Super D

Having been born in what was considered by most people at the time to be the mythically frozen wasteland of Alaska–which was in fact, the far northern territorial outpost of America–I grew up with a soft spot in my heart for the story of Superman and his flight from the crystalline icescapes of Krypton.

Eventually, I fell for all the superheroes … I guess most of us do. Even after I became a designer, I held the classical design heroes in high regard though I seemed separated from them by more than wrinkles in time. I never really thought of them as real people; even those like our own WDT. I never thought about what I would really talk with them about, if I ever had the chance.

But I’m re-thinking what superheroes could mean to me now, especially since I’ve had the chance to chat briefly with a group who will be leading the dialog at this year’s annual APDF Exchange Conference in Gotham City. Yes, I have some new heroes, and even Lois Lane will get a run for her money with this lot!

The superheroes of this adventure are real, living breathing mortals. They may blend into the fabric of society as easily as Clark Kent or Bob Parr, but don’t let that fool you, they are the real design-hero deal.

You may, or may not know them by name, but you know them by their deeds. These design heroes are impacting the business of design every day and they are real people with fascinating stories and questions of their own. They do some of the most creative work on the planet. They’ve built successful businesses that empower their clients and their employees alike.

Like the comic book heroes of my childhood, these industry veterans who come in all shapes and sizes, take an active role in making the world a better place. Unlike those comic book heroes, they’re willing to share their secrets with me; with all of us. I wonder what their secrets could be. I wonder why they keep fighting the good fight. If you could ask your heroes anything, anything at all, what would you ask them?

If you ask this group, I bet they’ll tell.

Check out the Exchange 2010 conference details here.

Not an APDF member, now’s the time to join.