It’s been a while.

I invite you to visit my new blog at the following address:

http://mathisworks-blog.posterous.com/

And my updated design portfolio at mathisworks.com

Visual design: Goldman Sachs’ 10K

When a corporate reputation is under scrutiny, could slick communication save the day? Goldman Sachs is hoping with their annual report design.

The intended message
With all the accusations, Goldman’s messaging strategy is crucial. To sum it up: “We performed for our clients in 2010 and we’re hell-bent on continuing that. Also, we’re looking into where we might have gone wrong.”

To support this, the words harmonize with visuals: a steady dose of well-dressed people in well-dressed offices; global imagery exhibiting power; and some balanced touches of community outreach.

Their interactive version feels like it’s built for tablets, with spacious navigation and features designed to slide along a touch screen. If the medium is the message, then this is just one bit of proof that Goldman still cares about the details.

Is it working?
To put it crudely, Goldman’s visual message is one of stubbornness. They acknowledge a need for oversight and transparency with their words, but most of their content is geared to profit-driven clients and investors. They aim to be seen as unbreakable, unwavering, able to weather the storm without flinching. Concerns of the “general community” are addressed, but that isn’t their main point.

The question is, has it helped? The current media environment is none too flattering, so on the surface it doesn’t feel that way.

On the other hand, if you’re a client or investor, it could be comforting stuff.

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The Goldman Sachs 2010 Annual Report

MW News: My seminar on communication design

Thursday night was nerve-wracking but worth it, as I was given a great opportunity to present to 20 or so eager grad students at Baruch College, my recent Alma Mater. The hour-long lecture covered graphic design in the communication context, and attempted to pin down as many concepts as possible in the time allotted. Lots of great Q&A at the end, so hopefully they got a lot out of it. I know I did.

The lecture was organized by the Baruch Corporate Communications Graduate Student Association, or the BCCGSA.

Want to see more? Download the slides here.

Just for Fun: Mathisworks infographic

Designing for Social Media: 2011

Is it really about icon sets and wallpaper? A mod here, a video there?

As social media continue to mature, it feels like a good time to reassess how design fits in, and where things are headed.

First, the challenges.
With social media, traditional web designers find themselves ceding some of the most basic design decisions. YouTube and Facebook grids are more or less off-limits, leaving designers to supply the window dressing.

The speed of content poses challenges too. Design a theme in WordPress, and you’ll likely be handing it over to someone else to populate. Menus and pages need to be specific enough to shine, but general enough to withstand the judgment of whoever is sticking in the content.

But there’s also some opportunity.
Just as web 1.0 posed similar challenges, this revolution also has its rewards. As bandwidth improves and social channels become ever more vital, more opportunities will emerge for designers and artists. (Note how social sites have gotten more design-friendly with newer versions.)

Those who are able to think holistically, embrace the elements that can be changed, and accept their limitations, will be the ones who come out ahead. Just check out what some creative people have done with the new Facebook profile page. Imagine what this kind of thinking can do for your designs?

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More on the future of Web Design, by Jacob Gube