This was an image a friend of mine took while in a Macy’s in Virginia. It’s a good example of how misleading signs can appear when they lack important components, like arrows. If it weren’t for common sense, we could easily assume that the executive offices and the men’s restrooms were one in the same. I mean, everyone knows that nobody in their right mind would build offices and bathrooms in the same room.

Relying on common sense or users’ good judgment when viewing signs is not always going to be as harmless as in this example. And from this, a new feature on Mad Usability dedicated to the bad design of signs is born:

WHEN SIGNS CAN LOOK ‘FUNNY’

Think of it as a way to get a good laugh while looking back on the things that have gotten us lost, or in the executive offices instead of the bathroom.

The promo mailer is perhaps most popular among illustrators and graphic designers working for editorial clients, which means that it is a powerful, untapped resource for some web designers. Likewise, it was probably a much more common practice ten years ago than it is today due to the rise of online promotion techniques – but those who ignore its potential are missing out on a tool with the power to gain new clients, increase web traffic, and attract publicity for your business and events.

This promotional mailer for Ultra Design Co. includes 3-D posters (complete with 3-D glasses!). Designed by Humberto Howard/UDC

Common types of mailers include postcards and brochures, but designers featured in this article have produced everything from faux newspapers to toys and even promotional eyepatches.

In other words, this can and should be much more than just another opportunity to promote your work. It is also an opportunity to have a heap of fun, think outside the rectangle, and even present former and potential clients with a unique objet d’art. If you give them a piece of art and design that they’re unlikely to forget, then they’ll be unlikely to forget you.

[Offtopic: by the way, have you already visited Smashing Magazine's Facebook fan page? Join the community for a stream of useful resources, updates and giveaways!]

While looking over my search results, it occurred to me that it has been a while since I saw a good list. Within the past year I repeatedly user tested lists intended to guide users through important events. Then there were the countless transaction summary pages. In all cases users had trouble finding what they needed. Why? Three reasons: Difficult to understand content, illogical item ordering, and suboptimal structure.

So how does this relate to electronic winelists?

Think about this…On paper we’re limited to the basics: Name, year, winery, and cost. But give someone a backlit screen and it’s suddenly an invitation to create information overload. Sure, now restaurants can make the selection process easier by including images of labels, adding descriptions or recommendations, or checkboxes to mark the bottles patrons are considering. But how do you integrate that and still create a usable list?

A good place to start is remembering the main purpose of a list is the same no matter the display type: Summarize key information in an understandable way. Create concise bits of information and determine a logical presentation order. Then pin down structure. All of the other goodies like images, recommendations, or additional interaction mechanisms are add-ons that can compliment a list nicely when interjected at the appropriate points.

Item Content: Be Clear but Keep It Quick

When viewing a list, readers need to understand what is in front of them without needing anything additional. Therefore, two important qualities are clarity and brevity.

What makes a list item short and sweet depends upon its type. Actionable items within a list should be based around a verb. For example, “Insert tab A into slot B.” The action is clear (insert tab A into something) and the outcome is easy to predict (tab A will be in slot B). However, this same tactic does not hold when creating a list of facts. In this case, some content might require more explanation than others. For wine and drink lists this is an easy task. People want to know what they’re drinking, where it comes from, and how much it will set them back.

Structure: Complexity Relates to Visual Structure

List structure relates directly to a list’s complexity. By complexity I mean, do list items fall into multiple categories or not? Lists without categories should flow in a manner that makes sense. Classifying list items, however, requires you to determine the number of categories and their labels. Once all of that is established, determining hierarchy with good visual cues is next. The common ways of doing this on paper and electronic devices are the same: Indentation, text weight, font size, and color. Some lists also use graphics to denote main categories or special items.

I am sad to say that many list designs I have recently seen fall apart even more at this point. This might happen for a variety of reasons such as restrictions placed by the owner of the list content, or a lack of understanding about how we see lists. For our purposes today, let’s assume the latter.

At a basic level, we see lists as patterns: Lines repeating at a certain frequency. As with anything, if something repeats long enough we become desensitized toward it. So if the list is long enough then the eye becomes fatigued and the reader becomes less likely to see an item. Deviate from the pattern with bolded text or larger font for category labels and fatigue is delayed a bit. And bonus: Deviations also serve as fixation points for attention. So when searching a wine list, if you know you want a Malbec and not a Fume Blanc, then any deviations from the pattern of lines can help you quickly skip over whites and roses to reds.

Now that list design 101 is out of the way, we’ll next look at ewinebook.com to see how well it conforms to these ideas in addition to integrating all of the bells and whistles that make electronic winelists convenient for users.

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• Sed congue, dui vel tristique mollis, libero elit convallis eros, vitae interdum libero dolor eget leo.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. These are some more words to lengthen the line.

