OMG that’s TMI…

...Or for those of you who don’t have 27 hours a day to spend on Facebook, that stands for, “Oh my gosh, that is too much information.” And what, pray thee tell, is too much information?

Well for starters, let me just warn you that I HAVE A SMART PHONE AND I KNOW HOW TO USE IT! Actually, that was a blatant lie. I’m one of the 3 remaining mammals with opposable thumbs walking this planet without an iPhone. Yes, I’m a graphic designer, and it’s my job to sashay along that razor-sharp cutting edge of hipness and technology. But at the same time, a part of me enjoys being blissfully ignorant of the ways of excessive technology when it interferes with good design. So no, I DON’T “have an app for that.”

It pains my design sensibilities to stare at a poster, or ad, or mailer, or even Web site home page that—in any other day or age, would be cleverly designed—and all I see is:

“LIKE US” ON FACEBOOK. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER. WATCH US ON YOUTUBE. DIGG IT! VIEW OUR FLICKR GALLERY. DO…SOMETHING…ON OUR LINKEDIN PAGE (whatever you do there!). SCAN THIS QR CODE, ALRIGHT NOW SCAN THIS MICROSOFT TAG.

Aaaaagggghhhhhh! It’s TMI and it’s all up in my face! Where’s the brilliant design and hours of brainstorming? Why is it hidden under this excessive info? Just because we can do all this, doesn’t mean we should. Is our need to be plugged into so many networks overpowering our need to get information out there in an effective and well thought-out manner?

I’ve heard tales, passed down from the days of yore. Of a time when you gazed upon a poster, for an event, and the info you really needed to know, was…gasp, right there, on that poster, for that event! Alas, then the information super highway came to be, and thus started the trend. That same poster that was previously very neat and tidy, now contains some intrusive verbiage such as, “For more information, visit us at www.(URL here).com.” Effective, yes. Attractive, no.

Fast forward to the modern era of social networking and short attention spans. And I worry that we don’t even read that same poster or notice the design any more. We brush over the good stuff looking for that little blue bird icon so we know we can Tweet about it to our friends. Well that’s a relief! And as a side note, no, I’ve never Tweeted, nor been to the Twitter page. Which I think officially classifies me in the category of Cro-Magnon.

OK, time for a true story with actual events and real people. This year, my husband and I were in Mainz, Germany, visiting the Gutenberg Museum. Gutenwho??? Johannes Gutenberg. Father of modern printing. Inventor of moveable type and the printing press. Leader of a print revolution. As we entered the museum, I spied a huge printed banner hanging in the entranceway. And what doth mine eyes spy? A QR CODE! OK, they’re being ironic right? They’re doing this for the laughs, for the LOLs? Why would a museum dedicated to printing NOT have beautifully printed deliciousness hanging up?  Instead, a code, to scan with that ever-present smart phone of yours, so you can go to their site, and get more info. Harumph!

Maybe if I viewed this more positively, I could acknowledge that this ubiquitous steaming pile of technological advancement IS providing us wee designers with new digital venues to flex our creative muscles. And also, from the client’s perspective, if word can be spread quickly and effectively via viral means, then why wouldn’t you hop on ye olde bandwagon? I understand the need, but must we continue to go overboard? Can’t we find a balance of form AND function?

For now, this sashaying, technologically un-advanced primordial graphic designer is going to play it cool. That bandwagon can just drive right on by me. So should you find yourself working with me, if you hand me 12 URLs to add to your brochure, along with 7 logos for 7 different social networking sites, along with 3 QR codes, don’t be surprised if I try to make them as small and discreet as possible. I’m going to keep my main focus first and foremost on clever design and thoughtful creativity…

...But if you’ve enjoyed this blog, please “like it” on Facebook.

;)