For the next 90 days, I’m going back to design school without actually going back to design school.

I studied design more than 26 years ago. I’ve been designing professionally ever since, but if I’m being completely transparent, there are things I learned in design school that I simply don’t remember anymore.

I spent about 10 years working in news and information design. I worked at USA Today creating infographics, maps, graphics and visual journalism, and later did much of the same at Bloomberg Government.

Then in 2012, I struck out on my own. For the past 14 years, I’ve built a career using my formal education, everything I learned working professionally, a whole lot of problem solving and probably some sheer will not to fail. 

I’m giving myself 90 days. I’m calling it 90 Days of Deliberate Design.

For 90 days, I’m going to study, practice, question, discuss and create design in public and see whether I become a better designer. I’m going to relearn things I’ve forgotten. I’m going to challenge some things I think I know. I’m going to study typography because I love typography and can nerd out on it all day. I’m going to look at design I encounter in everyday life. I’m going to challenge other designers. I’m going to revisit some of my old work. And some days I’m going to put restrictions on myself just to see if I can still solve the problem.

Some days you’ll decide what I have to work with. Some days chance will decide. Some days I’ll have time to research, think and work through the problem. Other days I’m just going to have to figure it the hell out.

And I’m doing all of it publicly. The good designs are going up. The bad designs are going up. The questionable ones are going up too. Be candid. I’m here to learn.

At the end of these 90 days, I want to demonstrate three things:

Design is accessible.
Good design solves problems.
Design is everywhere, whether it’s good or bad.

But more than anything, there’s one question I want to answer:

Am I a better designer on Day 90 than I was on Day 1? We’re about to find out.

I’m Adrienne. Welcome to The Mad Bad Designer.