Designers on design at the AGI Open
I recently had the privilege of attending the AGI Open in Auckland. It’s an international design conference that facilitates the sharing of ideas. The speakers spoke about their work, their sources of inspiration, the challenges they face, and philosophies that guide them. Their work ranges across print, packaging, brand, typography, and digital. These were some of the standout insights I took away from it all.
Taku Satoh
He spoke about the concept of Hodo Hodo or ‘Just enough’. The idea here is that a designer's job is to open up the door, then step aside, leaving space for our audience to contribute meaning to the work. It’s about creating design that is reflective rather than assertive. This knowing when to stop, to leave room for the idea to resonate, is at the heart of his work.
Taku Satoh
Astrid Stavro
Astrid spoke about how curiosity and questions are the engine of our imagination, and how embracing the unknown leads to growth. She supported her ideas quoting David Bowie, who said ‘Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in.’ She also shared a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote: ‘Always do what you’re afraid to do.’
Astrid Stavro
Irene Pereyra
Irene designed the website for The Met and wrote the rulebook on web design but spoke about why she likes to break the rules. She talked about the belief that good user experiences are familiar experiences. But this is at odds with human nature. Yes we like the reliable, the predictable and the unchanging. But we also love the new and the novel. The trick then is to sell the new idea, by making it appear familiar, or to sell something familiar, make it surprising.
Irene Pereyra
Wrap up
Listening to all these masters talk design was an inspiration. It was great to hear about their relentless enthusiasm for their craft, the joy they found in solving challenging problems, the way their work felt both timeless and contemporary, and the simple questions they asked themselves to create a better way forward.
