Paul J. Nini, Selected Academic Writings, 2006–1992

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4ABLE OF #ONTENTS

4HIS COLLECTION OF WRITINGS IS © BY 0AUL * .INI ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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2EPRODUCTION OF THIS COLLECTION IS GOVERNED BY THE #REATIVE #OMMONS

APPROACH TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

$EED NON COMMERCIAL 4HE READER IS FREE TO COPY THIS WORK UNDER

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'RAPHIC DESIGN FAMILY VALUES

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THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS !TTRIBUTION n YOU MUST ATTRIBUTE THE WORK IN THE MANNER SPECIFIED BY THE AUTHOR OR LICENSOR .ON COMMERCIAL n YOU MAY

4YPOGRAPHY AND THE AGING EYE TYPEFACE LEGIBILITY FOR OLDER

NOT USE THIS WORK FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES YOU MAY NOT SELL THIS WORK

VIEWERS WITH VISION PROBLEMS

.O $ERIVATIVE 7ORKS n YOU MAY NOT ALTER TRANSFORM OR BUILD UPON THIS WORK &OR ANY REUSE OR DISTRIBUTION YOU MUST MAKE CLEAR TO OTHERS THE LICENSE TERMS OF THIS WORK !NY OF THESE CONDITIONS MAY BE WAIVED IF YOU RECEIVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER &AIR USE AND OTHER RIGHTS ARE IN NO WAY AFFECTED BY THE ABOVE CONDITIONS 0AUL * .INI 0ROFESSOR $EPARTMENT OF $ESIGN 4HE /HIO 3TATE 5NIVERSITY (AYES (ALL . /VAL -ALL #OLUMBUS /( 53!

WWW DESIGN OSU EDU

FLEXIBILITY IN IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

!BOUT THE AUTHOR

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3HARPENING ONE S AXE MAKING A CASE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN $ESIGN 3TUDIES 4HEORY AND 2ESEARCH IN 'RAPHIC $ESIGN

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TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

!BSTRACT

h)F ) HAD EIGHT HOURS TO CHOP DOWN A TREE ) D SPEND SIX SHARPENING MY AXE v !BRAHAM ,INCOLN -R ,INCOLN S ADVICE IS OF COURSE VERY GOOD AND APPLICABLE TO MANY PURSUITS 9ET MANY GRAPHIC DESIGN PRACTITIONERS AND STUDENTS OFTEN ROU

AS THEY APPLY TO TYPICAL PROJECTS WILL BE DISCUSSED &INALLY EXAMPLES OF STUDENT WORK WILL BE INCLUDED AS WILL EXPLANATIONS OF THE KINDS OF RE SEARCH TECHNIQUES USED TO INFORM THESE DESIGN SOLUTIONS 4HE GOAL OF THIS PAPER IS TO PRESENT THE BASIC INFORMATION NEEDED FOR

TINELY IGNORE THIS SENTIMENT AND DIVE DIRECTLY INTO FORM MAKING ACTIVITIES

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS TO CONSIDER INCORPORATING THE DEMONSTRATED RESEARCH

WHEN PRESENTED WITH A DESIGN PROBLEM )N MOST CASES WE TEND TO RELY ON

TECHNIQUES IN THEIR WORK )T IS MY HOPE THAT MORE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS WILL

INTUITION AND OUR hBEST GUESSv TO CONSTRUCT A SOLUTION WITHOUT THE BENEFIT

PURSUE A RESEARCH BASED APPROACH TO THE PROCESS OF CREATING APPROPRIATE

OF THE VARIOUS TYPES OF RESEARCH THAT MIGHT PROVIDE A CLEARER INSIGHT AS TO

AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE VARIOUS USERS AND AUDIENCE GROUPS

HOW OUR EFFORTS MIGHT BE MORE EFFECTIVELY DIRECTED /UR PROFESSION MIGHT

FOR WHICH THEY DESIGN

BE CHARACTERIZED IF YOU WILL AS hSWINGING A DULL AXE v ) INTEND THEREFORE TO PUT FORWARD A CONCEPT FOR A COMPREHENSIVE

)NTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MODEL THAT INCORPORATES THE VARIOUS TYPES OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES THAT

4HE APPROACH DESCRIBED IN THIS PAPER RESULTS FROM A VIEW OF DESIGN AS A

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS MIGHT EMPLOY IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING EFFECTIVE

PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITY AS OPPOSED TO A VIEW THAT PRIMARILY STRESSES

SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS WE GENERALLY ADDRESS 4HESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE

