After wading through over 500 applications, meeting some great people, discovering some serious talent, and evaluating people on a variety of levels, we can finally announce our new designer. He’s Jamie Dihiansan.
Who’s Jamie?
First off, Jamie is a great guy. Kind, generous, curious, honest. We all get along well. He’s a good cultural fit. Without that nothing else matters. He’s also local which will be handy.
I’ve actually tried to hire Jamie a couple times before. Once about nine years ago when we first started 37signals (he didn’t want to leave the cushy confines of Big Agency life at Organic) and once a few years ago (we couldn’t afford him). This time the stars aligned.
For the past 7 years Jamie has been working at Crate & Barrel Online. First as a senior designer, later moving to the Senior Art Director role. He’s well steeped in designs that sell, clear communication, and understanding consumer behavior.
Why did we pick Jamie?
Part of the hiring process involved asking the leading candidates to redesign the Backpack home page in one week with no direction (we paid them for their time). We really liked Jamie’s take on it. It was the biggest departure from how we design our marketing sites today. It introduced some elements that we were hoping to see and surprised us with things we hadn’t thought of before. Down the road we plan on sharing all the designs submitted by the leading candidates.
We also picked Jamie because of his background, his artistic abilities (as much as I don’t like graffiti, I can see the art in Jamie’s work back in the day), and his approach to problem solving through design. He’s a clear thinker and an objective player. Good icon designer too. We liked all of those things.
We’re really excited
Jamie starts in September. We’re really excited to see his influence seep into our marketing sites and product UIs. The first major project will be reviewing our existing marketing/public sites and working on a universal redesign.
So, everyone say hi to Jamie Dihiansan!
Simon Nielsen
on 20 Aug 08Hi Jamie, and grats on the new job ;)
Tanner Christensen
on 20 Aug 08Hey Jamie, congratulations. I can’t wait to see some of your work! If Jason thinks you’re right for the job, you are right for the job. Period.
kevin Haggerty
on 20 Aug 08This post is neat – it reads like a reverse resume. Thanks!
Congratulations as well. Looking forward to some good posts on here then from the new guy.
rishi
on 20 Aug 08Nice job Jamie! Any chance we can see how you re designed the back pack site?
Rob G.
on 20 Aug 08Yes, everyone say hi to Jamie.
Excluding those of us who have to say bye to Jamie, as he is leaving us. Perhaps this is for the best, though, as I was getting tired of explaining to him how the Red Sox are still much better than the Cubs.
All kidding aside (and please don’t let my bad behavior derail the comments!) Jamie will be missed, and he’s a great addition to the 37signals crew. Congrats to him and the rest of you equally!
Jake Boxer
on 20 Aug 08Is there any way we can see the candidates’ redesigns of the Backpack home page? I love seeing other peoples’ takes on designs (like when you guys showed how an online banking site should look), and I’d really like to see these ones.
Richard Bird
on 20 Aug 08Welcome to the team, Jamie. Best!
Anonymous Coward
on 20 Aug 08Jason: “Down the road we plan on sharing all the designs submitted by the leading candidates.”
Eric
on 20 Aug 08Are you currently using his design on the home page? If not, can we see the winner?
Arpan
on 20 Aug 08So I guess you want to implement it in Backpack first before you reveal the designs to us. Looking forward to seeing them.
Scott
on 20 Aug 08Jamie, Congratulations. We’re looking forward to seeing what changes you’ll be making as well as hearing from you on the blog.
Jason Zimdars
on 20 Aug 08Congrats, man. Really looking forward to see what comes next.
Spencer Fry
on 20 Aug 08Congratulations! Lookin’ forward to seeing your influence.
endekks
on 20 Aug 08I’m with Jake. I want to see some of these redesigns.
Lee Ahearn
on 20 Aug 08”...as much as I don’t like graffiti…”—This is in the lead for “most ignorant thing I’ve read today.” I don’t think it will have much competition. Good going! Hi Jamie!
Keith
on 20 Aug 08Great addition! It’s like addition…by addition… for those “The Office” fans out there.
Merle
on 20 Aug 08Jason,
Nice writing. I hope you don’t take this as an insult (cuz it’s not meant to be) but it reminds me of Starbucks copy that I see in their stores. Short phrases that pop out at the reader.
Terry Sutton
on 20 Aug 08Post some of the Backpack redesigns. You could do it annon. ....no one would need to know. I bet you got some great redesigns.
Patrick
on 20 Aug 08Hi Jamie, looking forward to your work.
(I hope you have a thick skin though because, as you can see with the 5 out of 18 guys who can’t read the post properly and ask to see the designs, things sometimes get moronic down here in the comments and I’m sure many will make sure to shit on everything you do)
Maria Chamberlan
on 20 Aug 08“First off, Jamie is a great guy. Kind, generous, curious, honest.”...man who lied to you guys…just kidding Jamie!
You’ll all love love him cause no matter what the scenario Jamie is cool and collect (kind of like myself)...and easy to work with. We’ll miss you here at Crate and I promise we won’t just blame it all on you when you leave. ;)
Good luck Jamie and thanks for always being such a cool boss!
Eric J. Gruber
on 20 Aug 08I agree; I’d love to see the candidates redesigns!
JF
on 20 Aug 08Everyone who’s asking about seeing the designs. This is what I said in the post: “Down the road we plan on sharing all the designs submitted by the leading candidates.”
