Design articles

Design stuff, public discourse, and notes about things we love.

Curio

How to understand police violence

A crowd of protesters hold up signs calling for an end to police brutality.
After getting past the ideological trap of good versus bad cop, the next step is to ask two fundamental questions in terms of what the police are for. Whom do the police serve? What do they protect in a colonialist and capitalist social order?

You bought it, but do you own it?

ByPink Sheep DesignMar 1, 2022
Chris Lewis profile photo and text, how to fix the internet.
This discussion of ownership, values, and digital property is great.

Removing background noise in Audacity

BySherwin ArnottJan 27, 2022
How to remove Background Noise in Audacity.
I always forget how to do this! Select some sample noise Select Effect > Noise Reduction Click on Get Noise Profile Select all of the…

An ode to obsolescence

ByRyan Elizabeth CopeNov 22, 2021
A silver iPhone six laying face-down on the floor.
A smartphone rendered obsolete by the advancement of technology; an ode to the modern-day dilemma we all invariably face.

Looking for a new feed to post aggregator

BySherwin ArnottOct 26, 2021
Screenshot of the Pink Sheep Media hubsite.
For the last couple of years, we’ve been aggregating the dispatches from the people in our network. We do this so we can keep up…

Power and class remain hidden in Canada Reads discourse

ByAndrew McWhinneyOct 1, 2021
Three Canada Reads books hover in colour over top of a pile of black and white versions of the same, with a tree of knowledge hovering in the distance.
There’s not enough discussion of class in Canadian politics. How can looking at Canadian fiction and Canada Reads help shed light on how class is working today?

Can I change your mind?

ByJennifer KingsleySep 24, 2021
An illustration of two minds facing opposite directions.
Please note that the time codes referenced here are for the web version of the story and will differ slightly if you are listening to…

The use of narratives in research and design

BySherwin ArnottAug 6, 2021
Overview of a sheet of paper with notes from a narrative design research process.
These videos by Dr. Stan Ruecker and Dr. Milena Radzikowska are an excellent resource.

The unexpected life of design decisions

ByHannah RhoslynJul 2, 2021
screenshot of the edge of a Romanian town in Google streetview
The more Geoguessr I played, the more I notice how design permeates our world, and lets us know where we are in surprising ways.

In it for the long haul: On food, democracy, and courageous action

ByRyan Elizabeth CopeJun 16, 2021
The book, Diet for a Small Planet, floats over a field of farm workers.
Frances Moore Lappé’s ‘Diet For a Small Planet’ was first published in 1971, but to anyone steeped in the world of food – be it…

Birdsong and Victoria’s city soundscape

ByHannah RhoslynApr 8, 2021
house sparrow on an iron fence
Beyond just looking at and identifying birds, I’ve come to enjoy learning about bird-related issues. On that note, here are two recent(ish) articles about local Victoria bird news.

Creativity and the COVID era

ByHannah RhoslynApr 8, 2021
Takeout picnic at Saxe Point by Samantha Fernandes via unsplash.
Capital Daily Podcast has a great episode about the creative ways Victoria restaurants have pivoted to meet the current situation.

Fearless and fun design with Simone Giertz

ByHannah RhoslynMar 26, 2021
Simone Giertz cuts her tesla in half to create "truckla"
As a maker of digital (and occasionally tangible) things, I love watching makers who use big, solid materials like wood, metal, and in this case,…

Ologies podcast can teach us heaps about interviews and story telling

BySherwin ArnottMar 24, 2021
A montage of episode covers from the Ologies podcast.
Ooh, nerds. The best. Also, amazing interviewer. I wonder if she was ever a theatre or improve nerd.

Desmond Cole and Robyn Maynard, Beyond the Police State

BySherwin ArnottMar 12, 2021
Ainsley Currey, Dela Hini, Desmond Cole, and Robyn Maynard on Zoom.
Robyn Maynard and Desmond Cole share their thoughts in this compelling talk on issues surrounding abolitionism.

Ologies podcast and the art of interviewing

ByHannah RhoslynMar 10, 2021
An illustration of a rat with a magnifying glass held up to it. Rather than magnifying it, the glass turns the grey rat technicolour.
Each episode of Alie Ward’s Ologies podcast begins with the premise of a featured “-ology” (a branch of science), but by the end is so much more.