About the Studio

Founded in 2006, Edward Mullen Studio provides digital design services to a range of clients doing good work in the world. The studio specializes in developing thoroughly thought through solutions tailored to the very specific needs of each project.

Some favorite activities:

• Structuring and designing large, content-heavy websites and information resources
• Working with internal subject matter experts to amplify their expertise
• Providing strategic insight to complicated missions
• Bringing order to complex systems
• Finding common ground in organizations with disparate stakeholder interests
• Creating pretty things

Edward Mullen Studio works with organizations in education (Oberlin College, Columbus State Community College, GWU's Semester in Washington Journalism, Stockton College, Ithaca College), government & civic organization (HealthCare.gov, YourPBC.org, One World Youth Project, United States Committee on Refugees & Immigrants), business & commerce (Free People, Terrapin Bright Green), music & culture (Josh Ritter, Brendan Benson, etc), and more.

Approach

Deep understanding leads to successful solutions.

Each project begins with a conversation: exploring needs, looking deeply, asking smart questions, listening closely, and developing an understanding of the client's values. This process of discovery exposes unseen opportunities and leads to solutions that meet complex and sometimes contradictory criteria.

Once a conceptual approach has been established, a detailed plan is developed to account for all the requirements and scenarios of the challenge at hand. Having considered the project from all angles, designs and interfaces can be developed that are beautiful and beneficial, useful and usable.

Dig deeper into the thoughts and ideas that guide the Studio at Making Good.

Background

Ed Mullen has been designing for the Web since the late 90s. In 2006, he set up Edward Mullen Studio to address a growing distance between the types of projects he wanted to work on and the types of projects he was working on. As a more nimble design shop, the Studio has the freedom to work with clients of all types working in areas closer to Ed's interests: education, civic participation, the environment, vivid creativity and culture.

In April 2010, Ed was approached by the White House to participate in the creation of HealthCare.gov. Over the summer of 2010, he worked with the Department of Health & Human Services to conceptualize and design the massive website. Learn more about the project and the concept design that brought Ed to the Administration's attention.

To stay up-to-date on Ed's day-to-day thoughts and missives, follow Ed on Twitter.

In late 2001, Ed helped start New York City-based Web agency Squeaky Wheel Media where he remained Partner and Creative Director until June 2006. Prior to Squeaky he had worked at agencies in New York and Michigan. Ed was educated at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH and the Lacoste School of the Arts, Lacoste, France.

Edward Mullen has been the recipient of many design awards including the Webby Awards and One Show. His work has been included in gallery exhibitions, periodicals and publications, including 1000 Music Graphics by Rockport. One website he designed has even been demoed by the President of the United States.

Collaboration

Edward Mullen Studio was established with a very intentional model that has more in common with the way architects work – reaching out to lighting specialists or engineering firms – than the typical format of the Web Agency.

Success is defined differently for each project. Each project is analyzed for its unique demands. When additional resources are necessary, a team of established professional collaborators is assembled to meet those needs. This flexibility allows EMS to work with a wide range of clients doing interesting and meaningful work.

Design for Together-Bringers

The role of the designer is to create an experience that tells the client’s story to an audience. The story should be lived by the client, relayed to the designer who translates the story into some medium: print, web, film, product. The telling of the story serves the client's needs by attracting an audience of like-minded people. The goal of the designer, then, is to work with clients that reflect the designer’s values - so that in telling the client's story, the designer's story can also be told.

Local Efforts

With work being as dispersed as it is today, conducted via phone, teleconference, plane and train, it is easy to get disconnected from the real-world community in which we live. Being based in Jersey City, it is has been a goal that some of the efforts of this studio should be focused at working with people who are making this city better.

This work is often of a different scale than the more commercial work, but its impact is readily felt. This follows from the belief that an individual can make the most difference when they apply their unique skills to the common good. Identify where your skills will have the most impact, and focus your attention there.