Unit 1: Theses Reviewed, Part 1

Posted on 01.14.2013 by Matt

Upon searching for past (yet recent) theses within the SCAD eCollection, I began the search with direct keywords from my initial topic: Maximizing Team Dynamics: Matching Creative Personalities Toward Achieving Efficient Processes and Potentially Innovative Solutions.

The most obvious realization was, “Oops, I seriously need to specify my topic.” As of today, “efficient processes” and “potentially innovative solutions” could mean anything. Perhaps, I need to narrow my focus to an actual design team with a given size, specific field (graphic design) and intention. After all, what’s my intention? This is a question that I’m still mulling over, while retaining the vision that I have for graphically executing it.

In all fairness, I’m an entire quarter away until I need to approach the review board. In other words, I’ve come to expect this part of the phase in the process, before the quarter began. However, I did act upon awareness and began by creating a working list of keywords that expand upon my initial search entries, which were: “managing creative teams,” “team dynamics,” and “user experience” – the latter of which, results in too many search results.

Altogether, I downloaded fifteen different theses to review – one of which I had already become familiar with: Dustin Larimer’s Exploring Opportunities For Technological Innovation and Reconfiguration in the Local Food Sector. Larimer’s topic caught my attention last year, while contemplating whether or not I should pursue the agriculture and whole foods sector. Alas, I pressed on. I decided to choose two theses that best matched my initial topic.

The first choice is Tonya Miller’s The Participatory Design Process as a Means of Promoting a Culture of Sustainability: A Toolkit for Designing Sustainable Workplace Environments, in pursuit of a MFA in Interior Design. Miller’s thesis is 164 pages, complete with five different case studies. Miller’s topic is closely related to my own concept, as the term “toolkit” caught my attention with the preconceived idea of developing a GUI for social mapping software. In other words, like Miller, I’ve been exploring if it’s both relevant and possible to measure intangible components that relate to team dynamics. If possible to accurately track, what can these components tell us about ourselves as individuals within a design team, and about our design team dynamics.

Miller’s thesis statement is, “The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate how a participatory design process and the application of a systemic stakeholder framework can support the development of an environmentally-sustainable organizational culture and facilitate a mutually beneficial relationship between occupants and sustainable workplace environments.”

The abstract explains a similar approach to my own, focused on a participatory design process, organizational leadership and sustainability. Miller begins with a book that I’m also rather familiar with, McDonough and Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle, highlighting the concept of downcycling. The downside to this thesis (because we are graphic designers) is that the formatting for her abstract is center-justitfied? Thus far, I feel that I’m off to a good start.

The second choice didn’t arrive as easily, competing with the remaining fourteen options. I decided to choose those closely related to what I had in mind, beginning with Amie Calisti’s thesis, Knowledge as an event: Dialogic Interaction Between Physical Experiences and Congnitive Understanding.

Calisti’s thesis is stated as, “knowledge as an event, a dialogic interaction between physical experiences and cognitive understanding. Knowledge does not occur as an addendum separate from an individual, it is continually created within one’s existence through one’s perceptions and projections of place. Therefore, this study focuses on the individual as the nucleus for knowledge and how he/ she bonds or exchanges with the greater surrounding atmosphere.”

The downside to Calisti’s thesis is that it concentrates on junior high school (or middle school) as its primary audience. Regardless, I may very well be able to learn from Calisti’s research, despite that her focus is in architecture.

A few other theses to explore, not mentioned:

Alzarooni, Saad Aqeel. Participatory Cultural Mapping: An Evolutionary Approach with a Revolutionary Picture in Mind. April 2012. SCAD eCollection. PDF. Accessed: Jan 2013.

Larimer, Dustin. Exploring Opportunities for Technological Innovation and Reconfiguration in the Local Food Sector. July 2011. SCAD eCollection. PDF. Accessed: Jan 2013.

Mallory, Renée Marie. Adaptive Design for Visual Communicators:
Reexamining Relationships and Making Theory Apply. May 2011. SCAD eCollection. PDF. Accessed: Jan 2013.

