Best of 2011 Roundup

While many industries seemed to be on the ropes last year, design was not one of them. If anything, it seemed to race ahead, fueled by new strategies and technologies that pushed the limits of what design can do. Here are some of the highlights:

Most Obvious Logo Redesign

Starbucks
When companies reach that rarefied air of branding, where they've saturated the public psyche across any available touch point, they tend to simplify their logo by omitting the type. (Think Nike, Apple, McDonald's, etc.) So far as rebrandings go, this was a no brainer….the only truly remarkable part about it was the number of people who considered the move brilliant and unprecedented.

Most Innovative Logo Design

MIT Media Lab
Using an algorithm, designers from MIT's Media Lab created this uber-techy yet beautiful logotype. The coolest part about it? There are 14,000 permutations, enough to create an individual version for each student, which could then be used to create personalized stationery, business cards, and other identification.

Friendliest Font

FB Salvo Serif and Sans
Released by FontBureau, Salvo can be fun and forward-facing while managing to deliver information in a serious manner. The extensive selection of sans and slab serif weights make it one of the most versatile fonts we've come across.

Most Informative Graphic

Fathom
To commemorate the birth of earth's 7 billionth person (thanks, Octomom) Fathom created this info graphic map. The cool part is it uses larger circles for sparser areas, and smaller, brighter circles for more densely populated areas, creating an unusually deep visual read.

Friendliest User Interface

Siri (iOS)
No surprises here; the most effective user interfaces demand the least from the user. Is there any interaction that's easier or more intuitive than speaking? We couldn't think of any either. 

Most Innovative Social Tools

Facebook Timeline
Cowbird
Twitter is great for short burst communications, but what about plugging into more substantive stories? There were two big developments in this realm, using HTML5, CSS, and JS technologies to create rich user experiences around a timeline. The first is Facebook's timeline, developed by infographic gurus, Nicholas Felton and Joey Flynn. It creates a powerful and intuitive social narrative around the individual. The second, Cowbird, is brought to you by Jonathan Harris who developed WeFeelFine.org. It organizes individual posts into "sagas" (like the Occupy movement) to help bridge the gap between individual experience and larger social themes.

Best App Design

Unstuck
A project of SY Partners, this app leverages behavioral psychology to help individuals change sticky behaviors and change their lives. Beautiful design around a deep and thoughtful process. 

Best Browsing Platform

Flipboard
With the explosion of content across the interwebs, we all seem to be spending more and more time reading up on blogs, following tweets, checking Facebook, etc. Flipboard compounds all of this into a "social magazine" on your iOS device, so you can get caught up on the latest in half the time.

Most Engaging Political Site

Americans Elect
Americans Elect circumvents the entrenched election apparatus by connecting directly with voters to put a nominee on the national ballot that reflects their views on critical issues, rather than just partisan ideologies. The site experience is top notch; it creates a simple, intuitive platform that makes it easy for voters to articulate their positions on the issues no matter where they fall on the political spectrum.

Most Read Blog

Fast Co Design
These guys break more interesting news on design than just about anyone out there. 

Most Interactive Installation

Saks Holiday Display
While the window displays at Bloomies and Bergdorf's will always have a place in our hearts, Saks raised the bar this year. While the animations can be cheesy at times, the impact of this holiday display was truly awesome.

Coolest Annual Report

Feltron
At this point, we'd be happy to give Nicholas Felton at Feltron the award every year. Few people can rely on graphs and numbers tell such an insightful and interesting story. 

Game-Changing Design

The Nest
Tony Fadell, who helped to develop the iPod at Apple, created this simple and intuitive design for a thermostat, wresting the crown for industrial design from Dyson. The device is so intuitive and smart you'd be stupid not to get one. It learns to anticipate your behaviors and preferences to create a more comfortable environment, while reducing energy consumption by about 25%. More comfort, lower energy costs and lower environmental impact? Yes, please.

Most Disruptive Idea

Louis CK
If Amazon and Apple disrupted Big Media's grip on sales and distribution, then Louis C.K. busted its grip on development and production. By producing a special at the Beacon and making it available for download to consumer via his website for just $5, he grossed $1 million in just a few weeks. Turns out that people are happy to pay for content when the proceeds go to the artist.