Save space!

This typeface can save a lot of space because it ignores vowels when entering text. If at all needed, you can type a capital letter by using the shift key. That will insert one of the small capitals which also exist for vowels.

You can download FF Mt for free here.

Character set for FF Mt.

Complete forgery

For years I had imagined how cool our German Autobahn-signage could look if set in a better typeface than our boring, predictable, stiff old DIN. I never thought that one day I might actually iss that typeface.
When I first got the numberplates for my NSU 22 years ago, those were also set in DIN. Cars that are older than 30 years can get Oldtimer status and an H for historic on the plates. As the Ro80 had first been registered in 1977, that time had just come up.

The official typeface for our license plates is now called FE-Mittelschrift, with FE meaning it is Fälschungs-Erschwert, i.e. difficult to forge. Apparently car thieves, terrorists and notorious law-breakers had been exploiting DIN’s geometric construction principle and turning E into F or 3 into 8 etc by simply using a bit of black tape or white paint.

Karlgeorg Hoefer, the designer of FE-Mittelschrift, did a good job. Now every character is so unique that there is no formal relationship between them. Unfortunately this relationship is a condition for something we may consider a typeface. Without it we just see a collection of unrelated glyphs. While nobody could simply turn one of them into another one, now they all look totally forged in the first place. No policeman would notice if you invented new characters instead.

Just as well that those perpetrators obviously do not possess the typographic wherewithall to make their own alphabets for their license plates.

Information Design Woodstock

Next month, communications professionals from all over the world will be “heading for the hills” - the beautiful hills of Austria. That’s where the information design action begins this summer.

FIRST: The International Institute for Information Design (IIID) proudly presents

Vision Plus 12: “Information Design - Achieving Measurable Results,” July 5-7 in Schwarzenberg (Austria). This is THE EVENT to attend if you are serious about informational communications. Our keynote speaker, David Sless, Director of the Communication Research Institute (Melbourne) will present what he says are “spectacular results” from a client engagement that “very clearly demonstrate the economic benefits of information design for the largest multinational company in a-high profile industry.” And that’s just for starters! To see the incredible agenda,
visit visionplus

NEXT: The Special Interest Group for Information Design Educators will be launched at VisonPlus 12. This initiative has the active backing of several prominent academics at universities in Europe and the USA.

AFTER THAT: The Information Design Exchange - idX (Development of International Core Competencies and Student and Faculty Exchange in Information Design) will meet on July 8, right after VP12 in Bezau, which is just a few miles from the conference venue.

THERE IS STILL MORE: The IIID Summer Academy meets July 28 to August 10 in Calheta de São Miguel, Santiago, Cabo Verde. The theme for this practical field workshop will be “Experiencing Cape Verde: Information design enhancing sustainable tourism.” For more information,
visit iiid.net.

AND IN THE FALL: The IIID Expert Forum in Traffic Guiding Systems presents “Customer Information Services for Public Transport,” September 21-22 in Vienna. The IIIID has been commissioned by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Science and Technology (BMVIT) to carry out a study on “Barrier free information in the transport system.” For more information, including the Call for Speakers, please contact Peter Simlinger, the IIID Director, at peter.simlinger@iiid.net.

Add it all up: high-powered programs, international participants, spectacular settings, and the perfect jumping off point for a different kind of European vacation. Yes, the Euro is still strong, but to make this even more attractive, the IIID is offering a special deal: register now and invite a friend along at a substantial discount. Click here now:
iiid-visionplus.

Rotis am Ende?

Die heimliche Hoffnung jedes Schriftentwerfers ist es, seine Schriften jeden Tag und überall in Gebrauch zu sehen. Immerhin ist damit gelegentlich auch der finanzielle Erfolg verbunden, denn hin und wieder zahlen Gestalter und Agenturen doch Lizenzgebühren für Fonts.

Nun ist es mit einer Schrift wie mit einem Popsong: einmal veröffentlicht, darf jede(r) damit umgehen. Wie es ein Schlager aushalten muss, in der Badewanne (oder ihrer öffentlichen Version, dem Karaoke-Club) von jedem gesungen zu werden, so kann sich auch keine Schrift gegen irgendeine Verwendung wehren. Der Vorteil von Allerweltsschriften wie Helvetica ist es, dass sie einerseits wenige besondere Merkmale haben, die sie auffällig machen, aber andererseits so robust, dass sie einigen Missbrauch aushalten.