So, yes, we do plan on showing the designs once we get around to putting the post together.
That’s the final word on that.
Jamie
on 20 Aug 08Hi all. Thanks for your well wishes—especially current/former co-workers. I’m looking forward to working with Jason, Ryan and the rest of the 37signals crew. Matt too!
@Patrick, no worries. I have been around the block a few times and have been reading SvN forever. I hope that someday my contributions can elicit that beloved Troll icon.
Dennis Eusebio
on 20 Aug 08Congrats on the job!
Carlos Manalo
on 20 Aug 08Congrats Jamie! Looking forward to seeing innovation and evolution.
:)
JFarmer
on 20 Aug 08Welcome. Can’t wait to see your influence.
Stephen Clayton
on 20 Aug 08Congratulations! Looking forward to more great things from 37signals with you on the team.
marstinia
on 20 Aug 08“I have been around the block a few times…”
It’s true: Jamie is no chump. And I would go on and list his further praises, but he couldn’t afford it, and Crate forbids employee shake-downs. Suffice it to say that he will be missed and in person he looks almost identical to his avatar.
Jamie: get down with your geeky, Chipolte-eating self. Enjoy your future square hole.
Tim
on 20 Aug 08Time to update the “Who are 37signals” callout box
Benjy
on 20 Aug 08Congrats, Jamie! I’ve been a fan of what you’ve done at Crate & Barrel for some time, and I look forward to seeing the work you do with 37S.
Mike Rohde
on 20 Aug 08Congrats Jamie! Enjoy your new adventure at 37signals.
Nate Burgos
on 20 Aug 08Congratulations Jamie! Your hire testifies to Jason’s emphasis on design being more than veneer. As he puts it, “If you’re building a team, make sure a designer is in the cards.”
Dylan
on 20 Aug 08Congrats Jamie – cant wait to see your work! I hope you enjoy your new job :)
leethal
on 20 Aug 08Congrats!
Btw, I find not liking graffiti a bit odd. In fact, for some reason not liking one particular form of art (such as musicians that hates [insert genre here]) is odd. What interests me is the work of great artists, regardless of genres or platforms or what not.
JF
on 20 Aug 08Leethal, I can appreciate the artist qualities of graffiti, but what I can’t appreciate is painting on property that isn’t yours. Pretty or not, that’s just vandalism. But I don’t want to turn this into a thread of graffiti so let’s keep it on topic.
Jamie
on 20 Aug 08@leethal I just gave JF a smackdown. Last word on graffiti: all those images ~ 15 years ago are totally legal. No vandalism is depicted there. Murals only.
JF
on 20 Aug 08Last word on graffiti: all those images ~ 15 years ago are totally legal. No vandalism is depicted there. Murals only.
That’s why we love you man!
Yoko
on 21 Aug 08Jamie!
Congratulations! I was so excited to hear your good news.
ADG
on 21 Aug 08Couldn’t afford him in the past, why can you afford him now?
Just curious …
Dan G
on 21 Aug 08Now that Basecamp doesn’t have to be restarted 400 times per day, they can support enough subscribing users to pay the bigger salaries.
Lisa
on 21 Aug 08Enough with the hate, ppl!
Congrats to Jamie and to 37s! I look forward to seeing the further evolution of 37s’ look.
Dylan Richard
on 21 Aug 08So excited for you Jamie! Congrats on your next step.
-d.
mattomic
on 21 Aug 08“Kind, generous, curious, honest.”- don’t forget dark and handsome. crate won’t be the same. congrats again jamie.
@maria- we will place blame where blame is due.
Bob Calvano
on 21 Aug 08Congrats Jamie. By submitting a redesign myself, I was hoping to fill the designer position. I love a good challenge and top notch competition. That said, I’m sure you will do extremely well in this position. I don’t think the gang at 37signals took this lightly, so you must be exceptional. I wish you and 37signals the best of luck moving forward and can’t wait to see the impact you make.
Don Schenck
on 21 Aug 08Jamie … I’d say “congratulations”, but … but … man, you have to work with Jason. I mean … JASON!
Sheesh … sorry, dude.
:) (All The Best)
Anonymous Coward
on 21 Aug 08cool, who are you gonna hire next? another rails programmer?
Anonymous Coward
on 22 Aug 08Hi Jamie, and congrats :-) A design job in 37 signals will always be my dream job
Shagy
on 22 Aug 08Can I have the remainder of the short list? :D I need a designer like fish need water.
Tom
on 22 Aug 08You can check Jaime’s website here: http://www.asianmack.com
bj0ern
on 23 Aug 08Hi Jamie, and best of luck.
Comp-Hater
on 25 Aug 08Thanks for this… it’s so unbelievably obnoxious when companies expect free comp work as a step in the application process. A certain Western Canadian airline requires its candidates to complete a 25 page ‘assignment’ gratis for the privilege of applying. I think anyone who doesn’t have the self-respect to walk away from a situation like that deserves to be taken advantage of. If you want someone to jump through hoops for you, hire a seal.
More organizations should show the same respect for their applicants as you did, so kudos.
eric czarnopys
on 25 Aug 08Jamie,
Wow, a blast from the past. Glad to see you are working with these guys—it has been a long time since we worked together back in… dare I say it, the late 90’s… I look forward to seeing your contributions…
Take Care buddy.
Eric.
This discussion is closed.