Space: Apache OpenOffice Community (https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OOOUSERS) Page: 01 - Design Proposal Robin Fowler - 12.02.2013 (https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/OOOUSERS/01+-+Design+Proposal+Robin+Fowler+-+12.02.2013)
Comment edited by Manuel del Valle : --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Robin. First let me say it's great to see some actual proposal on branding, and even greater to see that your's is quite integral. I think it's really important (form a user's POV) that any new branding actually gets to spread all around the AOO ecosystem. Second, I want to make clear that I'm no designer, so I cannot provide you with any "technical" feedback (sorry about that :/ ). What I do can provide is a "design-consumer" (a client, if you wish) POV. One that does care about design. I want my productivity software (the one I sit in front of many hours a day;) to LookAndFeel nice. It's not just about bells and whistles, it's about comfort and ease of use. Third, please excuse me if my comments sound (or "read", actually;) a bit harsh. I'm no native speaker, so I may not sound as polite as I'm trying to. Please take into consideration that all my comments are meant to be constructive ones, and just to express another POV. OK, enough introduction...now to the point(s): - I like your proposal, overall. Mainly I like, as I said before, that it covers many aspects of the ecosystem. - I really like your new website draft. It's simple, nice, and it points out the very main features that need to be shown on a landing page. It's kind of Googlish, which designs I'm pretty much a fan of ;). I recall reading some time ago a Rob Weir's mail on the dev list about Mozilla Firefox's website, pointing out how it integrates FAQs, help, extensions, etc. under the same "look&feel", and how we could try to see it as a future direction. Of course, "easier said than done". I'd be a huge job, but it could work as a "pathway" to be followed. - When I look at your designs separately, I tend to like them. Especially website, apps icons, and start and splash screen. What seems to me is that these are designed in a more plain, simple, modern (if you wish, considering actual tendencies) way. Wich I really like, by the way. On the other hand, the main logo and fonts combination you picked seem a little more "elegant", if I may say. I find it hard to match these two styles toghether. Personally, I'd like a plain, simple design. Especially regarding Logo(s). I think the apps logos are really nice. So I'd like to see a product logo that resembles them in some way, that automatically makes you feel that they are bound toghether. Besides, simplicity is (I think) a key feature in a logo: it strengthens the brand feeling, and, from a more practical POV, it makes it easier to scale, in order to use it everywhere and, at the same time, keeping it's "branding power" unchanged. But, then again, that's my personal choice. What I think is more important, either you choose an elegant or a plain style (or whatever), is that all pieces of your design work belong with each other. That's the one thing I would (dare) make a comment on. Keep up the hard work, Robin! It's a great starting point. Cheers, Manuel PS: I know this looks more like an email than a simple comment, but we were especifically asked to share our POVs here in the wiki, and I couldn't summarize it any better ;) Comment was previously : --------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Robin. First let me say it's great to see some actual proposal on branding, and even greater to see that your's is quite integral. I think it's really important (form a user's POV) that any new branding actually gets to spread all around the AOO ecosystem. Second, I want to make clear that I'm no designer, so I cannot provide you with any "technical" feedback (sorry about that :/ ). What I do can provide is a "design-consumer" (a client, if you wish) POV. One that does care about design. I want my productivity software (the one I sit in front of many hours a day;) to LookAndFeel nice. It's not just about bells and whistles, it's about comfort and ease of use. Third, please excuse me if my comments sound (or "read", actually;) a bit harsh. I'm no native speaker, so I may not sound as polite as I'm trying to. Please take into consideration that all my comments are meant to be constructive ones, and just to express another POV. OK, enough introduction...now to the point(s): - I like your proposal, overall. Mainly I like, as I said before, that it covers many aspects of the ecosystem. - I really like your new website draft. It's simple, nice, and it points out the very main features that need to be shown on a landing page. It's kind of Googlish, which designs I'm pretty much a fan of ;). I recall reading some time ago a Rob Weir's mail on the dev list about Mozilla Firefox's website, pointing out how it integrates FAQs, help, extensions, etc. under the same "look&feel", and how we could try to see it as a future direction. Of course, "easier said than done". I'd be a huge job, but it could work as a "pathway" to be followed. - When I look at your designs separately, I tend to like them. Especially website, apps icons, and start and splash screen. What seems to me is that these are designed in a more plain, simple, modern (if you wish, considering actual tendencies) way. Wich I really like, by the way. On the other hand, the main logo and fonts combination you picked seem a little more "elegant", if I may say. I find it hard to match these two styles toghether. Personally, I'd like a plain, simple design. Especially regarding Logo(s). I think the apps logos are really nice. So I'd like to see a product logo that resembles them in some way, that automatically makes you feel that they are bound toghether. Besides, simplicity is (I think) a key feature in a logo: it strengthens the brand feeling, and, from a more practical POV, it makes it easier to scale, in order to use it everywhere and, at the same time, keeping it's "branding power" unchanged. But, then again, that's my personal choice. What I think is more important, either you choose an elegant or a plain style (or whatever), is that all pieces of your design work belong with each other. That's the one thing I would (dare) make a comment on. Keep up the hard work, Robin! It's a great starting point. Cheers, Manuel Change your notification preferences: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/users/viewnotifications.action
