Other people's crit

Today I got to join a monthly crit hosted by the design team of the Baltimoresun.com. Everyone brought two recent examples of their work, one they liked and one they didn't like.

Even the "lesser" works featured competent design. And they should, since, in most cases, a client paid for that design. What I found interesting, though, were the constraints under which the designers worked. Naturally, I recognized that these constraints existed, however, I'd never really acknowledged their implications.

Quick turn-around times, awkward or unnecessary text, poorly-designed client logos, shoddy client art and mandatory client art frustrated the designers, but each one found ways to integrate the necessary elements harmoniously while remaining true to their intentions. Even the designers whose work was not client-based had restrictions. Obviously, the elements they create need to match the themes throughout the site, so adding too much of a flourish here or opting to use a different type face there could prove fatal in terms of maintaining cohesion throughout the site.

For an example from the crit, check out these Ravens Football Cards. Not only did this particular designer create the image of the card, but she also laid out the text and corresponding functionality.

For me, it was nice (and, admittedly, a little bit terrifying) to have a different set of eyes on my work. Some of the comments paralleled class comments, but I appreciated seeing that professional designers work through through the same process and a lot of the same problems as me.