When I was just getting started in design, I asked one of my favorite designers what single thing I could do to improve and expand my capabilities as a designer. His answer: “Read. Read everything you can get your hands on, empty your bank account, then read some more”. Looking back on 7 years of designing, I’d have to say that was the single greatest bit of advice I ever received. So, without further ado, here’s my list of recommendations.

Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. Out of every book on my shelf, this is the one I find myself returning to time and again. This is an amazing little hardcover that breaks the entire world of design into 100 distinct, easy to follow concepts that will focus the way you think about anything that’s been designed (and that could be everything, but I’m not here to debate religion). If you’re to buy one book on this list, this is the one. Useful, practical, easy to read.

Soak, Wash, Rinse, Spin by Tolleson Design. This was one of my first design books, and still one of my favorites. Chalk full of useful information about the process behind successful design projects.

Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Media, and Visual Culture by Jessica Helfand and John Maeda. For anyone who’s ever complained that there isn’t enough relevant, contemporary, erudite writing about modern design dillemas, I submit exhibit A. As one reviewer on amazon put it: “Things we all were thinking… only worded much better”. This tiny book packs a whallop of mind-bending analysis.

Noise Four by Attik. Often called the “big white book” or “the design bible” (although I would disagree), this 5lb book is a visual feast of experimental design pieces. Great resource if you’re seeking a quick entry into modern experimental graphic design or just some inspiration to break up the monotony of cut and paste projects.

Visual Creativity by Mario Pricken. Great analysis of the mental processes behind “visual imagination”. This book systematically breaks down different types of visual imagination and provides lots of great excercises that one can practice to enhance their own capacity to blow people’s minds. Oh, and it catagloues some of the greatest pieces of advertising in the last couple years on high quality glossy paper. Perfect coffee table fodder for the budding graphic artist.

Typography 27 by the Type Directors Club. Really, any book from this series is worth its weight in gold. If you’re going to follow one series of design annuals, this is it… phenomenal from every aspect.

Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller-Brockmann. THE definitive guide on grid systems in graphic design. A fantastic guide for solving just about any design problem with a grid. If you haven’t cracked into grid systems yet, this is the book; if you’ve backslidden in your ways, now’s the time to reaffirm your faith.


I’ll be adding lots more in the future… I pride myself on a library of great design books and magazines. For any budding designer looking for a way to go beyond the standard textbooks, books are a great way to get started (and I would argue that these are perhaps a better, more robust form of education than the textbook variety).YouWorkForThem.com and Amazon are great places to pick them up on the cheap too.

When I was just getting started in design, I asked one of my favorite designers what single thing I could do to improve and expand my capabilities as a designer. His answer: “Read. Read everything you can get your hands on, empty your bank account, then read some more”. Looking back on 7 years of designing, I’d have to say that was the single greatest bit of advice I ever received. So, without further ado, here’s my list of recommendations.

Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. Out of every book on my shelf, this is the one I find myself returning to time and again. This is an amazing little hardcover that breaks the entire world of design into 100 distinct, easy to follow concepts that will focus the way you think about anything that’s been designed (and that could be everything, but I’m not here to debate religion). If you’re to buy one book on this list, this is the one. Useful, practical, easy to read.

Soak, Wash, Rinse, Spin by Tolleson Design. This was one of my first design books, and still one of my favorites. Chalk full of useful information about the process behind successful design projects.

Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Media, and Visual Culture by Jessica Helfand and John Maeda. For anyone who’s ever complained that there isn’t enough relevant, contemporary, erudite writing about modern design dillemas, I submit exhibit A. As one reviewer on amazon put it: “Things we all were thinking… only worded much better”. This tiny book packs a whallop of mind-bending analysis.

Noise Four by Attik. Often called the “big white book” or “the design bible” (although I would disagree), this 5lb book is a visual feast of experimental design pieces. Great resource if you’re seeking a quick entry into modern experimental graphic design or just some inspiration to break up the monotony of cut and paste projects.

Visual Creativity by Mario Pricken. Great analysis of the mental processes behind “visual imagination”. This book systematically breaks down different types of visual imagination and provides lots of great excercises that one can practice to enhance their own capacity to blow people’s minds. Oh, and it catagloues some of the greatest pieces of advertising in the last couple years on high quality glossy paper. Perfect coffee table fodder for the budding graphic artist.

Typography 27 by the Type Directors Club. Really, any book from this series is worth its weight in gold. If you’re going to follow one series of design annuals, this is it… phenomenal from every aspect.

Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller-Brockmann. THE definitive guide on grid systems in graphic design. A fantastic guide for solving just about any design problem with a grid. If you haven’t cracked into grid systems yet, this is the book; if you’ve backslidden in your ways, now’s the time to reaffirm your faith.


I’ll be adding lots more in the future… I pride myself on a library of great design books and magazines. For any budding designer looking for a way to go beyond the standard textbooks, books are a great way to get started (and I would argue that these are perhaps a better, more robust form of education than the textbook variety).YouWorkForThem.com and Amazon are great places to pick them up on the cheap too.

