OFFF 2024 RECAP
The Disseny Hub in Barcelona was once again home to OFFF, the annual festival by and for designers. What sets OFFF apart is its eclectic mix of creative disciplines and its emphasis on exploring innovative approaches to design and art. So, obviously, we had to be there. Here are our designers’ main takeaways.
You come first
The recurring theme at OFFF this year? Mental health. Taking care of yourself is the key to success. Don’t compare yourself to others or break yourself by trying to be perfect. It just adds more stress and anxiety to your workload. Instead, try finding joy in imperfections and try to be optimistic. It’s essential to find the balance between being critical towards yourself and making time to let your brain rest. Have fun. Try new things, and don’t be scared if you’re not the best right away.
DIY is not DIBY
Collaboration brings out the best in people. Why? Because you just can’t do everything yourself. And even if you could, working with others is still a smart move. Others might use different techniques to help you and speed up your process, or they might just come up with insights you haven’t even thought of, whether that’s other professionals or amateurs. Patrick Duffy, creative director at DICE, stated it perfectly: ‘Do It Yourself’ is not ‘Do It By Yourself’.
“The team beats the genius everytime.”
Brand Design Agency Mucho
AI is not the enemy
Even though it was not the main focus, OFFF could not go by without mentioning AI and AR. Instead of introducing crazy ideas and new tools however, the speakers talked about how we actually shouldn’t worry about AI too much. Tools like Midjourney and Adobe’s Firefly have many designers worrying about their jobs, but let’s face the facts; if we stop creating, AI has nothing new to learn from either. So, if we’re out of work, so is AI.
After three days of insightful talks, mind-blowing projects and a dose of Barcelona sun, our designers bid farewell to another inspiring edition of OFFF. Now, we’re even more ready to tackle your brand’s challenges and keep pushing both our own and your creative boundaries.