Articles by Tim Larsen

What is it that makes a good Web site great? What captures people’s attention? Most of all, what entices users to linger longer, learn more, and ultimately choose your firm to fulfill their design needs?

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The banking collapse. The foreclosure crisis. Tom Fisher, Dean, College of Design at the University of Minnesota, views each of these disasters as a “fracture-critical system,” and he sees design thinking as a potential solution.

“My father owned the Capital Theater in downtown Bismarck, North Dakota. I started working there when I was 12, making popcorn and selling candy…. My father also taught me not to micromanage. Even when I was 12 and my brothers were 16 and 18, he didn’t micromanage us. The three of us ran the theater in the summer, opening it at noon, running the movie, cleaning up, locking up, and going home for dinner, then going back that evening and doing it all over again.”

Over the years, some of our best clients have been in-house design groups. They speak the same language and share the same values about what design can bring to business. To make collaboration work, follow these simple guidelines I’ve developed over 30 years of running a design firm.

Managing a brand is a bit like sailing a boat. Core principles apply, but there’s plenty of room for personal interpretation. After more than 30 years of working in strategic design and brand management, I’ve developed my own list of eight brand management rules. Review them — and see how well they chart your company’s course.