, as a student, I hear lots of professors opinions and less working designers opinions and I think they are very valuable.

By: Chris Buerckner

Chris Buerckner — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:14:00 +0000

What I would like to see in the future:
> I would like to see more on the 1st year student > graduate > working in design industry transitions
> Tips for students throughout their course (could be… “so you want to work in the ______ industry (automotive, furniture, commercial, etc) have you thought of doing this…)
> An area on design related jobs that are available (for Australiasian deesign community). Not neccessarily every job out there, maybe cover four or something like a Link Love

By: Robert Lewis

Robert Lewis — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:39:51 +0000

I’d like to see video tutorials for sketching/model building.

By: rahshia

rahshia — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:29:37 +0000

What don’t I like:
> Design feels unfinished and has no joining primary element
> Colours seem not quite there yet (bottom of page look better then top of page)
> Faded RSS logo does not “pop”, what is your primary function of the header?
> You need a logo! so so so many options!

What to change:
> Something to anchor the post down, a border, a shade lighter – something
> Is the Google ad really making you $$ try adding in the hack to hide Google adds from persistent readers
> the share links needs some TLC and standardizing