Living & Learning I’m the director of customer experience for Style Hatch Co. and work for New Ezra. I’m a father, husband, designer, developer and Jesus follower. Here are my thoughts on design, technology, customer experience and life.Tumblr (3.0; @ijess)http://blog.jessbrown.me/<p><a href="http://strands.stylehatch.co/post/24086603195/strands-premium-theme-blog-portfolio" class="tumblr_blog">strands-theme</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Strands Premium Tumblr theme is a dynamic duo of two themes rolled into one to showcase your portfolio and blog all in one spot. Like all of the other <a href="http://stylehatch.co">Style Hatch</a> themes, Strands comes fully loaded with 80+ features and customization options.</p> <p><em><img alt="Strands Premium Theme" height="414" src="http://static.tumblr.com/fftf9xi/NKmm4v1u4/strands-theme-screenshot.jpg" width="760"/></em></p> <blockquote> <p><strong><a href="/theme-versions">Latest Version - Strands 1.0.0</a> | May 30, 2012</strong><br/>We’re just getting started with this theme!  Send your feature requests and suggestions to <a href="http://twitter.com/stylehatch">@stylehatch</a> or <a href="mailto:strands@stylehatch.co">strands@stylehatch.co</a></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://strands.stylehatch.co/post/24086603195/strands-premium-theme-blog-portfolio">Read More</a></p></blockquote>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/24151507562http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/24151507562Thu, 31 May 2012 16:53:21 -0500designthemesstyle hatch“Artists are visionaries. We routinely practice a form of faith, seeing clearly and moving toward a creative goal that shimmers in the distance—often visible to us, but invisible to those around us.”<br/><br/> - <em>Julia Cameron</em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23688931117http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23688931117Thu, 24 May 2012 15:53:03 -0500<iframe width="400" height="225" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fhPFTSrF-PI?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p><a href="http://nbaoffseason.com/post/23686544254/blake-griffin-nba-jam-need-we-say-more-via" class="tumblr_blog">nbaoffseason</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Blake Griffin, NBA Jam. </p> <p>Need we say more? (via <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/5/24/3041215/blake-griffin-dunk-nba-jam#storyjump">SB Nation</a>)</p></blockquote>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23686906475http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23686906475Thu, 24 May 2012 15:20:35 -0500“Design is a word that’s come to mean so much that it’s also a word that has come to mean nothing. We don’t really talk about design, we talk about developing ideas and making products”<br/><br/> - <em>Jonathan Ive</em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23625302664http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23625302664Wed, 23 May 2012 15:39:58 -0500design<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m44jj2k7cC1qzpxk2o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m44jj2k7cC1qzpxk2o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m44jj2k7cC1qzpxk2o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><h2>AUSTIN PETITO</h2> <blockquote><p>Man oh man this is probably one of the best wedding invites that I have ever seen! The attention to detail is insane. Beautiful all around. From design to printing, everything is top-notch. <a href="http://www.tightslice.com/" title="Austin Petito">Austin Petito</a>, aka <a href="http://www.tightslice.com/" title="Tight Slice">Tight Slice</a> has mad chops. Love everything in his portfolio. A must see no doubt. Check his <a href="http://dribbble.com/tightslice" title="dribbble">dribbble</a> too. Amazing stuff.</p></blockquote>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23298901500http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23298901500Fri, 18 May 2012 13:06:00 -0500<a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/gyro/2012/05/03/welcome-to-the-era-of-design/">Welcome to the Era of Design</a>: <blockquote><p>Why have people become so design sensitive? Why does that credit card mailer look so bad and dated now? Why can’t you access my account details? Why does airport signage seem so unhelpful? Why doesn’t that technology plug and play?</p> <p>Perhaps Apple’s global dominance has elevated our design expectations, or Ikea’s vision to bring great design at affordable prices to everyone on the planet has finally taken effect, or perhaps the Internet has taught us what well-designed user experiences and good design really are. Likely, it is a combination of all.</p> <p>What is certain is that the design bar has been raised and design-oriented businesses are winning.</p></blockquote>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23247601470http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23247601470Thu, 17 May 2012 16:18:00 -0500design“Making something look simple is easy; making something simple to use is much harder — especially when the underlying systems are complex — but that’s what we should be doing.”<br/><br/> - <em><a href="https://www.gov.uk/designprinciples">Design Principles</a></em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23246680241http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/23246680241Thu, 17 May 2012 16:04:21 -0500designsimplicity<iframe width="400" height="225" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TuBMXS6vU3o?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><h2>Against The Grain</h2> <p>The new music video for ‘Against The Grain’ from emerging Melbourne indie-folk artist <a href="http://hudsonmusic.com.au/">Hudson</a> </p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/22849872740http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/22849872740Fri, 11 May 2012 13:26:09 -0500music<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/41800652" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0"></iframe><br/><br/><p><h2>Simple</h2> <h3>The iPhone App</h3> <blockquote> We’re building the banking experience we want as customers, and a great mobile app is a key part. We believe that mobile banking, when done right, can improve the decisions we make about money throughout our day, ultimately improving our financial lives. While technology and design might be line item expenses to many retail banks, they’re our passion. </blockquote></p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/22725261024http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/22725261024Wed, 09 May 2012 13:33:38 -0500designinspirationmoney<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3q3arIdll1qz5ajzo1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3q3arIdll1qz5ajzo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3q3arIdll1qz5ajzo3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3q3arIdll1qz5ajzo4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><h2>Instagram Socialmatic Camera</h2> <p>Here’ a list of the specs:</p> <ul><li>16 GB mass storage</li> <li>Wifi and Bluetooth</li> <li>4:3 touchscreen</li> <li>2 main lens, first for main capture, second for 3D filters, webcam applications and QR Code capturing</li> <li>Optical zoom</li> <li>Led Flash</li> <li>Internal printer to make your Instagram photos real</li> <li>Paper cartridge with Instagram Paper Sheets</li> <li>Dedicated 4 colors ink tanks</li> <li>InstaOs 1.0, which put together Facebook and Instagram App feature</li> </ul>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/22671404475http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/22671404475Tue, 08 May 2012 16:20:51 -0500photography“Don’t ignore your dreams; don’t work too much; say what you think; cultivate friendships; be happy.”