Journal

I’ll be speaking at General Assembly about performance and how it is a fundamental part of UX. The event is called Blurred Lines in Technology & Design and is an evening exploring multidisciplinary roles within product design. At the point of writing this post I’ve not written the talk but a few points I will cover will be: Why performance is important How to design for performance Actual speed Perceived speed Performance and product strategy The talk is aimed at anyone who works in product design. I will talk mostly about principles rather than do’s and don’ts. Date and venue 20th April...

I’m exhibiting at the Draw Walthamstow Draw exhibition at the Winns Gallery, Lloyd Park Walthamstow. The theme Draw Walthamstow Draw is centred around drawings inspired by the local area. Each of the artists exhibiting have interpreted this in a different way. I am exhibiting quite a literal response to this theme with some urban sketches of the local area; my sketch books, some large illustrations and a 5ft x 2ft (1524 x 630mm) illustration of the Walthamstow horizon. Here’s a time lapse of the main illustration: Horizon, time lapse from Ben Brignell on Vimeo. The exhibition is an open invitation to collaboration from the...

Less design more detail Once in a while I go through lazy phases but historically have always carried a sketchbook around with me and drawn. I draw a lot but it tends to be obscure doodles, cartoons, thoughts, stupid inventions, todos, notes or product design ideas. Some of my usual doodles and artwork for the Athletico Mince podcast A side project I’ve actively been sketching at least once a day for the past few months. By sketching I mean drawing outside of the usual realms of thoughts, commissions, work and design. Less about concepts, more about drawing things from life; objects,...

So, as a few of you know, after under a year as Creative Director at import.io I have recently resigned and am now back to contracting. We left on good terms but culturally import.io wasn’t for me, and nor I for them. We both expected something completely different from each other and it didn’t work out. I wish them all the best. The decision to return to contracting wasn’t one I took lightly. After I left, I had a few permanent employment opportunities and contracting wasn’t something I wanted to do again. I wanted to concentrate more on ideas and...

Here’s a brief outline of my workshop at the Data Summit on Friday 27th June. 3:30-4:15 — Shut your laptop and do some work Ben is Creative Director at import.io, he has been designing things longer than lots of people have been alive. His workshop will help you to focus on not building something right, but building the right thing. The first step is turning off your phone and computer. During the workshop you will be learning: The data behind doodling How to brainstorm How to rapid prototype How to set artificial constraints in order to help you turn your...