Sloan, Melanie. Concept to Concept: Bridging the Cross-Disciplinary Communication Gap. May 2012. SCAD eCollection. PDF. Accessed: Jan 2013.

Torres, Carla Paola. Empathy: A Driving Force in Graphic Design. Nov 2012. SCAD eCollection. PDF. Accessed: Jan 2013.

Works Cited:

Calisti, Amie. Knowledge as an event: Dialogic Interaction Between Physical Experiences and Congnitive Understanding. August 2011. SCAD eCollection. Accessed: Jan 2013.

Miller, Tonya. The Participatory Design Process as a Means of Promoting a Culture of Sustainability: A Toolkit for Designing Sustainable Workplace Environments. May 2012. SCAD eCollection. Accessed: Jan 2013.

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Unit 8: Blog 1: Process Analysis

Posted on 11.01.2012 by Matt

There are a few obvious commonalities that I noticed about the process book examples in the Unit 8 content:

  1. Both provide a deep level of exploration of the process through documentation.
  2. The process book layout design is minimalist. In other words, the majority of time spent for each of these examples was on the process itself, not necessarily how it was conveyed.

However, having seen a few examples of Bliss’ work from other courses, she certainly has an outstanding design sense–executing the aesthetic at a high level. For a process book, this isn’t always at the forefront of what is most important. Honestly, I’ve only just begun to realize this aspect of the process book: see my Unit 8, Blog 2 post. It’s about a personal realization that arrived at the moment of this week, covering the design process of a process book.

After skimming through each process example, the first aspect that I noticed is the process of accumulation–this is part of the defining character of a process book. The layout doesn’t exactly need to overpower the viewer. Honestly, it’s the other way around: the focus is on the process, not the design of the process book. This is exactly what I’ve learned and will adjust soon (blush). Let’s consider why that is…

I’m a designer! We care about the integrity of content and form. My natural inclination is to produce everything with this in mind. For the sake of process, it’s important to consider the quality of presentation, but it’s not the most crucial aspect of a process book. Documentation and accumulation are both equally important factors within the process. Without accumulating ideas, we are left with but few options. Without documenting ideas, failed attempts and insignificant (yet potentially important) moments during the process, we end up delivering a rather surface-level process book. Believe me, I’ve already experienced this. In essence, the process book is not about perfection, as much as it is about reaching a point of conception and experiencing new ways to reach a solution. The process itself, can take a tremendous amount of time. This is why I have found that the emphasis of the process book design, benefits by remaining minimal.

Let’s talk about content and context. Dorn’s example begins with a very strong set of questions, such as “Where do ideas come from?” or “Where do ideas don’t come from?” and “What an 18-year old might not want to know about design.” Dorn, fortunately discovered her solution very early in the process, as indicated on page 4 of the PDF. This is OK! However, she did not persist to stop at this point, and instead, elevated the idea during an in-depth analysis. On page 7, she reminds herself, “Mull It Over–Do Not Stop Too Soon.” I’m very guilty of stopping short due to a lack of patience, resisted by eagerness to explore what I have already developed. Somewhere in between, I need to realize that I can always revisit an original idea. I recall Paula Scher mentioning that the Citi logo was derived from her first idea. However, she proceeded to refine and test the concept before settling. I’d like to think that Dorn has demonstrated a similar process. Keep in mind, we tend to burn out very early during the beginning stages of the MFA program. It’s new to us and it takes time to adjust to that! In doing so, I’ve learned to be less critical of myself and just accept that learning has no end in sight.

Bliss’ process is centered on accumulation. Indeed, she explores many different research techniques while retaining a higher level of design sense through her use of examples, as opposed to Dorn, whom has very little visual research other than her own to show for. There are a few techniques that Bliss inspired me to begin documenting,  in which I have neglected to do so in the past: collaborate, “what if,” snapshot thumbnails of conversations and feedback (duh) and take a break (I never realized that I should document this).

