As Katherine McCoy states in the opening essay of Taking the Leap into New Media, "Is new media design a subset of graphic design or a sibling ... under the larger umbrella of communications design?" This defining question underlies the major problem faced by design studios today: whether to incorporate a new media/Web design department within their existing company or start a sister company to handle it.
The book profiles 15 designers and firms that have successfully undergone this transformation into the new multimedia/Web/interactive areas of design, including Duffy Design in New York (duffy.com), Segura, Inc. in Chicago (segura-inc.com), and Galie Jean-Louis of Seattle, the pioneering art director of MSNBC (msnbc.com).
Each case study documents the process of how new media was integrated into or evolved from the traditional print design environment. Designers face learning new technologies, dealing with new clients, and new challenges. At times these challenges include finding new team members such as musicians, videographers, or programmers, or deciding to outsource work if specialists are needed.
Along with color illustrations of Web sites and interactive projects, the book offers tips from each of the studios profiled. For example, Pinkhaus/The Designory in Florida (pinkhaus.com) advises, "Watch your behavior on the Web and let that be a guide as to how you should design."
Designers even share the challenges of their projects. For the Allina Health System, Hall Kelley in Minnesota (hallkelley.com) created an elegant and inviting interactive CD-ROM that organizes different levels of healthcare information with clean layout and iconography.
In addition to McCoy's essay, Taking the Leap into New Media features well-written pieces by Roger Black and Randy Weeks, which alone are worth the price of admission. If your studio is wondering how to proceed into the broader world of graphic design and new media, the valuable advice here can ease the transition. --Angelynn Grant
Topics covered: Fifteen case studies of design studios that have branched out into Web design, interactive design, and/or multimedia. Also, three essays by established writers/designers on the challenges of new media faced by established print designers.
Product Description
Multimedia and the Web are leading the world to new and exciting places. But what is the role of graphic design--or for that matter, you, the designer--in shaping these new frontiers? If you're ready to claim your place in this lucrative field but don't know how or where to get started--start here! This book will show you how to reinvent your business to take advantage of new opportunities in digital communication design.
Inside, 15 top designers talk about how they did it and the lessons they learned along the way. Discover proven strategies for quickly learning new media, developing networks for collaboration and more. You'll get nuts-and-bolts information to get you started, along with plenty of inspiration and encouragement to keep you going.
Use this 20/20 hindsight to guide you through your transition from a traditional design operation to a more comprehensive, collaborative and strategy-oriented multimedia firm. Whether you're launching an initiative or simply fulfilling your clients' needs, this book will help you take the leap--and land on both feet.
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