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If there was anyone in the industry who could justifiably identify as a hacker AND a painter (http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.htm

by dotBen 16y ago

If there was anyone in the industry who could justifiably identify as a hacker AND a painter (http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html http://www.paulgraham.com/hp.html) it's John Maeda. I'm a proud owner of some of his art work. I don't know the ins and outs of what has been going on with Maeda at RISD but when I heard he was going to become President there I was very confused as to why he would want such an administrative orientated role. It's the classic example of taking a skilled craftsman, visionary ideas person, guru programmer, etc and putting them in a manager's role. They no longer can ply their craft nor are they necessarily the best person to actually perform that management/administrative function. Granted he chose to take the role but I'm left wondering whether it was out of ego or a feeling a need to pursue career progression.

blasdel 16y ago
There's also Maciej Ceglowski: http://www.idlewords.com/2005/04/dabblers_and_blowhards.htm http://www.idlewords.com/2005/04/dabblers_and_blowhards.htm
- maddalab 16y ago
  Not certain why I cannot up vote the published link, but I really liked it. I never enjoyed or like the hackers and painters essay, seemed very empty and I certain could not relate to it any way. Even accounting for confirmation bias, this post was interesting.
  - vamsee 16y ago
    I upvoted for you :)
_delirium 16y ago
Granted he chose to take the role but I'm left wondering whether it was out of ego or a feeling a need to pursue career progression. He seems to have decided in the mid-2000s that he wanted to turn his design ideas into more general, far-reaching philosophies applied to other areas, which I see his move into management as part of. I must admit to being a bit skeptical; I think he's a great designer but don't really buy the "it's like design but for X" sort of analogies. Sort of wish he stuck with art & design. His first book in that vein was 2006's The Laws of Simplicity, which applied some of his design thinking to life in general. I didn't find it very interesting, but a lot of people did, so maybe it's a matter of taste. His upcoming book is on applying design ideas to leadership, Redesigning Leadership (forthcoming May 2011).

by dotBen 16y ago

blasdel 16y ago

There's also Maciej Ceglowski: http://www.idlewords.com/2005/04/dabblers_and_blowhards.htm http://www.idlewords.com/2005/04/dabblers_and_blowhards.htm

maddalab 16y ago
Not certain why I cannot up vote the published link, but I really liked it. I never enjoyed or like the hackers and painters essay, seemed very empty and I certain could not relate to it any way. Even accounting for confirmation bias, this post was interesting.
- vamsee 16y ago
  I upvoted for you :)

_delirium 16y ago

Granted he chose to take the role but I'm left wondering whether it was out of ego or a feeling a need to pursue career progression. He seems to have decided in the mid-2000s that he wanted to turn his design ideas into more general, far-reaching philosophies applied to other areas, which I see his move into management as part of. I must admit to being a bit skeptical; I think he's a great designer but don't really buy the "it's like design but for X" sort of analogies. Sort of wish he stuck with art & design. His first book in that vein was 2006's The Laws of Simplicity, which applied some of his design thinking to life in general. I didn't find it very interesting, but a lot of people did, so maybe it's a matter of taste. His upcoming book is on applying design ideas to leadership, Redesigning Leadership (forthcoming May 2011).