The fonts you use for your website are an important decision, as they will often reflect your site’s tone and affect its visual impact.

When I was just getting started in design, I asked one of my favorite designers what single thing I could do to improve and expand my capabilities as a designer. His answer: “Read. Read everything you can get your hands on, empty your bank account, then read some more”. Looking back on 7 years of designing, I’d have to say that was the single greatest bit of advice I ever received. So, without further ado, here’s my list of recommendations.

Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design by William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, and Jill Butler. Out of every book on my shelf, this is the one I find myself returning to time and again. This is an amazing little hardcover that breaks the entire world of design into 100 distinct, easy to follow concepts that will focus the way you think about anything that’s been designed (and that could be everything, but I’m not here to debate religion). If you’re to buy one book on this list, this is the one. Useful, practical, easy to read.

Soak, Wash, Rinse, Spin by Tolleson Design. This was one of my first design books, and still one of my favorites. Chalk full of useful information about the process behind successful design projects.

Screen: Essays on Graphic Design, New Media, and Visual Culture by Jessica Helfand and John Maeda. For anyone who’s ever complained that there isn’t enough relevant, contemporary, erudite writing about modern design dillemas, I submit exhibit A. As one reviewer on amazon put it: “Things we all were thinking… only worded much better”. This tiny book packs a whallop of mind-bending analysis.

Noise Four by Attik. Often called the “big white book” or “the design bible” (although I would disagree), this 5lb book is a visual feast of experimental design pieces. Great resource if you’re seeking a quick entry into modern experimental graphic design or just some inspiration to break up the monotony of cut and paste projects.

Visual Creativity by Mario Pricken. Great analysis of the mental processes behind “visual imagination”. This book systematically breaks down different types of visual imagination and provides lots of great excercises that one can practice to enhance their own capacity to blow people’s minds. Oh, and it catagloues some of the greatest pieces of advertising in the last couple years on high quality glossy paper. Perfect coffee table fodder for the budding graphic artist.

Typography 27 by the Type Directors Club. Really, any book from this series is worth its weight in gold. If you’re going to follow one series of design annuals, this is it… phenomenal from every aspect.

Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller-Brockmann. THE definitive guide on grid systems in graphic design. A fantastic guide for solving just about any design problem with a grid. If you haven’t cracked into grid systems yet, this is the book; if you’ve backslidden in your ways, now’s the time to reaffirm your faith.


I’ll be adding lots more in the future… I pride myself on a library of great design books and magazines. For any budding designer looking for a way to go beyond the standard textbooks, books are a great way to get started (and I would argue that these are perhaps a better, more robust form of education than the textbook variety).YouWorkForThem.com and Amazon are great places to pick them up on the cheap too.

p on the cheap too.

Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui.

• Sed congue, dui vel tristique mollis, libero elit convallis eros, vitae interdum libero dolor eget leo.
• Morbi eget sem. Nam mollis. Donec sed velit ut tellus fermentum interdum.
• Etiam a odio in neque egestas consequat. Pellentesque posuere, orci id interdum.
• Suspendisse id magna in libero porta faucibus. Vivamus sollicitudin.

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Mauris vulputate metus eu nisl. Praesent placerat. Mauris vitae erat id ante viverra sodales. Proin tincidunt porta velit. Sed a ligula id felis rutrum placerat. Curabitur et lorem non urna tristique pharetra. Nullam luctus tristique dui.

Whoa! Ultra Readable Text

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. These are some more words to lengthen the line.

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Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui.

• Sed congue, dui vel tristique mollis, libero elit convallis eros, vitae interdum libero dolor eget leo.
• Morbi eget sem. Nam mollis. Donec sed velit ut tellus fermentum interdum.
• Etiam a odio in neque egestas consequat. Pellentesque posuere, orci id interdum.
• Suspendisse id magna in libero porta faucibus. Vivamus sollicitudin.

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Whoa! Ultra Readable Text

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. These are some more words to lengthen the line.

This is a Subheadline

Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui.

• Sed congue, dui vel tristique mollis, libero elit convallis eros, vitae interdum libero dolor eget leo.
• Morbi eget sem. Nam mollis. Donec sed velit ut tellus fermentum interdum.
• Etiam a odio in neque egestas consequat. Pellentesque posuere, orci id interdum.
• Suspendisse id magna in libero porta faucibus. Vivamus sollicitudin.

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Whoa! Ultra Readable Text

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Vivamus nibh mi, commodo eu, pellentesque ut, blandit rutrum, ligula. Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. Donec faucibus lacus nec sapien. Aliquam ipsum nisi, scelerisque et, commodo nec, consectetur vel, tellus. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus.

Praesent ultricies urna a urna. Quisque massa. Cras ipsum diam, hendrerit id, accumsan sit amet, fermentum vel, dui. Morbi blandit commodo tellus. Aenean tincidunt pharetra leo. Curabitur euismod sollicitudin elit. These are some more words to lengthen the line.