Personally, it wouldn’t be fair for me to determine how to judge each process book, based on the final solution. Whereas Dorn has a vast amount of experience as an interior designer, Bliss (in my opinion) has a better design sense in graphic design execution. Does that matter when we discuss process? Maybe it doesn’t matter. Logically, I would only be measuring one talent against another, based on my own preference. Therefore, we need to consider the process itself. What I learned is that I need to place the emphasis on documenting the process, not over trivial design tendencies such as rearranging type or changing my color palette. While these elements are important for the sake of presentation, what I need to place importance on is depth of content. I feel much more prepared to do this next quarter. For now, I need to move forward with existing projects!

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Unit 8: Blog 2: Processing the Process Book

Posted on 10.31.2012 by Matt

You’re going to laugh or roll your eyes. That’s OK, I expect it. Most of my peers have already figured this out, some people are brand new to the program and others (like myself) are short of the halfway point. Anyway, I just had a minor “ah-ha” moment. Thankfully, I managed to arrive at this point now, rather than a year from now. Frankly, this is an area that isn’t exactly taught, as it is more or less expected for us to “figure it out.” Well, I just “figured it out.”

While reviewing our unit content examples, I had a realization (or reflection) about time management when creating a process book. For the past two quarters, I had been evolving the design layout of my process books to serve more like an actual publication layout. With regard to the design of a process book, I entered our program with zero experience of having created one before. Therefore, my approach with designing a process book derived from my tendency to design a project: format, size, color, type, grid and aesthetic style were top priority. In essence, I realized that I have been spending way too much time on the design of the process book. Yes, this is a brain dead, obvious “ah ha” moment, but one of significant proportion.

I tend to overthink. Overthinking has often led to overlooking the obvious. However, overthinking is beneficial when experiencing and documenting a process. Rather than spending too much time formatting the design of the process book, I realized that I could be gaining much more insight into the process itself. Granted, I feel as if I have done this once before to a great extent. However, I’m not doing this on a consistent basis and it’s time to take the process to another level. After all, the process book is about the process!

What I realized is that I’m not documenting every step of the process. This had been addressed in one of the very first courses that I took, but with a rather vague emphasis. At the time, there wasn’t an exact reason as to “why” we should be investigating the process. Instead, the emphasis was “the process book is all about compiling as much information as possible.” One example of what I had considered an insignificant step in the process, is actually one of the most significant steps for myself: distractions.

Distractions can lead to other distractions, yet at some point, my mind stops and refocuses on the goal. Formally, this is known as synetics. My distraction in this case had been dedicating too much time on the design of the process book, although I never saw it this way until now. Allow me to explain a specific example of how this occurs and then compare it with what could be occurring instead:

Old Process:
Let’s say that I begin a concept map. Eventually, I need break or go to the bathroom. Sometimes I check email, doodle, pet my cats and (rarely) take time for a bike ride. I then revisit the concept map, but this is when “unnecessary” distractions occur, if is such a thing. Eventually, I return to the (pre-designed) process book, design the next section of the process book, scan or photograph the concept map, write, edit and revise my content, rearrange text blocks, change colors or supporting elements, reorganize my style sheets, shift pages around, establish a works cited section, change the leading here and there and finally export as a PDF.

New Process:
Create a ultra-minimalist layout for all process books. It’s a balance of choosing strong, functional type, a versatile grid and one or two colors and not changing a damn thing. In doing so, I can now spend more quality time exploring the concept map and documenting the “unnecessary” distractions to include as a part of my process.

While I don’t feel that my design methodology lacks depth, the documentation process of conveying “a process” definitely does. I need to start capturing those insignificant moments by having better awareness at the time that it arises. Even if the moment leads nowhere toward the process, it provides very substantial documentation that I can reflect back on once the project is complete. For me, this is the best way to understand my own process and determine which areas need further expanding upon.

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Unit 7: Blog 2: S***, I Forgot to Clean Up After My Theses

Posted on 10.26.2012 by Matt

Yes, I’ve decided to take a rather “conversational” approach to a very significant phase of our graduate program: deciding a thesis topic. After all, it’s an open topic blog. I will, however, keep it clean (despite the choice of title). By the way, is it considered general knowledge that “s***” is derived from the acronym “ship high in transit?” Ah, you see? Right at that moment, I may have discovered a topic: “What is No Longer Considered General Knowledge During the First Twenty Years of the Internet?” OK, let’s refocus on my intention.

