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The Shape of Design
"Hi. My name's Frank Chimero. I've spent the better part of the last two years writing and speaking on design and thinking about the topics that orbit the practice: storytelling, concept, craft, and improvisation. I want to take all of the ideas I've had and connected these past few months and capture them in a book format.
I've been teaching for the past 5 years, and I've...more
I've been teaching for the past 5 years, and I've...more
Published
(first published January 1st 2012)
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Llevo ya unos meses admirando mucho el trabajo y la filosofía de Frank Chimero. Encuentro este libro como una buena guía y una pequeña oda a lo que es el diseño en la actualidad, un libro de cómo hacer cosas a través de historias y utilizarlas para ayudarnos a vivir mejor.
Frank manifiesta una gran adoración por el proceso de diseño más que por el término del mismo. Entiende el proceso más como un verbo que como un sustantivo, es algo que tiene vida, es algo que se mantiene en constante movimient...more
Frank manifiesta una gran adoración por el proceso de diseño más que por el término del mismo. Entiende el proceso más como un verbo que como un sustantivo, es algo que tiene vida, es algo que se mantiene en constante movimient...more
The last two chapters of Frank's book are the best of the bunch, which discuss Delight and Giving within design. I differ with his onesidedness in Delight, that the designer's empathy should only be with those who will interact with his work — I think this empathy should extend foremost to being true to (and using true) content and materials;I mean not adding junk like rounded borders, glow effects, swoosh graphics, tired catchphrases, for the sake of being some notion of modern or hip; he doesn...more
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I was intrigued by this book due to its Cinderella Kickstarter funding story and seeing the author on a number of conference lineups in the last few years. It's a short read (125 pages) and has a nicely understated, well-considered design that implies a gravitas rare in the world of design writing. The Shape of Design doesn't live up to the packaging or the surrounding hype, but it's an admirable failure. To paraphrase a notion in the book, how Chimero presents his ideas has some appeal. Why he...more
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Frank Chimero’s The Shape of Design is a beautiful book.
I can't remember how many times I have told my wife that I like the way the book feels in my hands. As such, the design of the book (done by the author himself) works as an example of the book's message in action. The best design is a gift that connects people. Something that delights the user and does more than he expects.
Or, as Chimero ends the book:
“There is a world we live in and one that we imagine. It is by our movement and invention...more
I can't remember how many times I have told my wife that I like the way the book feels in my hands. As such, the design of the book (done by the author himself) works as an example of the book's message in action. The best design is a gift that connects people. Something that delights the user and does more than he expects.
Or, as Chimero ends the book:
“There is a world we live in and one that we imagine. It is by our movement and invention...more
I normally enjoy Frank's writing, but this was sprawling, self-indulgent, and brimming with clichés.
I'm sure SAIC students will love it, though :P
I'm sure SAIC students will love it, though :P
Jun 20, 2012
Skyler Vander Molen
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Designers, especially new ones
Shelves:
art-design
For the most part, I love everything Frank does. He's a great designer and sometimes an even better writer. One of the things I appreciate most about him is that he encourages designers to be more multi-dimensional and to use writing as a way to think about design and the world.
As one of the Kickstarter backers, I got my hands on the ebook a little early and finished half of it on a flight from SF to FL. The first few chapters immediately grabbed and inspired me. So much so, that I couldn't wait...more
As one of the Kickstarter backers, I got my hands on the ebook a little early and finished half of it on a flight from SF to FL. The first few chapters immediately grabbed and inspired me. So much so, that I couldn't wait...more
I have been following Frank's blog for a while now, and I backed the Kickstarter to publish this book because I enjoy his writing style so much. He has a way of making connections between the practical and the fantastic that is engaging and thought provoking. It's best to take it in in chunks, to let the ideas and analogies percolate for a bit before reading again. While I am not a designer, I found the book accessible and engaging, and I liked how much of what Frank puts forth is applicable to...more
I helped fund this book on Kickstarter, so I feel liked I helped contribute in some small way. That may or may not have tinted my appreciation of it.
But it's a great book, both inside and out. The binding is beautiful and reminds me old, durable books I saw in the library of my youth. This is a book you could use a weapon and still get years of reading enjoyment out of it.
The contents of the book are short and sweet. It's filled with little kernels of wisdom and deep thoughts. I marked quite a f...more
But it's a great book, both inside and out. The binding is beautiful and reminds me old, durable books I saw in the library of my youth. This is a book you could use a weapon and still get years of reading enjoyment out of it.
