A few years ago I was working for a design firm that was bidding on a project for a Segway store design. It got me thinking about how unique Segway's problem is, in terms of targeting the average person. Leading up to the original unveiling of the Segway (I think they referred to it as "IT" at the time), there was a lot of talk about how it would revolutionize personal travel. Now don't get...

My colleague, Josh Bernoff, kicked off a great discussion yesterday about the use of the word "user" to describe people, customer, etc. I've been thinking about this as well for some time, and I completely agree with Josh and many of the people who commented. But there are other problems with the lingo. Two commonly used terms to describe people expose the problematic perspective of both business and design. First, and most offensive, is the...

I've noticed a breakdown between the image some brands project and what they actually deliver. Take Apple for example. When I see their ads on TV and in print, then I visit their stores or use their products, it all feels consistent. The look, feel, and layout of the store all resonate with that marketing campaign, and it all ties in to the products they make. The employees are knowledgeable and pleasant, and the creativity...

My name is Brian Haven (my friends just call me Haven) and I'm a native Californian, born and raised. I grew up in Visalia, California and attended California State University, Fresno (Fresno State to the locals) where I studied business and marketing. I moved to San Francisco in 1996 to be a part of the dotcom era. I worked in Wells Fargo's online banking group just after they launched the first online banking website. Then...