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Week 15 – Final Thoughts

I have learned a lot about design throughout this semester, and I am very excited to see where it moves to in the future. While many disciplines in design will still be relevant, I think that some new/emerging ones will become much more relevant over time.

One area that I see design becoming much more relevant in is the area of virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual reality has always been a thing in the mind of the public, however there was never the technology there to make it an actual thing. However as technology advances and grows, virtual reality will only become more relevant, and more jobs and design opportunities will open up. Their are a lot of different applications for virtual reality as well, such as video games, education, the arts, and many more that I can’t even imagine.

Another design discipline that has been on the rise for some time is motion graphics. Motion graphics are becoming more and more relevant in a wide range of mediums, such as web design, advertising, film, and many more. And this rise doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all either. Motion design has taken the world by storm in the past decade, with it being applied almost everywhere. As the world becomes more digital, the need for good motion graphics will only become greater.

One last area of design that is going to stay relevant, and perhaps become more relevant in the future, is digital and social media. The idea of media becoming a way to socialize with friends and family was groundbreaking, since that meant that one could communicate and keep up without having to leave the comfort of their home or devices. And I think that social media will continue to become bigger and used by more and more people as time goes on. With social media platforms coming and going, there are always new ways that design can improve it.

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Week 14 – Your choice

I have a lot of things in the area of design that I would like to talk about, but I’ll just talk about the things that have been on my mind lately.

One habit/norm in design that I absolutely hate is how new designers will take jobs for no pay, since there is a promise for it “building their resume” or “getting their name out there”. How I see it, is if careers like mechanics or accountants go to school, then are given jobs that give them a stable income, why is it that designers are expected to bite the bullet and scrape by when they paid and went to school just like everybody else? I think that this unintentional custom to design for free should be forgotten and clients/businesses need to realize that design work is hard and requires lots of critical thinking and skill.

Another gripe about design that I have had for awhile is how often times designers forget that their machines are merely just tools, not a means to an end. Programs and computers alike should be viewed as a tool that designers can utilize to make their ideas into a real, graspable thing. Designers were around far before the advent of the computer, thus we should think and create first with our hands and then go to the computer, not vice versa. What was made to be just a tool of craft has now become a medium of thought for many designers out there- a dependency.

My last thing that I would like to rant about is something that always find myself doing and that I know others do as well, which is brainstorming into oblivion and overthinking a project. When we think too hard about a project or task, we often times never start said task, or wait far longer than we would have liked to have spent. I’ve learnt recently that it is far better to jump right into a project with no ideas yet in mind than too overthink it before I have even started. Design should be a sort of play; we should ponder many different ways to do a project and test different avenues of said project while we do it, even if it means failing a bit along the way.

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Week 12 – New Media

Interactive design is a huge part of design as a whole, and is very important since it has to change as the world changes around it. In my opinion, one of the most substantial fields that have the greatest impact of interactive design are web design and design on the internet as a whole. Another field that is very involved in interactive design is design in advertising, since the public’s perception of a “good” advertisement is always changing as culture changes.

Web design is perhaps the largest and most expansive field of design that there is. With it being such a vague field, there are many disciplines that it is concerned with, such as website design; interface design; user experience design, and so many more. Web design is constantly changing and adapting based on different trends, technological advances and innovations, etc. The internet as a whole has completely transformed how the public uses the internet, and how design affects their experience. Utilizing design on the internet is especially necessary for brands and companies, since it is the most cost effective way to get their message out there. Web design also allowed for the creation of numerous design software and programs to be created, such as adobe, which has propelled design as a whole into huge advancement and innovation.

Design in advertising is also a medium which always has to adapt due to the public and society. Each and every year it is clear that advertising companies change tactics, mediums, and techniques in order to keep up with what is popular in the public eye. Design in advertising is likewise having to adapt too, weather that be the programs used, graphic or motion graphic’s being needed, and countless other things that are having to change. Advertising is always evolving and is always having to interact with popular culture.

