Things Once Said, Vol. 7

Welcome to the seventh edition of Things Once Said, a curated list of words, work, and wisdom that have recently inspired me.

Thank you to everyone who has subscribed, shared, and supported the newsletter thus far, especially those who have let me know how much they enjoy it.

Newsletters are getting personal

CJ Chilvers puts forward a compelling argument in this article for making email newsletters more personal, not less — even if that means they aren’t quite as polished and perfect as a newsletter ‘brand’ may be. I appreciated his round-up of recent examples and analysis.

The more human you can be in your email newsletter, the easier it is for the reader to form a connection, establish trust, and build a long-term relationship with your business.

Featuring CJ Chilvers (via Josh Spector )

Timothy Goodman Gallery Exhibition

Timothy Goodman’s body of work is phenomenal. He has created incredible lettering and illustrations for commissions and passion projects.?The work featured in this exhibition?provides an excellent introduction to his portfolio.

Featuring Timothy Goodman

What our emotions can teach us about design and branding

I loved the discussion about typography and emotions in this episode from Monotype’s Creative Characters podcast. I loved the analysis of the impact of emotions on branding and the profound connection that can be established from specific typographic choices.

When I speak to students or at universities, I always say that type is such a weird material because it’s never pure. It's not like colour. You can’t just have type like you can just have colour. You always have words and meaning behind it.

Featuring Marie Boulanger and Kadley Gosselin / Monotype

New Logo and Identity for New York City FC by Gretel

This logo and identity work for New York City FC by Gretel caught my attention. It is an exceptional example of refining a logo and evolving a brand forward without losing any established brand equity. The dynamic and compelling identity system that has been created beautifully embodies the brief of unifying the five boroughs of New York and aptly serves its purpose as a highly versatile identity.

New York City FC’s rebrand is a shining example of how to blend history with modernity, grit with charm, and strategy with execution. From the thoughtfully reimagined badge and custom typography to the vibrant color palette and dynamic applications, every element works harmoniously to tell a story that’s as bold and multifaceted as the city it represents.

Featuring Jon Stapp for UnderConsideration, LLC / Branding by Gretel

The UX of LEGO Interface Panels

This article by George Cave delves deeply into what we can learn about design and real-world interface design from the myriad of designs featured on LEGO brick consoles.

These iconic, low-resolution designs are the perfect tool to learn the basics of physical interface design. Armed with 52 different bricks, let’s see what they can teach us about the design, layout and organisation of complex interfaces. Welcome to the world of LEGO UX design.

Featuring George Cave / Interaction Magic (and of course the LEGO Group )

Things Once Said is published every Friday by Michael Harris. If you enjoyed this volume, please check out the previous editions and subscribe for weekly updates.