The contents of the book are short and sweet. It's filled with little kernels of wisdom and deep thoughts. I marked quite a f...more
As a non-designer I really enjoyed this book, but I have to agree with a few of the other reviewers. The writing tended to ramble, and verged on cliche at times. A good book, but I feel Chimero has a great one in him.
Somewhat thought-provoking book, that is more of an exploration of the thought process of one designer than a book about the process of design itself. I got a few good thoughts out of it, which I highlighted in iBooks for later inspiration.
Meh. Much too abstract, artistic, and rose-tinted to be of much use. I enjoyed many of the stories, and there's some good content, but so much grandeur to wade through.
Aug 13, 2012
Nathanael Boehm
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
work-related
A beautiful, poetic book that puts the art back into design.
At a time when many authors are advocating a more credible and measurable approach to design that is more akin to the methodical, formulaic and analytical field of engineering, Frank Chimero talks about design in almost spiritual terms of intuition and feeling, of inspiration coming from deep down, of immersion and expression.
I feel that Frank's book is a companion to Jon Kolko's Thoughts on Interaction Design; intellectual, profound an...more
At a time when many authors are advocating a more credible and measurable approach to design that is more akin to the methodical, formulaic and analytical field of engineering, Frank Chimero talks about design in almost spiritual terms of intuition and feeling, of inspiration coming from deep down, of immersion and expression.
I feel that Frank's book is a companion to Jon Kolko's Thoughts on Interaction Design; intellectual, profound an...more
The ideas in this book are great. I really like Frank Chimero's blog, and was hoping the book would be written in the same style ... Unfortunately, the sentences are a bit long and awkward. The author is at his best when he's using examples and stories to illustrate more nebulous concepts.
Brilliant. Frank Chimero briefly explains the purpose of communication focused design within a money and marketability focused world.
Love his thoughts on creativity and design. Also, can't help but appreciate a book that references The Mezzanine.
A meditation on how design improves the lives of artists and their audience.
Some interesting points about why we design, good things to think about.
Excellent. I'll be keeping it on my desk to flip through whenever I'm stuck.
I'm pretty sure I'll return to this again and again over the years.
Just finished reading this book. It's by far the most inspiring book I have read on the subject of design.
His perspective on the subject, the questions he asks and the answers he comes up with, have helped me reflect on my own work, and at the same time inspired me to do better design.
Thanks Frank.
His perspective on the subject, the questions he asks and the answers he comes up with, have helped me reflect on my own work, and at the same time inspired me to do better design.
Thanks Frank.
Amazing.
I heard Frank speak at dConstruct last year and quite liked what he had to say. When I spotted he'd written a book based on this I thought I'd take a look. As a non-designer there is nothing scary or intimidatingly "designery" about this book. It's nicely written and a decent length altho a few chapters felt like they'd been forced to be a page or so longer than they needed to be. Overall worth the reading time
I'll echo what's already been said about this: it felt wishy-washy and a bit heads-in-the-cloud and never really said a lot. There are some good bits and pieces here, but overall it felt like a waste of time. Not so bad I had to stop reading it, just bad enough to not recommend it to anyone I know, and to go so far as to recommend not reading it. I expected a lot more from Mr. Chimero.
Frank summarises feelings that I knew I had but up until this point, I was unable I put them to words. This book is very inspirational. It motivates in a subtle way that left me feeling refreshed and not overly stimulated. The last chapter of the book is kind of lacking in motivation but I think he really just got out what needed to be said. Great book. Took lots of notes.
We read this in my UX Book Club. Chimero has a very beguiling storytelling style which makes the book very enjoyable to read. You don't learn how to design from this book so much as you learn how designers think. In discussing the book, I found I learned more than I thought, which I uspct is. Trick Chimero learned in teaching design. This book is short, sneaky fun.
Love Frank's writing style, very beautiful, lots of metaphor and analogy. Unfortunately there's little of any real substance and you can't help but feel Frank is trying to show off how 'cultured' he is with his many references to art and japanese poetry etc.
Interesting concept about the why's of design. The pompous language makes it a hard read.
May 24, 2013
Daniela Ortega
marked it as to-read
May 23, 2013
Devin Castro
is currently reading it
May 22, 2013
Carlos
is currently reading it
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“A person is not a closed system, they can never be fully self-sufficient. We need each other because we cannot make everything ourselves. Everything was invented, but it was not done alone, so we should revere the times we are able to fill this complementary role for others, and cherish when others do so for us. It's the words of others that teach us to speak, the expressions of life by other people that teach us how to express ourselves.”
—
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