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I play rugby 3 times a week. I guess it's not that relaxing but it takes your mind off work and that's the aim. My name is Thomas Clever, co-founder of CLEVER°FRANKE. C°F is an interactive design agency focused on information and data visualisation. I started C°F together with Gert Franke after finishing my studies Editorial Design at the art academy of Utrecht, the Netherlands. During my MA degree I specialised in interactive data visualisation for search results.
I don't think I do much differently from anyone else. I look around on the street, browse the web, blogs, read books, watch movies. Basically I keep my eyes open. I draw inspiration from anything.
Starting and building a successful company with my good friend Gert Franke.
Anywhere from 40-70 hours depending on the amount of deadlines and client meetings. I must admit it's closer to 70 than 40.
I play rugby 3 times a week. I guess it's not that relaxing but it takes your mind off work and that's the aim.
I'd probably be an architect
A full weekend, years ago though. We started on a friday finished monday morning. That was a fun weekend, thinking back to it.
After finishing my BA i decided to do a MA degree. That's when I first came across with the idea of data visualisation, UX and interaction design. I would say that paved the way for the focus of our studio now.
OS X. Makes me happy using it everyday.
Between 10 to 15.
That's a difficult question. I have great admiration for Fantasy Interactive, Stamen and Moving Brands
Companies and organisations that are data driven and acknowledge the importance of design. People that want to aim for the highest quality and are uncompromising in achieving that goal.
I'm yet to find out, but what i can say is that it is nice being recognised for hard work. In this case the hard work of a whole team, both at C°F and the different stakeholders. It brings a good vide to the studio when you win awards. I'm sure awards have some importance when clients deciding whether to collaborate or not, but i've never been told in so many words.
It is not that difficult, I must say. We are very user centred in our projects. We have to be because most things we design and visualise is complicated content. We investigate the needs of our clients and audience in the early stages of a project. That's we you familiarise yourself with all the different needs. We try to have this crystal clear before we even design anything. So once we start designing, we know what we're getting into.
I really like KLM's social media strategy. They've done many inspirations things such as KLM Surprise or Facebook page. Such simple things can make a huge difference in the way customers perceive you as a company or brand. Nice example; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqHWAE8GDEk&feature=player_embedded
I think websites will be intertwined into our lives, habits and activities more and more. I'm interested in things like self learning systems, which i think will play an interesting role in the future of 'online'. Looking forward I think people will not 'go online' to visit a website anymore. Instead a website will contact you. I think the idea a website 10 years from now is going to be completely different from what it is now. I'm surprised that people accept that fact that the online world is being fragmented into websites, webapps, native apps and desktop applications. Hopefully in 10 years these are all merged together into a 'thing' that you start up or visit, or that 'thing' knows when you need it.
The one we won a FWA with; consumerbarometer.com
No.
Yes I do. I can only say something about the education in the Netherlands. I think art academies in the Netherlands are playing catch up to interaction and visual design developments in the field. They've waited too long with integrating expertise and knowledge of the field into their curriculum. Many schools here are very much focused on the bauhaus model of concept and typography. Right now, I see better designers coming from technical universities than art academies. However, they all lack a certain way of thinking about design for web on a conceptual level. We see a lot of interns and applicants that have no clue of what is being asked of a designer these days. That worries me a little.
Very difficult. It is hard to find original interactive craftsmanship. We try and select people that understand their underlying design process and are able to critically evaluate their own process.
I rely on my fantastic development team.
Bicycle, I'm Dutch.
I follow the progression of a lot of web related startups. We work together with a few here in the Netherlands so naturally we stay up to date. I find talking to a lot of people and hearing different perspectives helps to see trends and ideas emerge.
I love sports. So a sports company like Nike or Adidas with a project that combines interactive data visualisation with design and strategy would be a dream come true.
As a company we try and innovate constantly. Improve our skills, our service, our working methods. We have some self initiated projects lined up that should see the light of day in 2013. I have a lot of faith in the fact that these ideas will be a success.
A plane ticket.
Yes and no. I wear Adidas Y-3 shoes, Levi's jeans and Lacoste polo's because I like it and that choice has given me the freedom not having to think about what to wear.
Thank you! Links   Thomas Clever  Elsevier metric visualisations app  KPI dashboard (clients undisclosed)  Google Consumer Barometer  C°F annual weather chart 2012  C°F annual weather chart 2011 |
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