Category : Design Strategy

The Evolution of QR Codes
Quick Response Codes (QR codes) are two-dimensional barcodes that can deliver large amounts of information while taking up a small amount of print space. QR codes can be made up of many different types of data and can be downloaded at a high-speed by a QR reader. Originally these codes were used in the automotive industry for manufacturing, but due to their ability to store and deliver a message in a fast and concise manner, QR codes quickly found purchase in a variety of industries.

Much like its predecessors, Microsoft Tags and Jagtags, QR codes are easily read by mobile devices, which use the camera as the reader. The contents of the tag typically…

Audi has a reputation as the “designer’s performance car”. Audi has long been venerated for their relentless attention to detail and sublime ergonomic design. Sitting behind the wheel of an Audi is different from almost any other luxury performance car. They somehow manage to pull of a practical, no-frills vibe, coupled with an almost Apple-like design sensibility. As a matter of fact, I’ll just go ahead and go on record by saying, that in a world of “we want to be the Apple of (insert industry), Audi actually is the Apple of automakers. Or put another way, Apple is the Audi of consumer electronics.

In a piece titled “Sense & Drivability”, in the October issue or Fast Company, Jason Feifer broke down some of the subtle ways that Audi…

I manage a lot of bank accounts. I have personal accounts, business accounts, checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, etc., and that doesn’t even include things like HSA accounts, brokerage accounts, credit lines, etc. The accounts are spread across several banking institutions in a handful of states. The one thing they all have in common is that they are all a source of ongoing frustration. On a good day, they are impersonal, faceless, corporate behemoths. On a bad day they are uncaring and even down right belligerent.

Since the House of Rothschild established European banking and finance houses in the late eighteenth century, the banking industry has been historically resistant to change. To be fair, there have been some successful attempts to drag the banking industry into the 21st century, by banks such as ING, Commerce Bank, and First Internet Bank, but there is a new player that is really attempting to shake things up.

There has been a lot of buzz lately about a new banking startup called BankSimple. BankSimple is based in Brooklyn, NY and they claim to be creating a better interface for banking through the web and mobile apps. Their plan is to partner with financial institutions, which will hold the actual deposits. BankSimple is focusing on creating a better customer experience and simplifying the banking process by unifying all accounts into one, accessible through a bank card.

If you’ve ever read Marty Nemeier’s book Zag, I’m sure you are well aware of the book’s main concept:

“When Everybody Zigs, Zag”.

As the book describes, the concept of zagging is often a bit harder than you may expect. Yet, over the weekend I found a great example of a company that has managed to zag with excellence. While in the checkout line at the grocery store I overheard the cashier and bag boy commenting on one of my purchases:

Cashier: “Check out this drunken bar code!”
Bag Boy: “Cool I’ve never seen anything like it!”
Cashier: “Yeah they have designed something you would have never thought could be designed.”

They were talking about…

To know more you have to read more and recently I have been indulging in internet based articles and blogs, so I thought I’d take a look at some of the best voted business books of 2011 that I should get my hands on. Please feel free to comment on any books you have read and share your suggestions.

1. Great Again: Revitalizing America’s Entrepreneurial Leadership
Great Again, by Henry Nothhaft and David Kline, walks readers through America’s history and future as an entrepreneurial leader while demanding change to the regulatory red tape many startups face today.

“Serial entrepreneur Nothhaft takes readers inside the heart of the communities most responsible for innovation and shows how a few practical reforms can get America’s economy moving again.”

Last year the Arch Diocese of Indianapolis (ADI) re-opened two of its Catholic schools as charter, elementary academies. These new public schools, Andrew and Padua Academy, are focused on providing a college preparatory education for students living on the West and East sides of Indianapolis.

After being in session for only a few short months, ADI reached out to KA+A for help to develop a brand for each academy that could identify with and garner support from their surrounding communities.

Identity

We began building a foundation for ADI, by developing a parent brand (logo, tagline, and identity system) for their organization. The brands for Andrew and Padua, would then nestle under this system, featuring…

Recently we had the opportunity to work with David & Sarah Castor to help design and develop the visual identity and website for JabuAfrica. Although we typically work within the technology industry, we are always excited to work with clients from various verticals, and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to support the growth of this organization.

JabuAfrica is a non-profit organization that is focused on financially and emotionally supporting grassroots organizations in Africa, that are dedicated to working with orphanages. The Castors have personally participated in a variety of these organizations as they have grown their family of five through adoption from Ethiopia, South Africa, and Kinshasa.

Branding
We began our process by solidifying the organization’s name, JabuAfrica, a seemingly perfect…

The business plan, as a tool to lure potential investors, secure early customers, and guide the direction of your business, is a dying construct. Smart entrepreneurs realize that a prototype is worth a thousand business plans.

KA+A set the stage for the Prototype and Business Plan to duke it out during our recent panel at SXSW Interactive 2011, and rallied up key industry movers & shakers to take sides.

In this Corner : The Prototype
Prototypes are a tool to accelerate the success of your business, particularly its role in business modeling, fund raising, product development, and sales. Prototyping can allow you to more efficiently allocate resources (both talent, time and money), discover customers’ unmet needs…

Admittedly, I went to this SXSW panel on March 12th, SUPER-Talented: A Conversation with James Gunn, Ellen Page and Rainn Wilson, because of the star power. But I did walk away with a relevant lesson or two in my back pocket.

The script for the movie SUPER, released in April 2011, had been finished since 2007, but in the thick of the recession it was difficult to find funding. With some patience and diligence, writer and director James Gunn was able to partner up with and cast Rainn Wilson, and soon after secure marquee stars Ellen Page, Liv Tyler, and Kevin Bacon. These actors were essentially working for pocket change, motivated by a…

Recently I had the experience of a KA+A client, when our designers took on the branding and design of IndySpectator, a venture I co-founded with Jenni Edwards. The goal of IndySpectator is to help people discover new ways to love Indy. The medium? Email.

If you think Email is dead, let Doug Karr persuade you otherwise:

“There’s no better medium to carry a message like this than email. It’s exclusive, it’s private, and it’s classy. A blog is a great medium, but broadcasting to everyone puts the content in a different perspective, and wouldn’t be consumed or reacted to the same way.”

After launching in April, we were able to prove that there was an interest in our content. We gained several hundred subscribers…