Forty

Sat, 22 Feb 2014 17:01:13 +0000

I approach design the same way I approach life: success lies in balancing a given set of goals or requirements. In almost all cases, “perfection” does not define success—rather, the best outcome lies at the intersection of desirability, feasibility, and viability. In truth, the odds of every little bit of something being perfect are slim. […]

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Wed, 29 Jan 2014 22:00:13 +0000

We recently redesigned our own website (on which you’re probably reading this article right now), and thought you might be interested in hearing about some of the technology elements running the background that help shape the overall user experience. Ultra advanced front-end framework meets a trusted CMS Our whole site is built using ZURB’s Foundation front-end […]

The post Behind the scenes of a modern website appeared first on Forty.

Fri, 20 Dec 2013 21:49:08 +0000

This is the story of what Agile is really all about, why it’s so dang hard to implement well, and why (with a little soul-searching) it works beautifully for design. The birth of Agile In February of 2001, seventeen software developers with an interest in lightweight development methods gathered at a resort in the Rocky […]

The post Agile design: what we’ve learned appeared first on Forty.

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:30:42 +0000

I’m still a numbers guy at heart, That’s why I get so frustrated every time I hear someone recommending crowdsourced design services like 99designs. The math just doesn’t work out for business owners, but it looks like such a compelling solution on the surface that they keep falling for it. If you’re not familiar with it, the […]

The post Crowdsourcing your brand design: the math just doesn’t work out appeared first on Forty.

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 22:21:49 +0000

A web typography template is a good tool to help web designers remember all the styles they’ll need to consider to make sure none of their content’s formatting options fall through the cracks. After writing an article about the benefits of a web typography style guide, I wanted to put together a template to help me […]

The post A web typography template for responsive experiences appeared first on Forty.

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:24:02 +0000

I’m sure you’ve heard all the lovely statistics about how smartphone and tablet usage is skyrocketing, and how if you’re not going mobile, you’re not going anywhere. There’s no denying that our web browsing habits have changed. Thinking beyond the desktop is crucial to the future success and relevancy of any business, not just the […]

The post Using responsive design to create future-ready experiences appeared first on Forty.

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:33:18 +0000

We’re naturally attracted to people and brands that stand for something, and we’re suspicious of those that try to mold themselves around our preferences. Imagine this. You’re on a blind date. How’s the date going so far? Are you excited about this compelling new person in your life? Or are you dreading the next few hours […]

The post Does “It’s all about you” really work? appeared first on Forty.

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:34:43 +0000

Seasoned Fortune 500 companies have a deep understanding and appreciation for marketing. Coca-Cola may already be one of the most recognized brands in the world, but they nevertheless spend billions of dollars every year on their marketing efforts. (And you can bet they’re not doing it on a whim. They know exactly what those dollars […]

The post Why successful companies keep investing in ongoing marketing appeared first on Forty.

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:37:37 +0000

When designing website mockups, I always do my best to stick to a reasonable number of typography styles, and make sure there is clear intent behind the hierarchy and styles. Doing so keeps the final result more consistent and it leads to cleaner development files. Basically, future-me will be a lot happier. But as the […]

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Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:52:51 +0000

Whether you work as a copywriting professional or just dabble in blogging, it can be tough to summarize hundreds or thousands of words into one, short headline. Here are a few quick and easy tips to take your title or headline from ho-hum to all-star: Focus on what’s in it for the reader People in […]

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