Designer Dream Team

November 10, 2003 | View Comments (9) | Category: Our Thoughts

Summary: A dream team is coming...from who though?

With the rise of the independent web came the rise of the independent web designers. There were no longer huge design firms getting all the good jobs, but the single individuals who were able to get a presence out through their blogs and other means. With design blogs came the "unspoken" list of A-Team bloggers/designers. Though many people may argue that no such thing exists, I would state that it does exist. The A-List designers are the ones most people put on their blogrolls. The ones where no matter where you go if their is a blogroll they will be on it. The web is going to change real soon and it is going to be because of these guys.

I believe that soon some of them will form together to make a design dream team. We can already see what happens when designers such as Doug and Dan are given free enterprise to let their creations run wild. Now what if they were to team up along with some other folks like Dave and Cederholm. Could you really imagine what kinds of things would come out of such an alliance? Zeldman and Doug are already working together on a project for Apple and we can only speculate what is to come of that.

What about the poor designers who are not considered in the same league as these All-Stars? What is to come of them? Have no need to fear. A dream team may be forming, but this will not endanger the web ecosystem. Like USA's dream team of basketball they may scoop up the big prizes in the beginning, but eventually others will catch up.

It is always beneficial to collaborate with other designers about your work (if anyone wishes to share their work with me so I can critique it feel free to email me). This is where a dream team would flourish because of the interaction they would have between each other. Other designer's offer a perspective that you may overlook and they also bring their own tastes to the plate. Collaboration is good. Egos are bad.

So a dream team will come soon because the web needs one. Some people like to preach standards and what not and others actually have the power to get large companies to move towards standards. I look forward to see who will form it and how it end up. One day I may form my own and I already have a short list of people who I am keeping an eye on. Who would be on your dream team (besides me :))?

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Comments

#1

For completeness, both in people and in code, I wouldn't forget "Dive Into" Mark Pilgrim. As far as accesibility goes, he's top notch, and would round off your team of designers.

Micah (http://msittig.blogspot.com/)

#2

ahhh, excellent suggestions Micah. I did overlook the fact that the dream team shouldn't be without an accessibility expert. I guess we would have to add Eric Meyer to the mix for a true CSS guru.

Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)

#3

Don't forget Jakob Nielsen. Can you imagine him added to the mix? The resultant bloodshed might be amusing...

JC (http://www.thelionsweb.com/weblog)

#4

JC: I really have nothing to say about that one. The thought itself sickens me...

Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)

#5

I've often thought about the same sort of thing. I have a fulltime software development gig and also a part-time thing with a company I co-founded but don't yet have enough money to work fulltime on. I'm really hoping the part-time thing turns full-time soon, but if not, I've thought about trying to build a team from the talented designers/developers who's blogs I read.

My fear, though, is that I don't have any credentials with the "online design community" since I don't have my own blog. I am more of a lurker, but I am very passionate about clean and solid web design (both visually and under the covers). Anyone else in this boat?

Jason Long

#6

I do wonder if 'we' are not getting caught up in a little world of our own sometimes. I'm not really convinced that the a-list and its followers (I include myself in that) are actually having that much of an effect on the web design world in general. Sure the message is creeping out gradually, but I think we overestimate its reach.

Richard Rutter (http://www.clagnut.com/)

#7

So very true. I can see how we believe that "our" world extends out to the whole real world. Thanks for making me feel small Richard :)

Scrivs (http://www.9rules.com/whitespace/)

#8

What about Jay Allen? He already worked together with Doug on the Adaptive Path redesign.

N.B. the link to Dan's site is broken.

Jeroen (http://jeroensangers.com/)

#9

What about Tim Berners-Lee--he kinda invented the whole thing. I would suggest Mark Monciardini and Anson Vogt for graphic arts (Photoshop, Flash, POV-Ray, etc.); also, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jennifer Niederst for her web design proficiency.

Chris Poteet (http://www.ecstasyband.com/)

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