Christopher Butler

2 months ago | chrbutler.com | Christopher Butler

Growing Up at the Dawn of CyberspaceFor those of us born around 1980, William Gibson’s Neuromancer might be the most prophetic novel we never read as teenagers. Published in 1984, it predicted the digital world we would inherit: a reality where human consciousness extends into cyberspace, where corporations control the digital commons, and where being “jacked in” to a global information network is the default state of existence.

Jan 24, 2025 | chrbutler.com | Christopher Butler

A product marketing consultant with over a decade of experience is leaving to pursue art, illustration, and poetry. Another designer, burned out on growing her business, is pivoting to focus on fitness instead. These aren’t just isolated anecdotes — they’re part of an emerging pattern of experienced creative professionals not just changing jobs, but leaving the field entirely. When people who’ve invested years mastering a profession decide to walk away, it’s worth asking why.

Nov 20, 2024 | chrbutler.com | Christopher Butler

They are almost certainly not what you think they are. Good interaction design depends upon a very long list of skills, from a practical understanding of formal design concepts to the speed and efficiency with which you wield digital design tools and navigate a variety of production environments. But the two skill(set)s that will determine the success of your design are entirely outside of those areas.

May 13, 2024 | chrbutler.com | Christopher Butler

How details, focus, time, and taste elevate craft. Attention to DetailThe number one distinction among designers who need a lot of direction and designers who do not is their attention to detail. This is because attention to detail is commonly misunderstood. Attention to detail is not a personality trait; it is a manifestation of a preference for order and consistency.

Feb 13, 2024 | chrbutler.com | Christopher Butler

All art is a copy of something. Hello from the art room. My older kiddo and I watched a short documentary about artist and engineer Peter Vogel this morning. I learned about him from flipping through an old issue of OMNI from the early 80s which reviewed a gallery showing of his Cybernetic Objects — wonderful hand-made machines that react to sound and movement in their environments and produce music of their own.