School days … school days … dear old golden rule days …
There are times when designers sometimes like to break the rules. Did the apple in the new MDE logo need to only be an apple? We saw the potential for much more, so we combined it with the power button … a symbol going beyond the expected, representing both the technological direction of education as well as the idea of being “turned on” by learning. Once we had the look and feel, then we could start making up our own rules, applying it to other icons and programs. It’s as simple as adding and subtracting!
Then there are those times when rules are meant to be followed, especially when making a website’s content accessible to everybody, independent of their physical abilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act has a set of guidelines to make all online content delivered by state agencies accessible by all computer users. These rules can make design and development a little more complex, but they assure us that we’re reaching a broader audience … and practicing the golden rule.
Remember: Some rules are made to be broken, but a good designer can read the writing on the wall … and knows when rules are meant to be honored.
Contact us. We promise to follow the rules … when necessary.
Pat Hayes Kaufman