<br/><br/> - <em><p><strong>Paul Graham</strong>, <a href="http://www.paulgraham.com/todo.html">The Top of My Todo List</a></p> <p>Based on the top five regrets of the dying, Paul Graham added these five items to the top of his ongoing todo list.</p></em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/21638377009http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/21638377009Mon, 23 Apr 2012 03:27:26 -0500<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2scy2smbF1ru30t0o1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2scy2smbF1ru30t0o2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2scy2smbF1ru30t0o3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><h2>Nike Tribute Wall</h2> <blockquote> <p>Nike brought us in to concept and design an athlete tribute wall for their newly re-worked action sports building just off of campus. It just got installed and we are stoked on the way it turned out!</p> </blockquote> <p>Created by <a href="http://blog.omfgco.com/post/21049912221/tributewall">Official Mfg. Co.</a></p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/21440818014http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/21440818014Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:03 -0500<a href="http://om.co/2012/04/05/the-of-course-principle-of-design/">The of course principle of design</a>: <blockquote> <p>Most companies (including web startups), he said, are looking to “wow” with their products, when in reality what they should be looking for is an “‘of course’ reaction from their users.”</p> <p>Puzzled, I looked at him. And then it hit me: Great design means that one look and the end user reacts by knowing what to do with a knob or a button, without as much as even thinking about it. Of course this knob is what turns the volume up, or brings up the home screen.</p> <p>This of course factor is at the heart of every great design — from the iPhone to the Braun alarm radio. And it’s an important lesson that every startup and entrepreneur should remember. Whether your company is making a physical product or a web service or mobile application, it’s essential for you to think about design.</p> </blockquote>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/20595666488http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/20595666488Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:52:34 -0500inspirationstartup<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m20wb5BkOl1qz5ajzo1_500.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m20wb5BkOl1qz5ajzo2_500.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m20wb5BkOl1qz5ajzo3_500.png"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m20wb5BkOl1qz5ajzo4_500.png"/><br/> <br/><p><h2><a href="http://hipsterbranding.tumblr.com/">Hipster Branding</a></h2></p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/20542596157http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/20542596157Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:16:17 -0500“No one can do what I’m doing better than me and no one can do what you’re doing better than you—it’s that simple. Doesn’t that take the pressure off? There’s no point in comparing yourself to others. The world needs more of your voice, not your attempt at someone else’s voice.”<br/><br/> - <em><span class="Apple-style-span">Rosie Thomas</span></em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18871273669http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18871273669Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:59:32 -0600inspiration<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/37938158" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><br/><br/><p><h2>MOLESKINE-LEGO Pitch</h2></p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18865647128http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18865647128Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:25:50 -0600<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/36874836" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><br/><br/><h2>Inception Park</h2> <p>Its like an Inception roller coaster dream.</p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18616535245http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18616535245Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:51:00 -0600VideoAmazing“Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”<br/><br/> - <em>Ron Swanson <span>(via <a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://ckck.tumblr.com/post/18441948689/never-half-ass-two-things-whole-ass-one-thing">ckck</a>)</span></em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18445999764http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18445999764Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:00:01 -0600“People can develop skill but they don’t develop taste. It’s there or it’s not. When your taste is higher than your current skill level, you can bridge the gap by talking about who you love, who’s work you look up to, and what gets you excited.”<br/><br/> - <em><a href="http://feltpresence.com/">Ryan Singer</a></em>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18022356884http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18022356884Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:49:26 -0600bloggingtumblrinspiration<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzrc9nfbb01qz5ajzo1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzrc9nfbb01qz5ajzo2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzrc9nfbb01qz5ajzo3_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzrc9nfbb01qz5ajzo4_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><h2>Good Travel</h2> <p>Some amazing icon work for a series of teasers for a upcoming travel company site. From the very talented designer <a href="http://dribbble.com/kadasarva">Alex Volkov</a></p>http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18020891301http://blog.jessbrown.me/post/18020891301Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:17:47 -0600designicons