Unexpected Narratives And Creating The Right Conditions

MICHAEL SURTEES
APRIL 14. 2010
Parsons, Design IV
hellllo, I’m
@michaelSurtees
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overview
1.
2.
3.
The blog
Repeat, repeat, repeat
Agile
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the
blog
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why i blog
@MICHAELSURTEES | UNEXPECTED NARRATIVES AND CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS | APRIL 14. 2010 | o/?cat=102
why I blog
I DO IT FOR MYSELF
There’s no huge growth goal to get a certain number of visits or comments. By doing it for myself it gives me a lot of
freedom to explore the things I want to. In turn I hope others enjoy the things I collect on DesignNotes. But if no one
ends up visiting, that’s ok b/c I wrote what I did because I wanted to.
I DO IT TO REMEMBER
You’re more likely to remember something if you’ve written about it. Now that I’m remembering all that stuff, I need to
gure out a way to apply that knowledge. (Suggestions welcome)
I DO IT TO KEEP MY MIND ACTIVE
Just like when I take photos to help me see, the same can be said about writing for my blog. If you’re actively thinking
about the world around you, it makes you better informed to make decisions.
I DO IT TO MEET LIKEMINDED PEOPLE

I can’t imagine where I would be if I hadn’t taken those rst steps to post an idea. I’ve been very lucky that there have
been readers of DesignNotes that have turned into friends and it’s been a great resource to bounce ideas off of.
I DO IT BECAUSE I CAN
The fact that it is so insanely easy to be a publisher that only eight or ten years ago would have been impossible. The
overhead is extremely low… It’s important for me to explore all options for communication.
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Design notes
content types
INTERVIEWS
Five to six conversations with a person I’m interested in knowing more about
BOOK REVIEWS
Attempting twelve a year, talking about design related books within the context of what I got out of them
EXPERIENCES
Commenting on everyday design experiences. Could be a response to an interaction, product or something
I’ve come across in a normal day.
LINK DROP
Sharing posts and sites that worth talking about on a weekly basis.
DESIGN WORK
Mentioning projects that that have gone live, talking about the process of how something came to be.
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Design notes, the blog
o
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An interview with
John Gargiulo,
owner of Swich
in NYC
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@MICHAELSURTEES | UNEXPECTED NARRATIVES AND CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS | APRIL 14. 2010 | o/?cat=102

@MICHAELSURTEES | UNEXPECTED NARRATIVES AND CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS | APRIL 14. 2010 | o/?cat=102
“
I always said on my 30th birthday if I
hadn’t yet taken a big risk in life and
started a company or something
big, I had to quit my job on that day
and gure something out fast. I guess I
got anxious because on my 26th birthday I walked into Cliff’s
ofce and retired from advertising. I developed a business plan,
found an investor, and a year and a half later in December of
last year, we opened our doors.
–JOHN GARGIULO
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The Person behind
Nooka: an interview
with Matthew Waldman
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Deborah Adler
ClearRx Interview
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Alissia
Melka-Teichroew
Interview: designer,
founder of byAMT,
curator, and maker
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QuadCamera and
ToyCamera Interview
with Takayuki
Fukatsu, creator

of iPhone Apps
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A great conversation
with swissmiss
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Look Both Ways
by Debbie Millman
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I Miss My Pencil by
Martin Bone and
Kara Johnson
@MICHAELSURTEES | UNEXPECTED NARRATIVES AND CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS | APRIL 14. 2010 | o/?cat=102
I Miss My Pencil by
Martin Bone and
Kara Johnson
@MICHAELSURTEES | UNEXPECTED NARRATIVES AND CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS | APRIL 14. 2010 | o/?cat=102
I Miss My Pencil by
Martin Bone and
Kara Johnson
@MICHAELSURTEES | UNEXPECTED NARRATIVES AND CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS | APRIL 14. 2010 | o/?cat=102
Banksy at work in NYC:
Broadway & Howard St.
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My walking experience
with the AIGA NY
ALPHABET/CITY:
A WALKING TOUR WITH
TOBIAS FRERE-JONES
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