To support us, Make a Donation - we rely on private donations for our operating costs, things like paying salaries and stipends, office space, and even post-its.
Sometimes we get lured into the perspective that design is some complicated arcane art. The reality is often that good design is simple, informative and clear. I recently saw these two nice examples of design for my favorite technology, coffee.
The first is by Lokesh Dhakar. Here coffee drinks are illustrated cleanly by their base components. While everyone might understand what an espresso is, seeing a clear visual example of what goes into something like a cafe breve is helpful. The design, which is actually quite similar to Starbucks employee manual for baristas, would not be out of place as a menu for a coffee sharp. Of course, the current illustration miss my preferred drink, a cafe lungo.
The other example isMyCuppa, a tea or coffee cup printed with a color matching guide. Although making tea or coffee is not like mixing paint, there is some art to pouring the right amount of milk to suit preference. That’s where the color matching guide comes in. If you want a classic british you know just how much milk to pour.
I guess the moral here is there examples of design that are simple and clear. One of these examples reformats information in a way that adds significantly more meaning, while another ads meaning transparently at point of use. Good goals all around.
