Everything is a system, whether it looks like a notebook or a font or a street corner. Because I am a generalist, I am forced to look outside of "logo" and "user" and "keyboard" to the whole system, from end to end. This often involves researching deeper printing as well as screen considerations. How to reverse-publish and distribute this product efficiently? Is there a better off-the-shelf product to do this? If I need this device to receive this signal, what kind of protocol would be most efficient? Most importantly, how does this all work together?
This is a very tough question that is often best answered by the generalist. If I use one color for each day of the week, what colors should I use? Which ones work best for the web but are also cheaply available, in close corresponding colors, from a paper supplier? Is there a button or keyboard shortcut that does this on every browser and mobile device, or just a few? I've had to apply this rigor to everything from bleeding-edge interfaces to composting systems design.
Man, the more you think about the details, the more constrained you get, the more nervous you get about that last piece of the puzzle just not fitting in right. But just when you thought there was no solution, that is usually when the lightbulb comes on.
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