About me. (For you.)
I'm Ryan O'Rourke — A product designer at Groupon. Solving problems with design is what I do best. Which is convenient, because it's what I love to do most.
When not pushing pixels, I play the drums and occasionally wax poetic about Coen Brothers' movies. I like red wine, rare steaks, exotic travel and downhill skiing. If I ever stop working online, I'll have an identity crisis.
You can email me here: r@rourkery.com.
Further Curiosity
- 6'5" tall and terrible with a basketball
- Drank snake blood in Hanoi
- Been featured twice on Smashing Magazine
- Attended a high school with a fully stocked rifle range, post Columbine.
- Drove in Saigon rush hour
- Can (and do) sit cross-legged all day
Photos
My Web Ethos
What follows are some bits of wisdom gained over my 10+ years creating for the web.
Three layers to any interfacePermalink
Visual, interactive, and experience, craft for all of them.
Everyone is a criticPermalink
But not everyone is an idiot. Unlike other craftsmen, web designers often have to contend with untrained, emotional response type feedback. Approach it with curiosity. You might learn something.
Design as problem solvingPermalink
Better work comes when presented with a problem and asked for a solution. Not when presented with a solution and asked for an execution.
Money as the meansPermalink
When this is true, good things happen. Unfortunately, rarely a reality with client work.
Useful content is the best SEOPermalink
Time is better spent on useful content than it is on the “right” keyword mix.
Be responsivePermalink
The web is variable, and good designs are, too. Horizontal scroll bars feel wrong, at any width.
Clear > CleverPermalink
If you have to choose between clear and clever/cute in your message, choose clear. Always.
Send Shorter EmailsPermalink
Shorter emails actually get read and acted upon.
Simple is sophisticatedPermalink
It’s easy to make the simple appear complex. A real challenge is to make the complex feel simple.
Not every corner needs to be roundedPermalink
// End of message
Different designs for different browsersPermalink
If you’re going to spend time on legacy browsers support, it should be with the interaction, not the visual. It’s okay if things look different.
No one has JavaScript disabledPermalink
No. Not even them.
Journal
On topic and off, these thoughts are my own.
The Last 10%PermalinkNovember 03, 2011
You learn more from shipping a less-than-perfect product than you ever will from hoarding an unfinished idea on your hard drive.
Talent is the desire to practicePermalinkJune 06, 2011
That title isn’t my own wisdom; it’s a quote from Malcom Gladwell. I resonate with it. So often I observe others lament over their situation for one reason on another. It often boils down to “I wish I could do [whatever].”
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestPermalinkMay 15, 2011
I remember when I was 8 or 9 years old my Dad telling me what a fantastic film “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was. We watched it together sometime shortly after that. I hated it. But to be fair, I was 9 years old. Today…
Work
More work
For Hire, Sometimes
All freelance endeavours are handled via my itsy bitsy studio, Pixelbleed. Check it out, if you think we'd be a good fit—let me know.