Anders steht es mit Schriften, die von ihrem Entwerfer mit einem gestalterischen Mehrwert ausgestattet worden sind. Dadurch sind sie auffälliger, schwieriger im Gebrauch und natürlich auch leichter zu beschädigen. Wenn zu diesen Auffälligkeiten noch ein ideologischer Überbau kommt, das Versprechen eines gewissermaßen eingebauten ästhetischen Vorsprungs also, dann ist die Fallhöhe sehr groß.

Otl Aicher formulierte für seine Rotis nicht nur einen formalen Anspruch jenseits aller bestehenden Schriften, sondern er behauptete gleichzeitig auch höhere Lesbarkeit. Im vorauseilenden Gehorsam nehmen seitdem viele Gestalter und Architekten – von Baumann & Baumann bis Foster und weiter – Rotis für alles und hoffen, dem Gegenstand ihrer Gestaltung allein dadurch einen erhöhten intellektuellen Anspruch zu verleihen. Die meisten Schriftgestalter hingegen halten Rotis für eine Ansammlung schöner Buchstaben, die aber noch keine richtige Textschrift ausmacht.

Wenn nun ein Laden für „gehobene“ Kücheneinrichtungen sich den Schriftzug in Rotis an die Fassade hängt, soll beim Betrachter eine Nähe zu Herstellern wie Bulthaup provoziert werden, obwohl keine der angebotenen Küchen je in einem der hervorragend gestalteten (und in Rotis gesetzten) Kataloge dieser Firma erscheinen dürfte. Der Auftritt des Schriftzuges ist ziemlich genau das Gegenteil dessen, was ein Gestalter aus der Rotis-Fraktion machen würde: dunkelrote Plastikbuchstaben mit Messingumleimer. Dazu eine kühne und inhaltlich völlig unmotivierte Unterstreichung, die sich ausgerechnet aus dem X nach links und rechts erstreckt. Das alles aus der schrecklichsten Version, der Rotis SemiSerif. Hinter dieser Anordnung und Materialität verschwindet jede Ideologie; es sieht einfach nur scheußlich aus. Endlich ist Rotis in der Normalität angekommen.

Friedrichstrasse 126

When SpiekermannPartners moved into a listed building in Berlin-Mitte last October, our landlords, Ullstein Publishers, let us use a photo of the building for the announcement. Monika Molin took our 256-colour motif to highlight the windows of the 3rd floor where our offices are.

Part of SpiekermannPartners’ new address card

Ullstein’s recently redesigned homepage shows the same picture, but this time as a navigational device to lead to their separate publishing labels that are, of course, not hidden behind our windows.
We had nothing to do with the redesign. The tree in front of the building is still there – it just got retouched out of the picture.


Homepage of Ullstein Buchverlage

Another interview

Here is an interview I gave to Eric Karjaluoto from ideasonideas. You can read it below.

EK: Thanks for joining us today Erik. At smashLAB we’ve often admired your work. Needless to say, we’re happy that you are joining us for this little interview. I have certainly struggled with the sometimes divergent demands of running a design studio and working within it, and I believe that many of our readers have likely experienced the same. As such I’d be interested to hear about what you’ve learned, and how you run SpiekermannPartners.
It strikes me that you truly love design. As such, I wonder why you invest so much time in a business. Wouldn’t it be more enjoyable to downsize, hire a couple of assistants and have more time to do the work itself?
ES: I tried that when I left MetaDesign in 2000. But clients either thought I was still with that company 5 years later, or they thought I was too expensive for smaller projects, or they didn’t want to insult me by offering small projects. I would have been very happy designing book covers and other small stuff in an office with 2 or 3 people. But soon after I set up on my own with Susanna, my wife, I got enquiries from big companies again and had to hire other designers…
 
EK: Some describe me as a workaholic. When my wife and I moved in together this created some challenges. You seem to always be working and rarely are in one place for any length of time. (The other day I noticed that you post your itinerary in your email signature.) In light of these demands, how do you make time for those you love? Additionally, do you have any tips for those struggling to manage their time better?
ES: I have a bad history of neglecting my private life. One of the main reasons my first wife divorced me was the fact that business always took precedence over anything else. I have often had to leave her and my son in the middle of a vacation and go to see a client. In the end, I didn’t even have vacations anymore. Today I actually cancelled a trip to Korea to see the complete senior management of a big client there because my son and my grandson will be visiting me during that week. This is the first time I’ve ever done that, and we may lose the contract.
 
