Atul Patil the creative designer, minimalist and visionary, envisions a design culture where the graphic elements are more than a look good factor, where design becomes an enabler of visions, an intuitive guidance and motivation for the users. Atul joined metalayer as a graphic designer in August, 2000. Atul leads the team of designers at metalayer and is responsible for Corporate Design & Corporate Identity. Atul is a very passionate designer, and no matter how much responsibility is assigned to him, he will always spend most of his time designing. Interview

GRAPHIC DESIGN OF TRADITIONAL APPLICATIONS

30 years ago, when computers were introduced into the business world, they were used mainly to speed up and automate large calculations, to support transactions and to organize large amounts of information in databases. The main reason why computers were used then was for their capability to ORDER and CORRECTLY execute a large number of steps within a short time. The precision and order reflected in the graphical user interface: The screens were well organized, all numbers and data were displayed in main areas with well defined sections and tables and all application functionality and commands were well sorted on top of the screen in menus.

WEB DESIGN

With the rapid explosion of the Internet as a universal communication media, the computer has now become a tool to share information, discuss, work together, accomplish tasks, even to brainstorm; in short to co-create and collaborate (co-labor). Using a tool for creative collaboration requires clearly a different interface: The design should STIMULATE and INSPIRE the minds. The design of a collaboration application has to be as OPEN AS POSSIBLE and AVOID over organization. Too much of structure through visible tables and borders limits the mind. CREATIVITY usually emerges within unorganized, open structures.

CO-CREATION TOOL DESIGN

Stimulation and inspiration doesn't mean to create additional "fancy and inspiring" design elements - the platform should rather fully step back and leave the space to the MINDS and content. The platform should support the creative minds in the background and should be as simple as possible to use. Every design element of the platform has a clear intuitive function. Every shape and color has a clear, intuitive meaning and passes information to the user of the platform.

THE SHUTTLE - Weaving Ideas

"Dynamic Dialoguing made Easy! Are you ready for not just the Star Series from a Star Wars (friendly to be sure) experience? Here they call it a shuttle that can be placed anywhere, just like a T-Fighter. They say it is possible to blast away with all kinds of insights!" Dr. Charles Savage

The functions and features are not anymore on top of the page, but they appear intuitively where ever a user needs them. metalayer calls this "The Shuttle" - a small box that appears wherever the data-traveller clicks on the page, providing context sensitive functions and features needed at that point. Advanced features are 'hidden' from the basic users and available within the shuttle on demand. 'Less is more' is the dominating new design philosophy, which will breed a new family of designs that don't overwhelm but open up and inspire the minds.

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