I have nearly two more quarters to fulfill, until I reach the point of choosing a thesis topic. This doesn’t mean that I haven’t thought about what I would love to explore. To date, I’ve heard it being considered the most self-indulgent piece of writing that oneself may ever pursue, (with the exception of a dissertation). The problem is, I haven’t created the opportunity to approach my peers about what topics they’re thinking about. Perhaps many of you (I’ve gathered) have already decided on a topic at this point. What better opportunity, than to do such in an open topic blog post?

I’ve been making a list of ideas, all of which are starting points. However, one peer mentioned that it’s “poison” to even consider reading or researching thesis papers because you’re prone to losing your sense of authorship when you’ve been “inspired” to follow someone’s lead. I might agree with that, but how would I know? I’ve never done this before and it’s research waiting to be fulfilled. I must admit, I’ve already broken “the rules” by perusing through former SCAD graduate student, Dustin Larimer’s thesis, “Exploring Opportunities For Technological Innovation and Reconfiguration in the Local Food Sector.” “Design thinking” and “farming” were two topics that appeared on my list in relation to “overpopulation.” I’ve since explored over-population and over-consumption during the first quarter of enrollment in the MFA program.

Larimer’s section about fictional accounts on the future of independent food producers peaked my interest. Having relocated to the flat, corn and soy haven of the Midwest, I’ve become much more connected to the culture of farming. That doesn’t include the Feng Shui of our new garden, more so as the misperceptions that surround traditional farming, which is an incredibly high-tech, biological system compared to the plow and horse era (obviously). Larimer’s merely inspired me to map out the possibilities that involve these keywords: farming, food, design thinking, systems, hybrid plants, future crops, DIY food producers.

However, what I would be most interested to hear is your own path. What have you explored and where do you see yourself going?

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Unit 7: Blog 1: How Do You Design?

Posted on 10.25.2012 by Matt

After exploring Dubberly’s “How Do You Design?” examples of processes, I have recently touched on one such process during Project A. Koberg and Bagnall’s reference to Analysis and Synthesis is indeed a direct reference to Horst Rittel. Rittel is the originator of this very model, having introduced design thinking and the analysis-synthesis formula for solving simple problems at the University of California Berkeley in the early 60s (as noted in Dubberly’s “Why Horst WJ Rittel Matters,” in partnership with Chanpory Rith).

However, it’s the concept of analyzing a simple problem and concurring with a solution that is ideal for an individual designer. When the analysis-synthesis formula is framed within a group, it’s not always easy to agree on a final solution – the very reason that I decided to investigate “wicked problems” in this regard. With respect to Koberg and Bagnall, what I’ve learned by examining their other models of the analysis-synthesis concept, was the importance of evaluating a design once it has entered the culture. Here, we begin to exercise third and fourth-order design, evaluating the design in social aspects within cultural system.

Looking at other examples of process models, I found the “Diverge / Converge vs. Narrow / Expand” process very interesting. Often, what I’m finding through research of processes is that there’s typically similar patterns that emerge which are thereby labeled something different from the last model that I “discovered.” Perhaps, there’s a process just for this realization! Anyway, the idea of breaking the problem into sub-problems reminded me of my own process of creating a word list. Instead, I focus on which combination of words accurately define a direction toward a solution, rather than dissecting the sub problems in order to formulate a definite solution for the overall problem at hand. I could very well see how I might want to try the “decomposing” and “recombining” technique within my ideation process. Bela Banathy and Nigel Cross’ contemporary models of divergence and convergence also seemed to resonate with me – Cross’ schematic is much easier for me to follow than Banathy’s, yet the concept of a design “ebb and flow” within design thinking, is really the gist of formulating our own methodology dependent on the type of project (large scope vs. small scope).

