Issue 4

With a far-reaching journey as a backdrop and Dylan as a soundtrack, a meditation on conscious and unconscious rules is a starting point for finding the permission to do the necessary work.

In Issue 4 On Culture, Place, Travel

On a return trip to Japan after three months away, an expanse between present and former selves opens up, bringing with it a chance for reflection and a sense of rootedness in the present.

In Issue 4 On Memory, Place, Travel

Looking beyond products themselves, the underlying process for their design and the broader systems in which they exist can serve as a source for renewal in design.

In Issue 4 On Process, Profession, Thought

Remembered phone conversations and a reflection on a father's legacy offer a deeper sense of what it is that makes work worthwhile. The idea of the "dream job" is overturned.

In Issue 4 On Communication, Family, Relationships

Mentoring relationships are complex and tenuous, but they work best when the needs they fulfill are clearly identified. And like any relationship, they require nothing less than mutual vulnerability.

In Issue 4 On Career, People, Relationships

From across the web, happy news provokes a painful response. After several milestones are reached in parallel, an uncomfortably similar path gives way to a shared revelation.

In Issue 4 On Career, Communication, Relationships

As demonstrated by a unique path from print to digital, full immersion is necessary for developing real fluency in the cultures and languages of new platforms.

In Issue 4 On Culture, Evolution, Language

A freshman art bootcamp offers much more than the development of craft. It becomes a space for community, and in turn, transforms the nature of a creative practice.

In Issue 4 On Community, Creativity, Practice

A destructive model positions data and design in opposition. But redefining and embracing data opens up deeper understanding and greater ability to design for reality.

In Issue 4 On Process, Profession, Thought

An accidental salesman meets with unexpected challenge and disappointment. At last, he finds new understanding and acceptance of his identity as a designer.

In Issue 4 On Career, Identity, Profession

The file formats that define the web range from audacious to disturbing, and an examination of their idiosyncracies offers an illuminating glimpse of history.

In Issue 4 On History, Language, Profession

An old radio show about nothing gained widespread popularity during WWII. Today it offers some relief from the dissonance between everyday life and a broader, broken world.

In Issue 4 On History, Observation, Place