A Reimagined Approach to Design History that Engages the Ears, the Feet, and the Heart
Some Context
In today’s fast-paced world of visual research and endless inspiration boards, Titans of Type offers a slower, more human approach—inviting listeners to connect with the long tradition of design through the power of storytelling.
Timeline
Feb. 2024–present
My Role
As the founder and creative director of Titans, I have developed every facet of this project, from research to production.
The Problem
Design history is often locked behind academic books, outdated websites, or dense timelines—formats that don't align with how modern designers learn or engage with content. As a result, many designers lack both the time and motivation to explore the legacy of their craft, and few see its relevance to their day-to-day work. Despite its value, design history remains severely underserved in the digital space.
The Opportunity
Titans of Type seizes the opportunity to reimagine design history as an engaging, narrative-driven experience—making it more discoverable, enjoyable, and relevant to today’s visually fluent audience.
Dicovery: Summary
- Conducted informal user interviews to identify pain points and user journeys
- Reviewed academic gaps
- Analyzed user sentiment and demand through comments on YouTube documentaries
- Created initial user profiles
- Explored content delivery formats based on audience habits
- Reviewed academic gaps
- Analyzed user sentiment and demand through comments on YouTube documentaries
- Created initial user profiles
- Explored content delivery formats based on audience habits
View the live site here.
Takeaways
This project has provided the necessary research and foundation to continue refining and developing Titans as it grows to serve the design community. We are applying the Google HEART framework to measure success.
1) Happiness: Do users express enjoyment, inspiration, or value from the content as measured by surveys, comments, or direct feedback?
2) Engagement: How often and how long are users interacting with Titans content? Are they exploring multiple designers, posts, or media formats in a single session?
3) Adoption: How many new users are trying Titans? Which formats (podcast episodes, maps, website content, quotes, carousels, videos, etc.) resonate most with the audience? Which receive the least attention?
4) Retention: Are viewers returning regularly to discover new designers and stories, or subscribing to follow ongoing updates?
5) Task Success: Can visitors easily navigate Titans to learn about designers, share posts, or discover content that deepens their understanding of design history?
Looking for more information? If you’d like to know more about how I approached this project, shoot me an email to schedule a portfolio presentation.
