Acclaimed book designer Chip Kidd takes a playful look at the importance of first impressions — in design and in life — in his new book. In Judge This, Kidd argues that first impressions dictate whether something stands out, how we engage with it, whether we buy it, and how we feel. Kidd takes readers through his day as he encounters and engages with everyday design, breaking down the good, the bad, the absurd, and the brilliant. From the design of the morning paper to the subway ticket machine to books to smartphone to food packaging, Kidd uses photographs and insights to reveal the hidden secrets behind each of the design choices. He also introduces the Mysteri-o-meter, his personal judgement scale which illustrates his contention that much of design rests on a spectrum that ranges from clarity to mystery, and much of the book demonstrates how to use the tool to “judge this.” Kidd was a GDUSA Person To Watch and appeared on the cover of GDUSA January 2014.