EK: Your firm has groups working in different locations across the globe, which would seem difficult to manage. Can you tell me a little about the how you track projects? Do you employ any software or project management systems that make this easier?
ES: We have a pretty good extranet and very efficient servers. We can log onto our VPN from anywhere with a fast connection and work off the servers. But it still needs people contact, both with clients and amongst each other. That’s why I travel so much.
 
EK: Budgets seem like a universally difficult topic for designers. I believe that the (often inaccurate) perception of design as “close to art” makes us squeamish when talking about money. If a company came to you needing a corporate identity system and website, what kind of ballpark budgets could they expect to find?
ES: Anything from 60k to 500k. If I write a proposal, clients will argue money with me, using that “artist” argument. So I get all the proposals written by project managers, and they get away with 30% more than I would. Amazing.
 
EK: What mistakes did you make at MetaDesign and how have they shaped how you run SpiekermannPartners?
ES: Too many to count. I certainly gave too much power to my new partners who had no experience in the business. I also didn’t always communicate what I was doing, why I was away so much or why a certain conference or presentation was important. In the end, they thought all I did was look after my hobbies. Now that I’m gone, Meta survives mainly because it’s a big brand. Maybe some people have finally understood what it takes to build a big design brand.
 
EK: The last time I checked, your firm was at 40 members and growing. How do you ensure the quality of work remains consistent? Additionally, how much “Erik Spiekermann” do clients get when they hire SpiekermannPartners?
ES: We’re not quite that many, but almost. Clients get my initial input and my involvement all the time. I am very quick to understand the issues and I am also pretty good about delegating the design work after we have identified the way to go. I look at all the presentation, and I usually present the most important phases myself. But the main thing is to hire good people who are better at some things than I am. And you have to understand that delegating means giving up. You cannot let a team work on a project for weeks without ever seeing what they’re up to and then, at the end, tell them that their work sucks. My former partner used to do that, and in the end, nobody wanted to work with her anymore.
 
EK: How do you illustrate the value of SpiekermannPartners design solutions to clients? Or, does your recognition in the community allow you to tap into a client-base that is already aware of such value?
ES: No. You always have to tell the same story. Especially when you won’t do pitches. We never do unpaid creative work, but sometimes it takes more time and trouble to convince them than to do the work. But it’s a principle. We often have clients come back after they initially hired somebody else, because they were cheaper or did a free pitch. In the end we know that our approach is better for the client, but they need to find out for themselves sometimes.
 
EK: You direct a relatively large design firm. With such an organization, the burn-rate on cash often forces principals to look for more lucrative work to sustain the firm’s health. Which clients do you find to be the most profitable to work with? How do you prospect such groups?
ES: Big, long-term projects are best because you get up to speed with it and start making economies of scale. They are boring, but good cash cows. You also need small, interesting projects to keep the designers hungry, even if they lose money. A balance is important.
 
EK: Professional services firms are usually challenged by the paradox of billable hours. Often, the design solution has a disproportionately great value compared to the time worked. As such, some agencies have proposed the notion of “licensing” ideas. Do you still bill on the hour, or do you have an alternate method of charging for your services?
ES: We always stick to our proposals which are based on time spent. If we take too long, we lose, if we take less time, we win. We do make licensing deals for exclusive typefaces, and we have some jobs with bigger clients that are entirely charged on an hourly basis, but only after a long relationship, where they know they can trust you. Clients can have access to our extranet and the time-sheets if they demand it.
 
EK: Many firms reference industry erosion, limited budgets, difficult client relationships, and a myriad of other issues as obstacles to strong design solutions. What do you feel stands in the way of your firm doing even better work?
ES: Young, know-all MBAs who avoid risk because they don’t want to endanger their career prospects. In the end, they do endanger their careers by becoming totally interchangeable.
 
