HYBRID
HUMANS MANIFESTO
‘Print vs. The Digital’ is an old and monotonous topic of discussion.
ENOUGH! Design today is hybrid, and we are hybrid people.
A manifesto on design today.
1
CREATIVITY IS AN EVER-GROWING REQUISITE OF SOCIETY
Design and creativity is forever growing, flourishing, thriving and mutating. Society would not function without creativity, nor would it be bearable without creative diversity. You have to embrace the emergence of new things. Be familiar with them, use them or choose not to use them. But be conscious of them.
2
CONTEXT FIRST, MEDIUM SECOND
Our current hybrid society contains an array of users. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the context before the chosen medium. You have to consider who it is you are targeting and subsequently, the best medium to communicate these ideas,
3
OKAY, IT’S PRINT & DIGITAL NOT PRINT VS. DIGITAL
Print needs the digital and the digital needs print. These two forms are working together. We live in a time where we require both print and the digital to appeal to a multitude of users. The debate is no longer because these two forms work harmoniously but it is up to the designer to choose the appropriate medium for their content and user.
4
INNOVATION & FUNCTION
It is important to evaluate function in all designs. New and innovative designs are always initially popular, but what makes them remain in demand is functionality. Although innovative designs are important, you have to reflect on the history of design and the general principles of design. How does it work and why does it work?
5
EXPERIMENT
Be Messy. Design isn’t supposed to be boring. You’ve got your hands and your digital tools. So rip things, scan things, photograph things and produce things. Don’t be afraid of mistakes because they generally produce an assortment of ideas.
6
USE YOUR HANDS
We spoke about innovation and new ideas. Every designer owns a computational device of some sort, so how do you distinguish yourself from the other billion graphic designers? Use your hands. Whether it be illustration, collage, painting and so on, because this is the skill that will shape your personal design aesthetic. This is what will differentiate you from other designers.
7
COLLABORATE & CO-DESIGN
Designers should collaborate with other designers as well as the user. Collaboration of designers from various disciplines will greatly benefit the design outcome. Communication between designer and user is now significant to almost all design projects. It provides an experiential insight into what should be done to amplify ergonomic and user-friendly experiences.
BY JENNY TRAN