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Week 11 -  Graphic Design

People who consider themselves citizen designers are interested and involved in bringing about social change. They are designers who are focused on fixing some of society’s issues, raising awareness about said issues, and educating the public about societal problems through their design. In the reading, a Citizen Designer refers to “a professional who attempts to address societal issues either through or in addition to his or her commercial work” (pg. 425). Some of the social issues many citizen designers are involved in are things like helping the AIDS/HIV movement, raising awareness to global climate change, and any other type of social issue. One challenge that these types of designers face however are balancing their advocacy for social change with their commercial work and making a livable wage. But thanks to the citizen design approach and movement, citizen designers are able to stay focused on what they believe in, and are able to use their design skills to help society grow and prosper.

Citizen Design is incredibly relevant to the industry, society, and the world as a whole because in order to start social change their needs to be those who are starting conversation about it. And the best way to start a conversation or get people thinking about a problem is to show the public the issue yourself through design. One way that citizen designers get their ideas across is through dual purposed design. Eskilson describes one way to show dual purposed design: making a theater brochure that could also be used as a striking poster. These types of design strategies are important when getting points about societal issues across through design, and the design is the most important part of that. Design is such a powerful communicator and illustrator of ideas, and that is why citizen designers are so important in the world today.

Source:

Stephen J Eskilson, Graphic Design: A New History, Second Edition,Yale University Press.

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Week 4 – Found Object

I have just left my house, and I have already come across a design project that is very interesting to me. This first design is a community garden of sorts, adorning all sorts of different vegetable, fruit, and flower segments. On the front of the garden there are various signs with uplifting messages, such as “let life grow”, “patience, attention, and love”, etc. The inside of the garden, while not containing any plants since it is winter, looks to be very organized and well-cared for. This garden is an example of a design that is meant to bring a community together, while also teaching and helping said community. This project reminds me of the Funanhe Living Water Park, located in Chengdu, China. This park was inspired due to a heavily polluted river, in which the city, with help of designers, helped to create a park that promoted and taught people about the importance of clean water.

The second piece of design which really caught my eye is the new streetcar system in downtown Milwaukee, which is a relatively new creation, being called “The Hop”. This is the first time I’ve seen it in action, and it is much bigger than I initially expected. Based off how looks alone, this new streetcar looks pretty cool and neat. The car looks almost like a light-rail, gliding across tracks that the city put in, leading from the bus station all the way down near the Milwaukee Art Museum. While I think this is a cool idea, after seeing it in action, it seems kind of clunky and a hassle for other transportation systems. This design is meant to help people get around the city, and while that is well and good for a quick ride, I think it wasn’t completely necessary since there are already so many other , equally efficient, ways of transport around downtown.

Overall, this experience of walking and thinking about design in just the area around me has really helped in understanding just how much design influences everything around us. Without design there would be no innovation or advancements in cities or communities. I also think that I am starting to be able to dissect and figure out why and how design is created thanks to what I’ve learned in class so far.

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Week 3 – History of Design

Photo 1 (bike): This bike has gotten me through many years of wear, and I haven’t gotten a new one due to the various design features I like about it. The gear system is great, as well as the breaking and pedals. This bike is my favorite because it gets done what I want a bike to get done.

Photo 2 (fan): When choosing a fan to buy, I have a few things that I need out of it. I want it to be strong, but not take up too much space, as well as be able to to look nice with the rest of the area surrounding it. This fan does all of that.

Photo 3 (wallet): I have had this Herschel wallet for as long as I remember. It has a zipper so that nothing falls out, which is something that others have had a problem doing. It also is minimalistic and simple, which I love since I love things that are simple and efficient.

Photo 4 (boots): These boots are the epitome of what boots should be: durable, good looking, and effective. The design of these boots are everything that I want in a pair of footwear.

Photo 5 (towel rack): I got this last year at Costco and it has served wonders for managing space around the house. It is very strong and durable, isn’t an eyesore, and best of all saves space in other areas.

