Prototype

It has been a bit of a problem defining what we do here, and not for lack of answers. It seems each time someone pops the question “So what do you do?” the response begs only more questions.

Partly this is due to our insistence on remaining generalists and exploring new avenues of intervention. Partly this is due to the prevalent industry mindset of looking at people’s expertise rather than their inclinations.

I have spoken with engineers, industrial designers, literary critics, teachers, lawyers, writers, and photographers. Despite the differing professions there seems to be a similar divide within these industries. That divide is one of integrated thinking versus intense specialization. Graphic Designers come in many shapes and colours, but certainly there are those who wish to see the biggest picture possible, and those who lean more deeply to the smallest point kernable.

This divide between experts and generalists has me scratching my head, wondering which one I am, and to what extent. If there is anything I have learned, it is that nothing is black or white.

With that said, objectives must be. To move in a direction is to see clear opportunity. So which way am I moving. The answer is clear; toward integrated generalized thinking.

Speaking with an industrial designer, has opened up some possibilities. She told me about the Finnish approach which is a bit different. They have a term called world design.

A solution from an industrial design might be an AIDs truck which educates by moving around, a solution from a graphic designer might be a billboard campaign which educates on a mass media scale.

I can appreciate the diplomacy in seeing each type of execution as a good one, but we must account for appropriateness. In most cases mass media is not the solution, but rather an accompaniment to a better idea, a new way of interacting. This is not to say that graphic designers cannot inform that better way. It is to say that in order to find appropriate solutions we must look outside of the tools we are experts in, and understand the landscape of possibilities.

This idea of design as inventory of possibility is much more attractive than designer as skilled artist. It sees the designers role as a visionary who works with many parties to execute an idea which spans many disciplines; the world of work so to speak. Further more, the world in world designer can be expanded from the idea of the world as earth, to the worlds separate and overlapping.

The world of taxis in Toronto is very different from the world of textile designers. Different but integrated. To see these worlds, allow them to facilitate each other, appreciate the difference, and make new ones when appropriate, is the role of the world designer. To design for the world we share, to appreciate the worlds we do not, and to envision new possible worlds we might face in the future.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 at 9:46 pm and is filed under Ideas, Manifestos, Work. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.