EK: Often it seems that strong designers find difficulty in directing others. Are you a good manager? What lessons have you learned about this aspect of your business?
ES: I am good at inspiring other designers. I am not very good at the daily aspects of running a business. That’s why I have other people who do that for me. I’m best when I improvise, which makes it difficult for our people sometimes to work with me. I’m a Gemini and German: always on time, but sometimes a year late.
 
EK: Aside from the obvious reasons, such as portfolio and past experience, what do you look for in the designers you hire? Is there a particular characteristic that you find in those who excel at SpiekermannPartners?
ES: Attitude. Curiosity. And at least one skill that is particular to that person.
 
EK: What is the culture at SpiekermannPartners? How do you maintain this spirit as the organization grows?
ES: Leave people to do what they do best. And provide the best espresso machine in the street, the fastest servers in the business and the most comfortable chairs.
 
EK: What aspects of your personality are liabilities to your business? How do you overcome these weaknesses?
ES: I tend to lose interest quickly. My boredom threshold keeps going lower over the years. And I’m not really interested in money. Clients sense that. I also can hardly ever say no. Not to interviews, presentations, lectures, big projects, favours, time-wasters, public duties, freebie projects.
 
EK: Does the “business” aspect of your practice enhance or diminish your capabilities as a designer?
ES: Without it, I wouldn’t be around as a designer. I started a few businesses (like MetaDesign and FontShop), and they’ve all been successfull. You also have to design a business, and that process is very much like working for client projects.
 
EK: Do you employ others with strong traditional business skills to help plan and manage the growth of SpiekermannPartners? If so, can you tell us a little about the roles they fill and what you gain from these relationships?
ES: We have a freelance controller, 2 project managers and an office manager. They look after proposals, the day-to-day running of the business, our efficiency. I still tell them what equipment we’ll buy and who we should hire and when.
 
EK: You are highly regarded in the design community, which is quite nice to see given how pragmatic your work is. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you rely on sensationalism or shenanigans to build your reputation. However, does all of this press and attention result in more–or better–work for you and your firm?
ES: Not really. Clients are hardly ever part of our design scene. But it makes me feel good being liked by most of my peers. I have many friends in the business, and we see each other more as colleagues than as competition. I need that moral support.
 
EK: Thanks once again for the interview. In closing, are there any last thoughts that you might like to share? Or, do you have any suggestions for designers considering starting their own firm?
ES: Just the usual: do what you’re good at and avoid what you’re not good at. Don’t talk about stuff you do not know about. Even harmless clients will have a bullshit detector and know when you’re out of your depths. Travel and learn. And ask whenever you don’t know something. It is my greatest fear to die stupid.

End of vacation

After almost two weeks, my birthday vacations are over. The terrible weather has resulted in Tuscany looking incredibly green even this time of year. The main reason I do come back here every now and again are the cyprus trees, the typographical plants. They provide vertical emphasis along the horizontal lines of the landscape – black lines on the horizon.

Work more efficiently

Now and again, there’s something that solves a problem so effectively that we wonder how we ever managed to work without this solution. Gabriel Kornreich is a German-Argentinian designer in Barcelona. He designed Linea to make it easier to read your laptop screen, work better on the keyboard and ventilate it to prevent if from running too hot. All this with a simple piece of wire, bent into shape and sheathed in plastic at the angles.

Gabriel makes Linea at home in his kitchen and sells it via gabrielkornreich. It only costs 18 Euros plus postage.

As my colleagues Johannes, Matthias and Ali at Bremen University demonstrate, it even looks cool.

Birthday greetings

I cannot possibly even start to share all the personal, original, funny, analog, digital greetings, postcards, phone-calls, text messages, letters and packages. Two of them have to be enough to show how ingenious my friends can be.

Markus Hanzer reminds me that twins (i.e. gemini) have two lives at any rate, so that I am really only 30, if twice.

Kristin Laufer sent the picture we all know: a yellow sticker on the screen. Analog meets digital!

Thank you both, and all the others who obviously are better at keeping their data in order than I am. I miss most birthdays, even those of other gemini. Markus, by the way, celebrated his on May 31st.