Two Designers Claim Apple Has Hired Them For Apple.com Makeover

by , 8:00 AM EDT, August 28th, 2003

Two designers are saying that they have been put under contract to work with Apple on Apple's Web site. Jeffrey Zeldman's Web site, Jeffrey Zeldman Reports, says that "Mr Douglas Bowman of Stopdesign and Mr Jeffrey Zeldman of Happy Cog Studios" have been put under contract by Apple to give Apple's Web site a makeover. From Mr. Zeldman's Web site:

Apple, Stopdesign, and Happy Cog
Apple Computer has contracted Mr Douglas Bowman of Stopdesign and Mr Jeffrey Zeldman of Happy Cog Studios to collaborate on a makeover of the company's well-known site. We'll be working with Messieurs Rand Hill, Douglas Vincent, and Chad Little of Apple's web design team.

If you read zeldman.com even casually, you will know that we hold Apple in high esteem, and will deduce that we're pleased to have landed the gig. We're equally pleased to be teaming up with the talented Mr Bowman. It's too early to discuss the nature and details of this design job, but more will be revealed at an appropriate time.

Stopdesign describes itself as "a collection of creative work and thinking capturing the view of a designer and world problem solver," and offers blog posts from Mr. Bowman on the front page. According to the entry from last night, Mr. Bowman says that he and Mr. Zeldman have started a rumor about having been hired by Apple, but then goes on to strongly imply that it is true. He later updated that entry with a note saying that they aren't necessarily talking about a visual redesign, and that the two have been hired as consultants. From Stopdesign's Web site.

No, I'm not moving to New York. Not anytime soon. Though I have considered such a move, and may likely end up there at some point in the future. However…

Jeffrey Zeldman and I quietly start a small rumor that Happy Cog Studios and Stopdesign may begin collaborating immediately on a new project for Apple Computer . We hear talks have been going on between involved parties for months. Additional details of the rumor will remain under lock and key for now. But you're smart. Put the two of us together. You can probably imagine what the project might involve.

Update: To clear up some confusion and speculation, this does not imply a visual redesign is in the works. Happy Cog and Stopdesign will be consulting with the in-house team, providing guidance and a bit of a jump start as they explore the waters of web standards and forward-thinking design.

No one was available at Apple as of press time to offer comment on this story, but Apple typically does not offer comment on such stories in any event. The company also traditionally frowns upon its partners and contractees from making any announcements prior to Apple making said announcement.

You can find more information at Jeffrey Zeldman's Web site, and the Stopdesign Web site.

The Mac Observer Spin:

Apple has the cleanest Web site of all of the PC and software vendors on the market. Most of the pages are static files, making them easy to bookmark and find again, and navigation at Apple.com is as straight forward as it could possibly be. Contrast that to the nightmare that Dell's Web site is to navigate through. Then try Gateway, HP, or even Adobe (though keep in mind we like Adobe, like the company's site design, and are not otherwise including them in the company of Gateway, Dell, or Microsoft). Apple's site simply works.

In any event, the company has had pretty much the same design for some time, and a new design would be welcomed. It's going to be interesting to see if Messrs. Zeldman and Bowman actually have been hired by Apple, and if so, whether or not they stay that way. We can't imagine that the turtle-necked Czar of Cupertino will be pleased to see this news all over the Internet and back, if it is true.