Ryan W. Kimball — Design directoR
I am a hands-on systems-oriented design leader specializing in user-centered digital products. My background includes design strategy, concept development, team leadership, stakeholder presentation, interface design, animation, and illustration.
Good design is storytelling
Storytelling is the universal human language. From history to public policy and even math, stories are the central way that humans make sense of the world around them. Great design leverages storytelling tactics to engage with users. The best stories use common beats and subvert them in small or superficial ways to engage and delight the audience. Stylistic choices help differentiate the story, but the choices are built upon a common foundation that lends a sense of ease and familiarity. It’s the rhythmic dance between the new and the familiar that makes both great stories and great design. Novelty in design is good only to the extent that it feels fresh and catches the eye. Anything more and it becomes too hard to parse to be effective. Too much sameness will not command attention. Our job as designers is to find the perfect balance.