What really happened in Superbowl XLIX
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Anchor Graphic
Here’s a new graphic design we came up with for our friends at the Murray State BCM
Casual Fridays: Hyperlapse
The intersection of ministry and career
It’s no secret that I love what I do. I was once asked, “If you could do any job in the world what would it be?” Without thinking I leaned over to Meredith and said, “Web designer.” (I did then say I’d also be an adventurous archeologist like Indiana Jones, but that’s besides the point)
I count myself extremely blessed to have a career that not only provides for my family, it makes me happy doing it and has provided numerous ministry opportunities along the way. We’ve created Web sites for churches, Christian bloggers, worship leaders, and non-profits with a Christian mission. It’s a very humbling and encouraging realization that the work we’ve done has made a difference in the world.
That’s what we’ve set out to do from the beginning, though. Our company name comes from the Latin phrase, “Dominus illuminatio mea,” meaning “the Lord is my light.” We serve all kinds of companies and organizations, with many different backgrounds, but we approach each project from the same foundation. We’re not just working for a paycheck. We’re serving a higher calling, and loving every minute of it.
This career path has also opened other doors in ministry unrelated to the Web. The opportunity for remote client relationships allowed us to move the company to Colorado and support a new church. Most jobs wouldn’t provide that amount of flexibility.
The truth is, though, everything we do should have a ministerial approach. We need to realize that our career is not only overlapped by our ministry, it is completely enveloped. So, whether we’re working for a church or a corporation, we’re working hard to do everything for the glory of God. That’s the real secret to making work so fun.
So, what do you do and how do you see your career and ministry overlap?
3 Products that make dull chores fun
A lot of times we don’t appreciate the little things product developers do that make our everyday lives just a little better. Sometimes it’s just a little tweak on an established product that complete changes the overall experience. I especially love seeing a company take the initiative to convert a wide-used and efficient item into something even better. It’s all about going from good to great. These are some of those products:
Nest Thermostat
The Nest thermostat lets home owners set their temperature settings on a innovative schedule to mindlessly save money on heating and cooling bills. The interface is so simple to use, that anyone can easily program their temperature schedule in a matter of minutes, and Nest will remember. No more turning the heat down at night or having a friend turn your AC back on before you get back from vacation. Even if you forget to program your Nest before you leave the house their smartphone app has your back and lets you update your home remotely.
The best part about Nest is the interface, though. One simple wheel and a button lets you control every setting you’d ever dream of (and then some). It makes setting your thermostat fun and easy, and you’ll feel really good about all the money you’re saving, too.
Conversational Doggie Bags
My wife and I received these as a gag gift one time, but I’ve got to be honest: I love them. United Pet Group creates these doggie bags with quirky poop puns and comical illustration on each one. Although cleaning up after your dog may be the dumps (pun intended), United Pet Group has managed to make me crack a smile while doing so. My personal favorite is a picture of a hippie dog saying, “Make poop, not war.” It may not save time or money, but it brightens your day and I applaud United Pet Group for making a good product even better.
La Cross Clip Catcher
Clipping your fingernails is tedious enough when you have to trim your nails often. Then you throw in the added frustration (and sometimes danger) of nail clippings soaring through the air in every direction. Not anymore, thanks to the La Cross Clip Catcher. It may not be a new product, but I’m surprised every nail trimming set doesn’t come equipped with one of these. The simple metal guard encloses the side of the trimmer and successfully catches most, if not all, of the fingernail clippings. Then, when it gets full, the metal guard slides back and the clippings fall out. Other than that it’s a normal fingernail clipper. Without the hassle of chasing my excommunicated nails around the bathroom I can trim my nails back in half the time and move on to move important things. I give it two thumbs (and thumbnails) up.
What’s the point?
These products are great, and they make everyday life better. Even though another product existed before these, these companies set out to make the experience even better. It’s something we always strive to accomplish at Illuminate Design Studio, too. We create Web sites with innovative user experiences to redefine the way users interact, make processes more efficient, and convert the mundane into fun.
So, what products do you see that have revolutionized an existing idea?
