Are there other interactive artists that you’ve been particularly fond of?

Everything I see by James Paterson and Amit Pitaru these days scares me; I always think ‘damn, why didn’t I think of that!’. Plus its very punk, very illustrative (something I’m really into at the moment) – but also fun and- slightly naughty!

I’ve loved the occasions where we get to meet and mingle with other digital designers/artists during various events. Have there been any favorite moments for you?

Well, the OFFF 2003 in Barcelona was good… until I broke my neck 😉

Besides that, when IdN took us to My Favourite Conference, it really was fantastic. Funniest was half way through the week I was on a coach they’d put on to take us to an evening event and I realised Jaime from Fabrica was on it too. Thing is I know him through friends, not through ‘the industry’ so I hadn’t even put two and two together. He’d also spent the week thinking ‘I’m sure that’s Lloyd’s friend Danny’ too – it’s funny when that happens on the other side on the planet!

I’ve actually just been going through one of my many storage boxes with my assistant… And came across my travel wash bag… which of course has sat unused, untouched since my injury in Barcelona. Alongside it was my artist’s badge from the OFFF conference and the invite to the last-night party. It was after that it happened… Co-incidence eh!

I understand Play/Create is evolving into something new, a company. What’s going on and what new projects are you working on?

Well, Play/Create was always supposed to be what its evolving into.. It’s really been somewhat on hold for several years now. But winning The London Design Museum’s ‘Designer of the Year 2004’ award has opened lots of doors for me, and along with my injury its made me realise ‘now’s the time!’.

There are quite a few things in the pipeline. For example I’m looking to produce limited-edition flowers pieces on CD- each will have a serial number that generates a unique design. And then there are a few top-secret things, and some mobile projects.

I’ve actually just finished a projection installation for The Park Hotel in Delhi. Themed on Water, it endlessly generates random ‘waterfalls’ using particle systems. If any of your readers are in India…

Tell us a little bit about the cover piece for this issue of Shift.

Stop. Rewind. I’ve spent two weeks on the piece. Its fairly basic, a few things I’ve had laying about that I wanted to put together. But now its Friday, two days before the deadline, and I’ve changed my mind. Completely. Playing around with blocks i’ve realised you can make the word shift out of 3×3 pixel letters. And they look oddly familiar…
The cover is dedicated to the memory of Nick Kilroy.

Since the injury in Barcelona and your disability, what are the biggest challenges with your working process? How are you overcoming them?

I’m very lucky in that I can still use a computer. I do not have the same physical dexterity that I did – I certainly won’t be doing any ‘pixel-graphics’ any time soon! But essentially it hasn’t altered my process. I’ll probably look to collaborate with other designers more (I’m hoping to employ a junior designer later in the year), but right now most of the work I’m doing is programming based anyway – something I can happily get on with.

It does make me think though, what would have happened if I hadn’t proved myself and made my career before the injury, how I would see myself and would others have given me the chances they did? It’s distressing to think about on so many levels.

How have these issues affected your current views of usability and do you have any insights for other designers beyond “make everything bigger”?

It amusing that breaking one’s neck automatically makes you an expert in accessibility 😉

No, There’s so many different disabilities and impairments that I couldn’t hope to advise on all of them – and my track record is as bad as anyone’s 🙁

Myself, it is about dexterity. Its very hard for me to point at small things, and the same goes for moving things. I know what you’re thinking, ‘small – moving – things: sounds like Danny Brown’s work’ … you cynics!

But that brings me on to my next point. I don’t believe that accessibility should stop a creative coming up with a game or experience just because someone couldn’t use it. And that’s certainly not the aim of the DDA (disabled discrimination act here in the UK), which is commonly misunderstood.

It would be a silly thing to do if the site was a commerce site or a government information site – to needlessly make it difficult to use. But when it comes to games or entertainment, its ironic that I’m still programming pieces I can’t play very well! Sure, I’m putting helpers in (for example auto-fire in shockwave/flash games using caps lock), but above that I don’t think I should be spoiling other’s fun or limit what they can do.

My disclaimer – I really am talking about interactive entertainment here, and not web sites per se. I would hate what I’ve just said to be used to justify bad information design or graphics.

What has been getting you excited in technology or other mediums (music, art, etc.) as of late?

Having seen some next-generation mobile phones, it is very exciting. It’s ironic that this technology has leapfrogged the PC to become a true luxury good, which contains a pay-per-download software/media mechanism built in. That I can choose to pay a dollar to download a completely new look to my phone’s interface, or the latest MP3, or a game – you still can’t do this so transparently on anything else.

And hey, if things continue like they are, soon every city will have one of those, too 😉