Mike T. Henderson

Design is a Job

Mike T. Henderson — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:17:06 +0000

I just recently finished reading Design is a Job, the latest from A Book Apart, written by Mike Montiero. I've been a big fan of the A Book Aparts. Mainly because they're brief, get right to the point, and are written by some of the best in the industry. This most recent addition might just [...]

Everything Will Be Better

Mike T. Henderson — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 02:31:33 +0000

Just press play, and enjoy this recent master piece by Tom Waits. This isn't just song writing, this is art direction. I love the sense of urgency and desperation in this song's sound. A crowded feeling of competition. An only option. Leaving everything behind; taking a chance. The sound paints the words. Awesome, stuff.

Books in the Books

Mike T. Henderson — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:10:31 +0000

Seeing .net Magazine's recent post on The Top 25 Books for Web Designers and Developers the other day, got me thinking about the goal I made in January to read one book per month this year and wondering if I'm still on pace. The last few months have been tricky for me to keep up [...]

Why Are We Doing This?

Mike T. Henderson — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:34:21 +0000

I recently came across this Ted Talk from a few years back by Simon Sinek on how great leaders have inspired action. I found it to be an interesting look as to why certain people tend to out-achieve, and out-innovate others. Simon breaks down this process into what he calls the golden rule of: Why, [...]

Steve Jobs on Attention to Detail

Mike T. Henderson — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:16:45 +0000

Such a great quote by Steve Jobs that I think really speaks to his work ethic and attention to detail. Appropriate given his latest decision to step down at Apple. It's his commitment to this simple line of thinking that made Apple what it is today. When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of [...]

How to Think Like a Great Graphic Designer

Mike T. Henderson — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:36:46 +0000

In January, I made a goal to read one book per month. I'm a bit behind on posting my book for the Month of April, but I swear I finished before the month was up. The book I selected was How to Think Like A Great Graphic Designer. This book is no "How-to", but rather [...]

Not that I Needed Another Hobby...

Mike T. Henderson — Sat, 07 May 2011 13:38:36 +0000

...but I've recently taken up relearning piano. I took lessons when I was in elementary school for three years, but gave it up when my friends informed me just how uncool piano was. That was roughly 20 years ago, and being the huge Elliott Smith, and Thom Yorke fan that I am, I have since [...]

Adaptive Web Design

Mike T. Henderson — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:54:30 +0000

I just pre-ordered the book Adaptive Web Design: Crafting Rich Experiences with Progressive Enhancement by Aaron Gustafson, due to publish later this month. The web is an ever-changing medium whose scope, application, audience and platform continue to grow on a daily basis. If you’ve worked on the web for any amount of time, you’ve likely [...]

Book Review: Where Good Ideas Come From

Mike T. Henderson — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:39:41 +0000

Continuing my goal to read one book per month, my book for March was Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation. The premise of the book is that in environments where good ideas are often generated, there are patterns that recur over and over again. The book takes a very scientific look [...]

Erik Spiekermann - Putting Back the Face into Typeface

Mike T. Henderson — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:58:15 +0000

Erik Spiekermann - Putting Back the Face into Typeface from Gestalten on Vimeo. Listen to the design genius talk about new visual languages, design processes, the analogies of music and typography, and why we need better client culture in our latest Gestalten.tv video and you will easily realize why. Before heading to new visionary pastures, [...]