Nathan Felde’s (case study) of Clement Mok and Keith Yamashita’s AIGA 12-step process was a clever way to narrate each step, based on the Iraq war. He further rewrites the process to include a rather slice-of-life view as a working designer during a contractual obligation. This is an aspect within my own methodology that at times resurfaces when I need to revisit the freelance method versus an in-house method, which is much less complicated (since there are people dedicated to billing, scheduling, filing, filtering client issues, tracking progress and managing deadlines for you).

 

 

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Unit 6: Blog 2: Flow

Posted on 10.17.2012 by Matt

I’ve always known the term “flow” as “being in the zone,” which originally started during my young adolescent days in sports. However, I quickly realized that I rarely experienced “being in the zone,” athletically. The content definition of flow was a reaffirmation of my own experience. Allow me to explain my own take on how I experienced “being in the zone”…

Creatively, I’ve experienced the “flow” and rarely, have I had the experience to witness its intensely. When it happens at an intense state, it always occurs on my terms, driven by motivation out of curiosity (or boredom) and the luxury of having free time. If I’m “in the zone” it’s never initiated in order to meet a deadline. Meeting a deadline helps me to stay on track, yet rarely motivates me to find personal satisfaction. Finding the “flow” doesn’t occur for me when fulfilling someone’s idea or sparked by an incentive of monetary means. It’s buried deep within and often occurs when I realize something that I’ve long been passionate about, but perhaps never fully understood why, nor had dedicated quality time to explore.

It occurs when I find myself highly emotional during the creative process, at the point of crying out of joy or because of a realization that I reached a point of where I wanted to be. It may not necessarily occur because of how well I executed something, but rather how I reached the point of realization. This type of intensity with feeling the “flow” during a project, has always been 100% on my terms and no one else. It started with me and ended with me, however I believe that it’s not the only way for me to experience “flow.”

For me, it’s difficult to categorize “flow.” I don’t see it as something that occurs very often at an intense level, nor do I expect it to always occur. It’s special. It’s a moment that most likely occurs due to several accumulated hours, days or years dedicated to one specific task: exploration. It may also occur because of putting off or suppressing a genuine desire to explore whatever it is you want to create, which can force exploration. When I first experienced an intense moment of “being in the zone” I started to shake and cry. I also didn’t realize what just happened. I thought that I was mentally unstable. I also didn’t realize that I had stayed up until 4AM on a work night because of it.

How I define “flow” is when I’ve found out how to exactly convey a visual image or concept and translate it to paper or screen. Exactly. Not 99.9%, “almost there” or “close, but maybe next time,” but exactly, without any doubts. For that reason alone, I think that experiencing “the zone” or “the flow” is special. Flow can definitely derive from inspiration. Inspiration often leads to excitement and renewed hope for personal discovery. Inspiration also serves as an example for researching further into how or why I have been inspired. Collaboration can also attribute with finding flow, but experiencing flow has to be on my own terms. At some point I need to figure out whatever it is I want to find without further input.

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Unit 6: Blog 1: Creative Process

Posted on 10.16.2012 by Matt

Diagram of Creative Process (Section III) within Design Methodology

Evaluation, Pros & Cons
Based on Section III. Creation Process, of my Design Methodology, each step is not always applied to a project or followed in order as listed, yet the list makes for a good reference for self-evaluation. For example, if I have a firm grasp on a project from the very beginning due to past experience, instincts or if the project is recurring (or a combination all three elements), than I may likely not need to address every step in the creative process. A firm or forced deadline will also not allow time to explore every step in the process.

What I value most during the creative process is collaboration. My expectations of collaborating may not always be met, but when an outside perspective provides a chance to rethink a project, my level of excitement increases. When I become more excited, I tend to discover an unending flow through exploration. Flat, uninteresting, predictable feedback isn’t necessarily a negative attribute, as I often see it as re-affirmative instead. The most obvious downfall, is that predictable feedback provides little when in search or sometimes in need of an outside perspective. Therefore, I always prefer to provide a balance of constructive criticism and positive reinforcement and only hope the same is returned.

