What the work is
Frank Chimero is a designer whose work crosses brands, interfaces and illustration. His project history includes work on NPR’s online audio player and Wikipedia’s article pages, alongside writing about the design process.
How it was made
In 2012 he wrote, designed, illustrated and published The Shape of Design. Taking responsibility for both the argument and its presentation connected authorship with the practical decisions of making a book.
What works
His work offers a way to examine design across media. A written explanation, an illustration and an interface can address related communication problems while using different means to guide attention and create meaning.
What does not
A broad practice should not be reduced to one visual manner. Client work, self-published writing and product design have different constraints, and a biography alone cannot establish the success of every project.
What it influenced
Chimero has carried his ideas into books and public talks as well as commissioned work. Recognition from the Art Directors Club and Print in 2010 documents an early stage of that public reception.
Is it worth your time
Worth studying for designers who combine making with writing. Compare one interface project with a passage from his book, looking for how a stated idea becomes a concrete choice about content, hierarchy or presentation.
