J Square Design
J Square Design was founded in 1995 by Josh Johnson. That's me. It began as merely a name to associate with contract work and side projects related to my Industrial Design courses in college. If it's not already painfully obvious the name is derived from my name:
Josh Johnson => JJ => J2 Design => J Squared Design=> J Square Design
From 1996 to 2000, the company was put on hold, as I became embroiled in the interesting but cut-throat world of computer game development. I have the war wounds to prove it. Then like the rest of the technology world I was sucked into the dot-com boom.*
In the fall of 2000, after being approached for a variety of contract projects, I decided to leverage my "new-media" skills, and 'revive' J Square Design with a new emphasis on computer software and Internet web development. In doing this, I wanted to emphasize the user-centered design and usability principles I'd learned and seen used to much success, as well as to apply the lessons learned in some of the spectacular failures I'd seen. (Did I mention that dot-com bust?)
J Square Design is still one employee strong (two if you count my wife as business advisor, or five if I add my children as creative inspiration). I think being a small company is a benefit to my clients. I don't overload myself with projects, but instead choose select work that interests me, and in which I can focus my full attention. In short, J Square Design is small, which is the way I like it and plan to keep it. Additionally, my clients seem to like it as well, because for them it means direct access to me and the development process.
* - Sadly, like the rest of the world, I was then spit out by the dot-com bust, with many worthless stock options to show for it -- but my bathroom wallpaper is nearly complete!