Why we’re going into the Hamster Hat business
After years of market research and planning, we’ve decided to switch our focus from developing Web sites and integrated marketing solutions to the exciting world of fashion. Specifically, the fast-paced, fashion industry of hamster hats.
Hamster hats have been an extremely untapped source of revenue for some time now and we’re ready to grab our piece of the pie. In a world flooded with hamster wheels, balls, and cedar chips, we’re excited to usher in a new age of stylish headgear for the modern rodent aficionado.
Our first line of products will feature such classics as:
The Cuddly Cowboy
The Fuzzy Fedora
And the Fluffy Frenchman
We also plan to launch a line of specialty hats in the near future for true fans and collectors the world over. So far, we have three in production, which include:
The Cosmonaut (perfect for Russian Dwarfs)
The Pharaoh
And the Duck Dynasty
Of course, all our models are guaranteed to fit all hamster breeds and are made of non-toxic, recycled hamster pellets. For more information, and to place orders, please visit http://www.illuminatedesignstudio.com/hamsterhats/
Casual Fridays: The Ides of March
Elevate Weekend Graphic
Casual Fridays: Inspiration
Most Fridays we like to post something funny, but we thought this view was worth the view. It’s nice to see people going above and beyond to help each other, and that’s something we care deeply about.
So what’s something that encourages you? Feel free to share your videos and stories in the comment section.
The future of Web design
I love my job and the many opportunities that come with it. I love that I get excited about up-and-coming technology, new knowledge, and breakthroughs that make your online experience (and hopefully your lives) better. I also love the direction our browsers are taking us.
If you haven’t heard of responsive Web design, don’t worry. A lot of Web designers still haven’t heard of it, and even fewer are using it. The idea has only been around for about two years, and it’s acceptance as a Web standard is even younger. But in June of this year, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) officially released a recommendation that Web sites be created using responsive design.
But what is Responsive Web Design?
Responsive Web design is a practice of creating Web sites with fluid layouts which adapt to individual viewing screens. So what does that mean for you and your Web site? It means that we can create one site that looks good on any device, no matter the screen size.
The recent push for responsive Web design has come from the overwhelming influx of post-PC devices. It’s predicted that, by 2014, mobile internet usage will exceed desktop computers. This has created a need to adapt our online experiences from a desktop-only approach and cater to emerging devices.
Unfortunately, these devices not only have smaller screens with different aspect ratios, but the interface is completely different. We use pokes instead of clicks. Swipes instead of scrolls. Pinches instead of zooms. And we load pages on the fly, over wireless networks, from anywhere.
So the game is changing for Web developers around the world. The challenge to deliver Web sites that look great and work well on a wide range of devices requires a shift in the very basic ways we create the sites. Historically, Web pages started with fixed width layouts, meaning the designer created a page that was exactly so many pixels wide. This worked well on most desktop computer screens, but the new arrival of smaller (and larger) screens means that a fixed-width page is going too be too big or too small.
In the past few years, the Web design community has risen to meet this challenge with the creation of stand-alone mobile sites. If you have a smart phone, you’ve probably seen a mobile site. While they have the ability to create a great experience for specific devices, there are still two major obstacles. The first is that a new implementation of the site must be created to address each platform. To minimally capitalize on the screen size of each device you’d have to create at least three versions of your site: for phones, tablets, and desktops. But that means paying for at least three Web sites. And there’s still the possibility that another platform will emerge that your Web site cannot cater to. The second obstacle is the maintenance of each stand-alone site. By creating multiple sites, the content on each instance must be kept up-to-date. That means multiple amounts of work or increases in third-party update fees.
That’s why I’m so excited about the direction my field is going. Responsive Web designing allows us to create one Web page that not only fills each screen, it adapts the content to suit each audience. We have the power to make buttons bigger on touch screen devices or reveal extra content on extra large monitors. It’s the ideal solution to the continuing emergence of Post-PC devices and will ensure that the sites we at Illuminate Design Studio create will look great to any viewer and work well. That’s always been our goal and we’re glad to see that the future will continue to hold more opportunities for us to fulfill our vision.
We’d love to design a responsive site for you. If you’d like to learn more, request a proposal and we’d love to tell you more about the solutions we can offer you.