Hi Kim, I think the answer has to do with filters. Not necessarily technological filters--although they have their place--but editorial filters. As designers I think our impulse is to act as our own filters, but as others have mentioned, and as you're discovering, the shear volume of information in the world is overwhelming.
Instead, find sources who have earned your trust to act as filters. People who can wade through the torrent of information and clarify it; reshape it into a coherent form. Something that is still a little raw and unpolished, but digested enough not to waste your time. On the web, these people are easy to find. They're mavens. Just look for blogs on very specific topics. For example, I think that a design blog is less valuable than a typography blog or a motion graphics blog for this purpose. But even the most esoteric blogs and mailing lists aren't enough by themselves. They provide a snack, but not a nourishing meal. Supplement your filters with magazines on topics of interest and throw in the occasional book. Actually, reverse that order. It's easy to fill up on blogs to the point where you don't have room for the more thoughtful, deeper articles. Use blogs as a supplement; not the main course. The quality of your filters makes all the difference in the coherence of your world. Don't try to keep track of everything; it's a losing battle. There's a natural equilibrium. If your filters are in place and you're still drowning, reduce the number of incoming filters until you reach the point where your world starts to make sense. // jeff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=33656 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
