James Laslavic
Interaction/UX Designer
Designer
How did you get into interaction design?
What's your favorite design research method?
Personas. When they're actually made and used correctly, they're just fantastic for making sure that you start and remain focused on solving the right problems for the right target users.
Favorite design books?
- Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth by R. Buckminster Fuller.
- The Inmates Are Running The Asylum by Alan Cooper. (This is the one that I recommend most often.)
- The Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst.
- Defuturing by Tony Fry.
- Moralizing Technology by Peter-Paul Verbeek.
Favorite typeface?
Sina, by Dieter Hofrichter. There are lots of other great typefaces that I love – Urania (what you're reading), Candid, Interphases, Something New, IKANSEEYOUALL, League Spartan, Sentinel, Besley, Bookerly, Input, Drafting… – but none of them take my breath away quite like Sina does. It's just perfect, especially in the light weight.
Person with a Life
Where are you from?
I grew up in San Diego. I've also lived in San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and Chicago before coming to NYC.
What's something you're doing to challenge yourself right now?
I'm teaching myself Japanese on Pimsleur. I am by no means naturally talented at learning languages, but this method seems to work a hundred times better than others I've tried.
What are some of your hobbies and interests?
I run a Dungeons & Dragons* campaign for my friends, organize “spirited” double-blind taste tests, visit offbeat museums, have opinions about map projections**, and play Smash Ultimate***.
*Pathfinder 1E, but I usually say D&D because way more people know what that is.
**My favorite is the dymaxion map.
***Terry is my main.
Who makes the best pizza in NYC?
My vote is for Capizzi in Hell's Kitchen. Specifically, their margherita with buffalo mozarella and a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes. It's life-changingly good.
Think I might be a good fit for your team?