A step up for the AIGA BoNE Show 2009

This years AIGA BoNE (Best of New England) show is turing out to be outstanding, and we are only just out of the gates for planning. We have been working closely with Brandon Bird of Brandon Bird Design, and Little Big Bird, to create a fresh approach to the show as a whole. The entire BoNE team has really been pushing hard.

Since Dirk+Weiss is taking hold of all things web, we have decided to incorporate some fun, interactive elements to the website, as well as making the site totally socially connected.

On the interactive side, we are using combination of custom CSS/CMS building, and social networks. We are looking into using TiltViewer Pro and Flickr to create a user friendly experience, as well as reach out to the millions of users already using the photo service. TiltViewer brings a web 3.0 interactive experience to the BoNE Show website, allowing visitors to simply click and browse user generated content.

We are also creating a BoNE Show blog, where all elements of show planning and execution can be followed. Utilizing WordPress and Social Media Sharing, the blog can aide in the online marketing of the show. At the very least, the blog exposes the back-end process of the BoNE Show.

Tags: 2009, AIGA, Airtight Interactive, BoNE Show, Brandon Bird, Flickr, TiltViewer, web 3.0

Posted in: BoNE Show, Exhibition, Mobile, Promotion, Research, Technology, coverage, development, education, media, news | No Comments »

Optimizing Font Menu - Coffee Time!

So yesterday while meeting with designer and fellow BoNE Show 2009 committee member, we came across the dreaded Microsoft Word start screen. If you are in the create field, you have fonts, lots of fonts. For apps made to handle these, that’s great. But for apps that are used to 20 fonts installed, the loading screen can be a great time to make coffee and a bagel.

This situation was about the tenth person who asked me if there was a way to skip this or make Word load faster. So, I finally did some googling and found a possible solution that seemed to eleviate the situation a bit.

Directions:
1.Open Microsoft Word
2. Go to ‘Word’ menu
3. Go to ‘Preferences’
4. Go to ‘General’
5. Uncheck ‘WYSIWYG font and style menu’

Restart Word and see if it works for you.

Tags: designers, font menu, loading, preferences, tech support, word

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A BoNE from the AIGA

We are extremely excited to be joining the planning committee for the AIGA BoNE Show 2009. The BoNE show is a time for all New England designers to submit their best designs to the contest. The winners receive an actual cast-iron bone, a spot in a printed catalog, and a spot in a live accompanying exhibit. This event happens every two years and is the largest event to happen in the New England design community.

Dirk+Weiss is responsible for all things web related, and will be working in tight quarters with the brand developers and AIGA board members to create a seamless web presence for this years show and brand.

We have plans to bring the BoNe show into the blog spectrum, allowing a window into the process and production of what goes into the show. We also are interested in pursuing social media connections, email blasting, and finding lighter, stronger, and faster ways to use the web to the fullest extent.

Tags: AIGA, BoNE Show, design, eventual, social media, web

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Post Launch

Tonight was the AIGA Boston website launch event at District Lounge in Boston. A relatively good turnout to celebrate the newly designed, and newly connected, AIGA Boston Website. Our motion graphics video was playing throughout the night, and helped break down sections of the site in a visual manner.

Good friends, good drinks, and an exciting turn in an exciting direction for AIGA.

Tags: AIGA, design, eventual, motion, website launch

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AIGA Boston Website Launch Party!

Come out and meet some people, while checking out all the creature features of the new AIGA Boston Website.

http://boston.aiga.org/events/2008/10/23173574

Tags: AIGA, dirk weiss, eventual, promotional, website

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AIGA Boston Website Launch Video

We created this video for the AIGA Boston Chapter. They are having a Website Launch Party this week, and this will be displayed on various LCD displays, throughout the night.

Also, let me take a moment to express my love for the Final Cut Studio applications. Personally, apple’s products are far more intuitive than Adobe’s CS Suite. We love applications that allow us to move fast and produce great results.

Tags: AIGA, boston, motion, Promotion, website

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Check it in IE6, without IE6

NetRenderer is a nice tool I stumbled upon while asking google for a version of Internet Explorer for mac. NetRenderer enables you to type in a URL and see that site rendered in your choice of IE5 to IE8beta. All web programmers and designers should love, adore, and share this tool with their comrades. 

Why is browser cross compatibly still such an issue? 

Check it out and enjoy.

Tags: check, development, NetRenderer, programming

Posted in: Research, Technology, development, media | No Comments »

Use design to tap into hot markets, create buzz

While commuting this morning, I was reading my usual mobile.nytimes.com from my iPhone. I came across an interesting article in the Tech section (my first place to read) about CNN’s team up with Facebook. There philosophy is simple, and one I have been working with for some time now:

“It’s better to ride these social media waves rather then create them.” Plain and simple, investors are going to put their money where the numbers are. You can lead people to social networks, but only they will decide if it is worth the time to devote themselves to it. It is in fact, people, who create social media trends. So how does Design fit into this realm? Im sure if you are a designer reading this, you are saying: ‘this is marketing, not design!’.

On one hand you may be right, but on the other hand, think of this philosophy mentioned above. Imagine the ways designers can strategize their work into these social media networks, and tap into the millions of people that spend so much of their time online.

The Moral: Go where people are. Expose your work.

Give the article a look.

Tags: marketing, networking, nytimes, social media

Posted in: Exhibition, Research, Technology, coverage, development, education, media, news | 1 Comment »

ContactPlus - A new, touch interactive product from Dirk+Weiss

Our new product uses combinations of new touch interface technologies, sleek design, and open source software.

ContactPlus is a touch interactive surface that provides an affordable solution to a more natural way of interacting with brands, products and services. 

Contact Dirk+Weiss for more information. 

Tags: contactplus, dirk weiss, open source, surface computing, table, touch sensitive, web 3.0

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An insight into Dirk+Weiss

An insight into the process and thinking of Dirk+Weiss.

Tags: design, marketing, media, motion, products, video

Posted in: Promotion, Research, Uncategorized, coverage, development, news | No Comments »