Photo 6 (alarm clock): This alarm clock has been a lifesaver for me over my academic career. It has various functions that put it ahead of competitors, which is what made me choose it over others. One such function is that it blares the loudest noise ever if you fail to get up and turn it off in time.

Photo 7 (notes): I went out and looked at various buildings and structures in Milwaukee to try and find how their design works in their favor. When studying the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower, I noticed many design choices that was made in it’s creation. One of my favorites was how well it was at getting peoples attention, even from very far away.

Photo 8 (notes): Another building that I looked at was the Milwaukee City Hall. This building is striking it is, as if it screams “I am important”. It is located near other important buildings as well, which was a decision the designers no doubt made when creating it.

Photo 9 (sketch): I decided to sketch my office chair for one of my observations. This chair has held up incredibly well over the years, and it is very comfortable to sit in. This is by far my favorite chair that I own, due to how well it is at being just that: a thing to sit on in order to get things done.

Photo 10 (sketch): I really love this water bottle, as I have been using it everyday for the past year. It is made of stainless steel, which makes it very good at staying in one piece. This design decision to not use plastic also makes the water not have a strange plastic taste, and is better for the environment than competitors.

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Week 2 – Design Thinking

Design Thinking, by Tim Brown, presented design in a very interesting and new way for me. After reading this I personally would define design as creating an object, tool, or idea that benefits the most amount of people as possible. Design is a very broad term however, and can refer to the overall appearance of something (making it aesthetically pleasing to the costumer), or it’s actual function in aiding an an individual. In this reading Brown states that in the past design was used only in for the creation of more pleasing looking product, where as over time it has become used more and more for functional reasons.

One example of design influencing consumers that I found to be really fascinating was the example of how a team of IDEO and Shimano people re-worked the way that a bike was designed. Having noticed that much less adults were riding bikes than kids were, they set out to learn why. After conducting some research, it was learned that around 90% of American adults don’t ride bikes. This is because most were intimidated by a number of things: such as “the complexity and cost of the bikes, accessories, and specialized clothing; by the danger of cycling on roads not designed for bicycles; and by the demands of maintaining a technically sophisticated bike that is ridden infrequently” (Brown 89). They solved these complex issues by simply changing how they designed it; changing the design from complex and sporty to simple and casual.

An example of design personally influencing the products that I personally buy would be my windows pc. When I initially wanted to get a computer my parents urged my to get a mac, but after doing research the design that a pc promised was much more important than that of a mac. For example, while it costs more, the processing power is much higher and faster than that of a mac. On the other side of the spectrum I chose my iPhone 10 over an 8 because I like the physical appearance better.

By far the most significant and valuable concept that I took away from this weeks reading was that it is paramount to review and rethink your design no matter what, since there are an indefinite amount of ways to re-design a product or idea. Whether that means to work in a collaborative group/team, or simply go over designs over and over, it is important to remind yourself to always think about how you can make a design better.

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Week 1 -- about me

My name is Charlie Moore and I am a second year student here at UW-Milwaukee. I took this class mainly because I am a Design and Visual Communication major, but I also took it because I want to learn more about the history of design as a whole and cultural impacts that it has had over the centuries. I also would like to learn more about the design movements that have happened in the past since I feel I don’t understand them well enough. I have been interested in design ever since I was in elementary school, where I quickly took an interest art and making things of my own. I ultimately want to get into the industry of visual and motion graphics using digital media as a way to create said graphics. I love designing things of all kind and greatly enjoy helping clients and people in general. I have some experience so far in the world of design, as I have been learning digital design for the past couple of years after I discovered how much I enjoy doing it. I work partially as a freelance designer but am trying to expand my experiences in the near future. I also have some experience from high school when I worked in a graphic design class learning as much as I could. I take inspiration from many things, but mostly I get inspired from things that are visually stimulating for me. Much of my design work draws inspiration from geometry, architecture, and nature. I also look a lot at cultural trends when looking for inspiration in design. Design has a big influence when I am purchasing things as well. Last week for example when grocery shopping I chose a certain soda over a different one because I liked the packaging design more on the one I chose.