FT: You were a Project Manager at Adobe for Illustrator. What did that entail?

MG: A project manager is someone who is pretty much a liason between the marketing and engineering teams for a product. A PM's job changes throughout the PLC of a product (Product Life Cycle).

FT: So many anagrams.

MG: You can almost compare it to the process of creating a building. Engineers are like builders. They can build anything from raw materials. Then there are people who sell real estate. They know how to sell and they have a pretty good idea of what people want, but they really know nothing about how a building is actually built. A product manager is like an architect in some ways. The architect gets a direction from the sales people of what they want, and they draw up and specify what the builders should build.

FT: Ah, so the communication goes in both directions?

MG: Correct. A PM's job at Adobe is to help define a product that Adobe can sell and that Engineers can build. But it's a constant process of communication between all teams.

FT: I have always thought that Adobe responded well to its customers when it comes to adding new features.

MG: Well, that's because one of the jobs of a PM is to interface with actual users. A PM will perform one customer visit per month, on average. This gives them the chance to see how their product is used in the real world, and get feedback on what the folks want to see.

FT: Visiting design firms, printers, production houses, and the like?

MG: Yes. That was one of my favorite parts of being a PM — I got to visit so many cool design houses and studios, etc. My entire perspective changed after several visits. Having used Illustrator before, I had always had a predetermined idea on how the product should be used. My eyes were opened when I realized how differently everyone uses it.

FT: Here's one: It seems that the vector "look" is really popular these days and getting more so. To what do you attribute this? Where do you see it going?

MG: That's a great question. Yes, it's clearly evident that clean sharp lines are in. I think Flash may have been the precursor to some of that.

FT: Ah, yes. good point.

MG: Most of the Web 2.0 look may have also come out of Flex components, adding to that look. (Author's note: I have no idea what he's talking about here, but I give a virtual nod of my head anyway)

FT: Perhaps it's also a pendulum swing away from grungy Photoshop imagery.

MG: Which I'm really happy to see, by the way — was never a fan of grunge. I think people are looking to a crisp, clean look.

FT: Yeah, maybe grunge will look really dated in a few years. Also, perhaps more people are discovering Illustrator.

MG: I think AI is being looked at more because it's in the Adobe Creative Suite package, so it does get more coverage. And now with the internet, people can get info like tutorials, blogs, training, etc, with little effort... so more people experiment.

FT: Ah. I was thinking also that Photoshop is just so predominant, that some people are looking for something else that they can use, and stand out in the crowd.

MG: That could be true as well. At the same time, at Adobe, we used to have a saying "80% of the users only use 20% of the applicaiton".

FT: I don't doubt that!

MG: So I do think that people could learn to really expand their horizons.

FT: So what does "design responsibly" mean to you?

MG: Well, I got the name from the PSA — drink responsibly and drive responsibly. It means don't abuse that what you enjoy.

FT: Don't drink and kern. :)

MG: It means realize the consequences of what you do. It means look ahead and make sure you're doing the right thing. Buckle up and assign a designated driver. But in the end, what it all really means is that designers should talk to printers and vice versa. It means instead of pointing fingers and blaming, you design to the proper specs for the job and ask in advance what's needed.

FT: Amen.

MG: You can easily apply that to istock.

FT: How do you mean?

MG: It seems iStock has invested heavily in developing guides, adding good content online, and really providing a level of hand-holding that is rather awesome. If you take advantage of the resources, you can produce great work and not get frustrated when art is rejected. And there are plenty of helpful people who offer advice and who try to lead people down the righteous path.

FT: Do you use iStock much for your own work?

MG: I use iStock a TON. I actually have two accounts — a personal one and we have a corporate account as well. I spend more at iStock than I do at iTunes and Amazon combined.

FT: Wow. good to know. Hey, lunar eclipse is happening — go outside!

MG: Oh yeah!!! Thanks for reminding me!

FT: Hey I won't keep you any longer — thank you again for doing this.

MG: My pleasure.