Andrew Marcus

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer Andrew Marcus ("AM") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

AM : I've been a designer for 15 years. Actually, I never thought I would end up as a designer, because I had always been a technician. I liked physics and mathematics and had little skill in visual art, always getting bad scores in painting classes. So my background and education are strictly technical. It does play a role in design, though. Interfaces are built on logic and require a lot of technical knowledge. Only nine years after I opened my first design studio and received multiple awards, I finished a course in "UX Research and Design" at the University of Michigan, and my title became "official".

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

AM : I like to solve complex tasks, like in mathematics and physics. Design is full of them. You're provided with a bunch of requirements for navigation, structure, appearance - and the task is to build an interface that transforms all this mess into a logical and easy-to-use product.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

AM : I became a designer accidentally. Simply because I was a developer, I needed somehow to decorate my applications, so gradually I did it better and better. One day, I decided to open a web studio, and then realized that I couldn't afford to hire a good designer. I said, "It seems that I have to be a designer for a while." This "for a while" never ended.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

AM : I am a UI/UX designer, what they call it now. Honestly, I don't like this term. I prefer to say "Interface designer". As you can guess, I like designing interfaces (web and mobile) the most.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

AM : I think they should not try to. I can hardly imagine a successful person who spent their whole life trying to become a legend. It happens naturally if you focus on your job, love it, and do it well. Plus, you have to tell the world about yourself. Participate in competitions, create your own projects, and talk about them.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

AM : Good designers copy; great designers steal. Alright, that's too trivial. I don't know, frankly. Have you ever seen a movie, read a book, heard a song that is outstanding at such a level that you say: "What a genius created it" – even though the author is almost unknown? I guess there is no objectivity here. It's a matter of chance and promotion, maybe.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

AM : I pay attention to the details. The best designs always have a lot of hidden features, tiny little details that nobody sees. Take a look at MacOS or iPhone. Every once in a while, you discover a new hidden feature and feel happy they thought about it.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

AM : I don't think everyone should invest; otherwise, the design would become overvalued. That's what happens to the stock market when everybody invests. Then it bursts, and the game is over. The value of good design can only be understood when there's some percentage of bad design around. You need to compare to know what's good and what's bad.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

AM : I had so little time to work on my magnum opus project, Talbica: Interactive Chemistry. I'd like to dedicate more time to it.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

AM : I'm thinking about an interactive book about Special Theory of Relativity.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

AM : The secret is to love your work, use it, and contemplate it. Only when you use your own products can you formulate and realize those little hidden features that constitute really good design.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

AM : I adore Jef Raskin, his book "The human interface" is brilliant.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

AM : In the aspect of good design, my favorite mobile app is Telegram. The desktop app with the best design is Figma. I don't know who designed them, but they're simply outstanding. This level of attention to details and hidden features is hard to achieve.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

AM : I believe it is my magnum opus project, Talbica: Interactive Chemistry. It's a great combination of science, infographics, great usability and simplicity. I've never seen a Periodic table better than mine.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

AM : It is easy. Just explore the real world, ask questions, fall in love with everyday things, learn how they work and how they could be better. And travel. A lot. I've been to 75 countries. That helped me a hundred times more than studying design.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

AM : I definitely would become a developer. Actually, I am. For instance, Talbica is fully designed and developed by me alone.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

AM : Design equals task solving.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

AM : Well, Artemy Lebedev pushed the design industry so much in my country of origin. He was my teacher, and I still respect him despite his latest controversial position.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

AM : My absolute love to exploring the world and honest will to make it better.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

AM : The severe criticism from others. When you haven't achieved anything yet, you believe any critique you hear. However, it is very seldom relevant. Often people criticize because they don't understand.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

AM : I usually start with the explanation of the problem I solved. This immediately set frames and omit many questions. It's a good technique to tell about other possible solutions that you didn't use and explain why.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

AM : I guess I'll come up with huge improvements of my site with travel stories. I've already added an interactive map with photos. More to come!

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

AM : Make the world better.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

AM : They expect wealth. I don't think design itself is about money. If you use it as a tool for other business, then maybe.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

AM : I grew up among things with awful design. It took me years to break this bad taste and learn that what I see is not quite normal. Design, like art, cultivates good taste and makes everyday life better in general.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

AM : My new design studio, that I've recently opened in New York.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

AM : Of course, it is Talbica: Interactive Chemistry. I've won multiple international awards with it. But even I hadn't, it is a project that I invented 20 years ago in school and it means a lot for me.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

AM : I think interface design is in a crisis today. Big companies pay too much attention to metrics and researches. Still if you take a look at Facebook, it's awful. I think we need more visionary approach.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

AM : The rise of Artificial Intelligence and Spatial Computing will change design. I already use ChatGPT for some tasks, and eagerly waiting for the augmented reality devices to become widespread.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

AM : It takes as long as I can afford. There's always some deadlines, and I cannot ignore them. I use some techniques to follow the time terms. My design is ready right away, the question is how detailed it is.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

AM : I start with research. I search for similar projects that already exist and learn from them: strengths, weaknesses, good and bad solutions.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

AM : Make it simple.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

AM : I think this is cyclical. What is a trend? Usually, it is already a piece of design. Then everybody start using it in their design works, then it slowly transforms and somebody adds a new cool feature. It give birth to the next trend.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

AM : I'm an interface designer, not a futurist, so I cannot ignore the technology. If I design an interface that cannot be implemented because there's no such technology, what can I do? I have to change or simplify my design. Technology sets frame.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

AM : Of course, it's Figma. This little app defeated everyone, including the monstrous Photoshop. Right now I don't feel anything else.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

AM : Humans have color vision, and it works by some laws. Designers cannot ignore this fact. You know, if you combine red and blue, they will most certainly create visual noise. That's the physiology of our eyes. The same applies to materials and ambiance. Designers should understand how perception works.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

AM : I think people don't pay much attention to the simplicity I put into my design. Best interfaces seem invisible, it's even hard to figure out what constitutes the designer's work.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

AM : I try to disassemble it and understand what problems the designer tried to solve, reproduce his steps and imagine what was his thought process.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

AM : As a technician, I'm a very logical person. So the ideal partner for me would be a creative one. Actually, I have such a partner and we work great together!

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

AM : My clients, of course!

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

AM : Jef Raskin, "The human interface". Donald Norman, "Design of everyday things". Those are classics.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

AM : I loved my works, used them and never felt tired about making them even better.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

AM : Oh, Steve. I miss you so much.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

AM : Thankfully, it's not that level of fame when people recognize you on streets. So no, it's not hard.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

AM : Black, Earth, coffee, summer, books, Apple.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

AM : Often I read a sign, let's say in subway, and forget what I've read in a second, because I think about the font it is written with.

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

AM : Cappucino in the morning!

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

AM : No at all. I thought I would end up as a scientist.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

AM : These days it's hard to see what will happen the next day! I don't know. Another virus and iPhone 1014.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

AM : I had D for both arts and informatics in school.