My weakness is complacency. When or if I have determined that “something” works, I almost always try to find ways to infuse “something” into the next project. In doing so, I don’t often dedicate time to exploration or experimentation outside of graduate school. If and when I do realize how I might experiment, it’s usually only contained in my thought and not by action. This is an area in which I really where I want to get more involved–experimenting for the sake of realizing new solutions. Research is always a critical component to these rare occasions. Other areas which I don’t feel that I’m always motivated (or deemed as a weakness): wanting to be a team player, tackling several small projects, going with the popular vote, dealing with irrational clients (likely the worst of the worst).

 

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Unit 5: Blog 2: Video Self-Evaluation

Posted on 10.16.2012 by Matt

My self-evaluation for the video presentation for Project A-Part 2, is based on the rubric provided within Unit 5, including the topics: introduction, tone, flow, visuals and timing.

Introduction
The most difficult hurdle was having a severe lack of energy due to a head cold for the past four days. Essentially, I was drugged up and somewhat drowsy, yet managed to plow through my script. Other than introducing my name, project title and establishing a transition, I could have introduced the course name, professor, quarter and year. Minor oversight.

Tone
Blech. I’ve heard better. If I had to do it over again, I would have rehearsed my script a little better, not relying on it, word for word. There were moments when I interjected my own tone of voice, but for the most part, the script was edited to fit within a 7 minute timeframe.

Visuals
I leaned toward informative and simple, rather than illustrious or elaborate. I prefer presentations (or documentaries) that omit zany animations with bad sound effects opting for fun, comic-like illustrations to keep the mood light-hearted. Toward the end, I feel like the video lacks interest. However, the simple background color change for each segment helps to create visual distinction, especially since I revisit “Wicked Problems” later in the presentation.

Flow
I often struggle a little with narrative flow. I either go too slow or rush through my script. It’s an area that I need practice with. In the classroom setting, I’m often speak too fast because I want to fit as much information into the lecture, balanced with time for a Q&A session and activities. I’m rather new with pacing myself for a video presentation as well.

Timing
I think that the amount of time was my strongest area. I spent the majority of time writing, re-writing and rehearsing my script in order to get it to fit within the 7-minute parameter. My timing in between each informative segment was also accounted for. While rewriting my script, I imagined how it would sound as if I was the viewer, listening to each section. In doing so, I asked myself the following questions:

1. Is this section too long?
2. Is this section too predictable?
3. Is this section not related to my topic?
4. What am I missing?
5. What could I introduce in addition to a section that lacks interest?
6. What areas do I not know enough about?
7. What areas do I know a lot about, but have decided to scale back?
8. How are my transitions working?
9. When do I revisit the topic statement?

Overall
I think that my delivery could have been more engaging, but that my timing was spot on. I think that my lower third video graphic was very effective. It’s highly flexible and provides consistency. I don’t prefer text at the top of a presentation, since the hierarchy of information becomes distracting.

Another positive aspect is that I managed not to linger too much on one topic, nor omit any critical insights related to the topic proposal. However, there are many ways in which I could have approached this topic. I decided to treat the topic as if the viewer was new to the information and in doing so, I may have been a little too deliberate in my tone. Perhaps a few more photos would have added further interest to visuals, but overall I was pleased with the final solution.

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Unit 5: Blog Entry 1: Graphic Design Definition Revisited

Posted on 10.10.2012 by Matt

Awareness, Research & Methodology

Three themes resurface during my experience in graduate school, and rightly so: awareness, research and methodology (in no particular order). Two of the three themes have already been stated in my original definition of graphic design. The third theme, methodology, is my focus for the sake of redefining graphic design.

Jessica Helfand’s definition of graphic design is “…the art of visualizing ideas” (Helfand). It is the act of how to convey ideas that is at the very core of graphic design and design thinking. Perhaps another question to ask is “What do you think it takes for a graphic designer to find a solution?”

Allow me to expand on what I mean through an everyday situation. I’ll begin with those that are unfamiliar with the graphic design field…

I’m on an airplane, seated in coach next to a man whom is far better dressed than myself. He’s flying for business, I’m flying to visit family. He’s 50-ish, slightly off-putting and very focused on his laptop. I break the ice, “How’s it going?” A conversation ensues until he asks, “So, whaddya do?” Naturally, I pause and reply, “I’m a designer… mainly, in marketing.” Somehow, he now thinks that I’m in public relations. No! Heaven forbid. Why did I choose to be so vague?

