Mickey's Ten Commandments

As I started to, finally, read my ginormous Imagineering Book, as appose to looking at the pictures, I came across Mickey's Ten Commandments. Marty Sklar, a retired Disney Imagineering Legend, coined these sometime during his years at Disney. I think these are pretty good – of course, being an unworldly college freshmen, I know nothing of what really is good.

So, without further ado, Mickey's Ten Commandments:

1. Know your audience

Identify the prime audience for your attraction or show before you begin the design.

2. Wear your Guests' shoes

Insist that your team members experience your creation just the way Guests do it.

3. Organize the flow of people and ideas

Make sure there is a logic and sequence in your stories, and in the way Guests experience them.

4. Create a wienie (visual magnet)

Create visual "targets" that lead visitors clearly and logically through your facility.

5. Communicate with visual literacy

Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of communication – color, shape, form, texture.

6. Avoid overload – create turn ons

Resist the temptation to overload your audience with too much information and too many objects.

7. Tell one story at a time

Stick to the story line; good stories are clear, logical, and consistent.

8. Avoid contradictions – maintain identity

Details in design or content that contradict one another confuse an audience about your story or the time period it takes place in.

9. For ever ounce of treatment, provide a ton of treat

In our business, Walt Disney said, you can educate people – but don't' tell them you're doing it! Make it fun!

10. Keep it up! (maintain it)

In a Disney park or resort, everything must work! Poor maintenance is poor show.