As I have moved through my career as a professional graphic designer, I have participated in some very diverse companies. All have required that I design a myriad of projects but would extend or alter the old classic rules of design. My most recent endeavor is working as a website content designer for an engineering company. When speaking about HTML editing, some might wonder how a graphic designer would get picked for such a position. It’s simple for those who know the language – it’s an art form!

I’m sure some of you are scratching your heads, “did you just say language?” Yes! HTML uses many terms and punctuation to decipher how a website should appear on a viewer’s screen. Some elementary schools are actually teaching their young students this programming language to give them a leg up later in life due to the extent of its influence in the modern day work place. Most all companies now have websites that get updated on a daily basis. However, we are talking about art here; how is this relevant?

If you were to open up the back end of one of your favorite websites, you will see a multitude of colors and line lengths as well as punctuation. It almost appears as a random pattern of sorts. Although these colors and indents actually aid the developer in the organization of the sections of code, one could say that it’s similar to graphic design. This type of art focuses on the organization of graphics and text to communicate an idea to a viewer. An HTML editor prefers to group similar code together so it’s easier to alter down the road with multiple users. For instance, one wouldn’t see a table started and not finished in the same area.

In current society, it’s hard not to interact with the World Wide Web on a daily basis. Coders and graphic designers have become our modern Dali and Picasso. We are now more likely to grab a digital rendering of a painting and place it as a desk top background then go to a local museum and purchase a copy to hang in our home.

Design programs are also feeling the shift. Instead of disc installations, everything can be obtained online. The impact of this breaks down the age old question – Mac or PC? The Apple and Microsoft battle has no impact on the designer if everyone is using an internet browser to attain the right tools for the job.

As I continue on my career, the progress is astounding. No longer am I carrying around a sketchbook and ruler, but more of a laptop and eye glasses. It’s now become all tech ­­- all the time.

This new app uses affective computing to gauge the user's emotions based on various aspects of his or her typing, and sharing that information with the message's recipient to reduce misunderstandings, improve customer service, and even aid in mental health treatment. The application, called Keymochi has been developed for both Android and iOS phones.

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Today's CAD designers do not typically have the luxury of working in an environment where customers, vendors, and partners use the same software. With dozens of programs to choose from (here are a few), incompatibility problems are bound to crop up.

Unfortunately, different systems lead to inefficiencies and redundancies. Data needs to be recreated, translation problems arise, design intent is easily lost, and multiple versions of the same data must be managed.

Is this a problem for you? Share your frustrations and/or solutions in the comments!

Would you like to be able to work directly with non-native data? PTC Creo's webinar will demonstrate how to incorporate data - whether from vendors, customers, or colleagues - directly into your designs.

Webinar Details:

March 8, 2016 - Tuesday

11:00 AM EST - 12:00 PM EST

Learn More & Register Today

Engineers have been deluged with constant sales pitches about the virtues of cloud-based engineering software, but how do you sort it all out? This Desktop Engineering article is a good place to start, with a solid overview of what major software vendors are offering on the cloud, the cost structures, and the kinds of engineering challenges that call for cloud-based solutions. Among the biggest cloud drivers: the growth of collaborative global engineering teams and the increased reliance on simulation and complex analysis in design work. Companies also are integrating product development software with business enterprise programs in the cloud.

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Imagine the harm to a patient if a hacker invades a remotely programmed insulin pump, causing a massive overdose. That's just one example of the security fears associated with the boom in interconnected devices - the Internet of Things (IoT). As this report shows, forward-thinking companies are scrambling to employ strategies for making security a prime objective from the earliest stages of design. Companies like Digi International and CSC are helping firms incorporate security steps, such as employing encryption for the storage and transmission of sensitive data. Read on for more examples of security measures essential to IoT design success.

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