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09.12.23

The Editors | Twenty Years of Design Observer

Politics

Delegates from New York hold signs in support of Hillary Clinton during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images). From I'm With Her.

Butterfly ballots. Taco Trucks. Democratic socialists. Judicial pranks. The history of Totalitarianism. The future of free speech. Polling stations, and strategic voting. Collusion, and cold war diplomacy. The Black Panther logo, MAGA hats, and the making of a candidate. (I’m with her!) Obscurity? Integrity? We’ve often been characterized (or more accurately, accused) of both: not surprisingly, where politics are concerned, we’ve never shied away from coverage. (Or, for that matter, from controversy.) Not everything is design, but design is about everything, Michael Bierut once explained. So do yourself a favor: be ready for anything.

This look back into our archive is part of our Twentieth Anniversary celebration.

More from The Editors

GOOOOOOAL
Athletics Partner & Executive Creative Director, Malcolm Buick, describes their work creating and launching MLS GO.

Journalism
Over the course of the last twenty years, we’ve looked at the truncated narrative rhythms of Twitter, unpacked nineteenth century satire in France, climbed Ramparts, skewered Malcolm Gladwell, heralded critical writing, interviewed journalists (and investigative journalists), interviewed editors (and designers-turned-editors), analyzed subversive comics, critiqued newspaper redesigns, shared reflections on Gonzo Journalism and wondered if seeing really was believing.

Entertainment
Design is a natural topic for television. And for movies. And for everything in between, especially now that nearly all of these things are delivered across portable screens.

Humanism
What does design have to do with sadness, or fury? With kindness—or loss? With empathy, and asking better questions? (With honesty, and seeking better answers?) A fundamental tenet of design practice, humanism reminds us that we make things as people, for people: not for audiences, or for metrics, or for users—but for real people.

Science
Like designers in their attention to sentient observation, scientists are trained to ask penetrating questions.

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