When I ask others, “What does a graphic designer do?,” I receive an answer that’s weighted in terms of its initial descriptor, “graphic.” The associations with “graphic” and “design” present an answer that’s formulated around tangible solutions, such as: web sites, t-shirts, logos, etc. A general response may also include related fields like advertising, marketing, computer programming or illustration. In other words, perhaps the question is part of the problem inasmuch as my own response to the question of “What do you do?”

Let’s be fair, we can’t expect people unrelated to the graphic design field to know about the process of design. “Design” could mean anything: furniture, fashion, architecture, etc. “Graphic design” has also become increasingly vague due to the nature of technological progression and innovation. Remember the term “desktop publishing?” Ask someone, age 18-22, and they’ll likely have no idea what it means (or meant). However, if I’m in a field centered on communication, why do I constantly struggle to explain what it is that I do?

What is not often pursued in response to the question, is our methodology or process behind the work. The same grit and grind crosses over to other disciplines, yet is overlooked or avoided in conversation altogether (without seeming like a human quaalude). We’re tasked with finding solutions, to create a tangible item, to produce a feeling, to improve or create a service or to build an entire system (internally or externally). Without seeing my methodology in front of me for myself, I’m likely overlooking how to accurately address what “graphic design” is to those outside of our field.

A graphic designer makes and designs things. True, but not completely. It would be the equivalent of defining that a teacher only teaches, despite teaching several subjects. Teachers and designers are students. As students, we learn how to convey concepts, be empathetic, manage, evaluate, converse, engage, compare, relate, test, reflect, refine, be aware of human behavior and social issues, and become more efficient and specialized through doing–this is design thinking. The process of design thinking is our methodology. In order to visually convey an idea, or better yet–a solution, I need to analyze and understand what my methodology is as a flexible process toward the solution. Redefining and expanding my methodology through research has helped to gain awareness about the “current” definition of graphic design, while realizing my own personal growth… which is never-ending, such as a student willing to learn.

Works Cited:

Helfand, Jessica. What is Graphic Design? AIGA. Accessed: 8 Oct. 2012. http://www.aiga.org/what-is-design/

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Unit 4: Blog 2: The D.I.Y. Revisit

Posted on 10.06.2012 by Matt

Despite one’s trade, the fear of knowing that anyone (the amateur) can now compete in your field, doesn’t necessarily equate with your field becoming a dying occupation. Nor does it mean that your job position will become completely obsolete (although, I’ve seen it happen to others, first hand). There is definitely truth with “keeping up with the times,” unless, of course, you’re retired. I long for the days when I can wear goofy clothes and spend two hours eating breakfast. Emotionally, the D.I.Y. stigma forces us to evaluate what our next step is in our field. How can you differentiate yourself from the so-called amateur that refers to themself as a “designer.”

In graphic design, our next step is almost always with keeping up with technology, outside of pursuing an advanced degree. However, I’m so accustomed to this trend, that I feel that I’ve become a victim of it. Since I was ten, I started to create digital art. I didn’t realize the advantage over my traditional tools: colored pencil, pen and pencil, yet I did see an appeal with creating something that could be retrieved years later, without time affecting its physical being. My first lust started with attempting to replicate a 1987 Mark McGwire baseball card as a digital equivalent. When I was 17-18, I started dabbling with Photoshop effects, long before CS1 was introduced in 2003. Fast forward to 2012 and in my opinion, CS6 is a feeble upgrade. I am biased, because I teach it, yet the most significant implementation is 3D and animation tool that should have been introduced in CS3 or CS4 (around the time that Google had owned SketchUp). My point is that we all need to keep pace with software if we expect to survive in the field. However, it’s not life or death if an amateur happens to know more about an upgrade, yet has little to no experience with how to convey or implement it.

We all need our bathroom toilet fixed at the time that it clogs. Despite our DIY ambition, we often don’t have time to fix it ourselves or have already exhausted every trick in the “online book,” in which we have merely exacerbated the problem. A plumber with experience (ten, twenty or thirty years) can fix it in less than an hour or two, and never have to return to fix the same problem again. Nor does having fear of the amateur mean that the amateur applies and executes the same reasoning skills or is able to see the same patterns, based upon problem-solving techniques. Based upon raw talent, the amateur likely lacks enough to deliver an end solution with enough effectiveness or to create real competition. Amateur photographers are a dime a dozen, yet professional photographers are very much alive in today’s world, just as is the graphic designer.

Joe Duffy, AIGA medalist, argues “the broader the participation in design, the more enthusiasm and demand for great design.” Dmitri Seigel defines prosumerism as being “template-minded,” where the individual has disregard for the craft of design and writing (Seigel). Instead, the masses search for customization, number of hits or comments and detailed data entry options. The “template-minded” mentality is changing the way we share information as well as what our definition of a product or service is. The shift as a design expert, as Helen Armstrong indicates, “is to consciously position themselves within the prosumer culture or run the risk of being creatively sidelined by it” (Armstrong).

I relate prosumerism to the fast food industry: we’re willing to sacrifice quality for speedy service and convenience. As a result of fast food popularity, we’ve seen many industrialized, wealthy nations experience increased health issues (obesity, hypertension and diabetes). I would correlate the health analogy to other professions as well. If you sacrifice quality for speedy service and convenience, you always get what you pay for: fast crap. Meanwhile, the collective whole follows the pace of technology and our lifestyle continues to shift. Today’s society is pulled in a thousand directions, based upon a thousand options from a hundred different topics and interests. In between, there is a subculture that realizes what good design is; yet they don’t call themselves designers. We’re more aware of what we want and don’t want, while the options rotate or become greater.

What happens when the trend of the subculture is now the standard? Whereas, the subculture knows how to distinguish good design from bad design, our society is now more aware of it for themselves–enter the experienced designer. We might be able to design our own shoes online, sew our own clothes, make our own websites, produce our own movies and cook over 100 recipes and yet, each of these individual industries and its specialists still exist. Meanwhile, at the same time, the amateur continues to churn out quick piles of garbage in order to justify themselves as “a designer.”

Tim Brown explains design thinking as a critical element that differentiates professional from amateur. “Today, rather than enlist designers to make an already developed idea more attractive, the most progressive companies are challenging them to create ideas at the outset of the development process. The former role is tactical; it builds on what exists and usually moves it one step further. The latter is strategic; it pulls “design” out of the studio and unleashes its disruptive, game-changing potential. It’s no accident that designers can now be found in the boardrooms of some of the world’s most progressive companies. As a thought process, design has begun to move upstream” (Brown).

Brown also explores the meaning of innovation, stating it as “nothing less than a survival strategy.” Brown explains that the way in which the outsider sees a designer is in fact, completely the opposite of how the designer views himself or herself. “It is, moreover, no longer limited to the introduction of new physical products but includes new sorts of processes, services, interactions, entertainment forms and ways of communicating and collaborating. These are exactly the kinds of human-powered tasks that designers work on every day. The natural evolution from design doing and design thinking reflects the growing recognition on the part of today’s business leaders that design has become too important to be left to designers” (Brown).

As we continue to see an abundance of mediocrity from self-proclaimed designers, our role as design experts will also shift. Design doers are very much still relevant to the world of graphic design and perhaps more and more doers exist today, both professional and amateur. The way in which designers work collaboratively together to solve design challenges will further serve to the success of an outcome through design thinking and what separates it from the status quo. Change is no stranger to the design field, especially in relation with how designers perform tasks using technology. I think that the “template-minded” mentality has been a thorn in the design industry, but like technology itself, it was an inevitable change that we (the graphic designer) need to embrace.

Works Cited:

Armstrong, Helen. Graphic Design Theory, Readings From the Field. Princeton Architectural Press. 2009. Pages 9-15.

Brown, Tim. Change By Design. HarperCollins Publishers. 2009. Page 7-22.

Seigel, Dmitri. Designing Our Own Graves. Design Observer. 27 June 2006. Web. http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=4307

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