SELF EXPRESSION ! NUMBER OF THE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES EMPLOYED ARE VIEWER

TIED TO A TYPICAL MODEL OF THE DESIGN PROCESS WHICH INVOLVES SUCH BASIC

CENTERED AND REQUIRE DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE USER GROUPS

STEPS AS PROBLEM INVESTIGATION ANALYSIS AND PLANNING AND SYNTHESIS

OR AUDIENCE GROUPS FOR WHOM THE COMMUNICATION IS INTENDED "OTH

AND EVALUATION 4HE TYPES OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES DISCUSSED WILL INCLUDE

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS ARE USED AS WOULD BE AP

GATHERING AND ANALYZING COMPETITORS EFFORTS AND RELATED APPROACHES TO

PROPRIATE TO THE PARTICULAR DESIGN PROBLEM SOMETIMES COMBINED WITHIN

SIMILAR PROJECTS ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING DESIGN EFFORTS AND

A SINGLE RESEARCH ACTIVITY 0LEASE ALSO NOTE THAT THE TERMS hAUDIENCEv

APPROACHES TO SOLICITING GENERATIVE EVALUATIVE AND EXPERIENTIAL FEEDBACK

AND hUSERv ARE USED TO DENOTE TWO SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MEANINGS IN THIS

FROM USERS AND AUDIENCES MEMBERS

PAPER !UDIENCES ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE LARGER GROUPS OF VIEW

!S WELL DIFFERENT METHODS OF USER RESEARCH TECHNIQUES WILL BE DEM ONSTRATED INCLUDING SURVEY RESEARCH WHAT VIEWERS SAY OBSERVATIONAL

ERS AND THE RESEARCH METHODS DISCUSSED IN REGARD TO AUDIENCE CENTERED PROJECTS ARE MOSTLY PERCEPTUAL IN NATURE SUCH AS MEASURING IMPRESSIONS

RESEARCH WHAT VIEWERS DO AND PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH WHAT VIEWERS MAKE $ISCUSSION OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THESE TECHNIQUES

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TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

#REATING A MODEL OF THE DESIGN PROCESS

OF TRADEMARK CONCEPTS /N THE OTHER HAND USERS ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED

7HILE EVERY DESIGNER S APPROACH TO DESIGNING DIFFERS SOMEWHAT IT IS POS

TO BE SMALLER GROUPS OF VIEWERS AND THE RESEARCH METHODS DISCUSSED IN

SIBLE TO CONSTRUCT A MODEL OF THE DESIGN PROCESS THAT INCLUDES THE BASIC

REGARD TO USER CENTERED PROJECTS ARE MOSTLY PERFORMANCE BASED SUCH

TASKS AND ACTIVITIES INVOLVED 4HE BELOW MODEL IS REPRESENTED IN A LINEAR

AS MEASURING A USER S ABILITY TO LOCATE A DESTINATION VIA VIEWING EXISTING

FASHION AS EARLIER STEPS OFTEN PRECEDE LATER ONES 7E ALL KNOW HOWEVER

SIGNAGE IN AN ENVIRONMENT

THAT REAL LIFE IS OFTEN NOT SO NEATLY ORGANIZED AND THAT THE PARTICULAR PATH

4HE SPECIFIC RESEARCH METHODS DISCUSSED HAVE BEEN EXPLORED AND

WE MIGHT TAKE ON A GIVEN PROJECT MAY VARY FROM THE ONE PRESENTED HERE

WRITTEN ABOUT BY MANY OTHERS AND THE PAST WORKS OF FELLOW DESIGN EDUCA

4HE MAIN VALUE OF A PROCESS MODEL THEREFORE IS ITS ABILITY TO ACT AS A

TORS !LLMENDINGER "YRNE &RASCARA

0OGGEN

KIND OF GUIDE TO OUR EFFORTS ALLOWING US TO TAILOR IT TO THE NEEDS OF THE

POHL 2OTH AND 3ANDERS HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVELY

PROJECT AT HAND

DRAWN UPON !S WELL THE WORK OF RESEARCHERS IN ENGINEERING AND THE SO CIAL SCIENCES HAVE BEEN REFERENCED INCLUDING PUBLICATIONS BY #LARKSON

ET AL 3CHULER AND .AMIOKA AND 3CRIVENER ET AL 4WO MUCH OLDER BUT STILL VERY APPLICABLE TEXTS HAVE ALSO BEEN DRAWN UPON #HERRY S DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS OF HUMAN COMMUNICATION

AND /SGOOD S USE OF THE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL AS A TOOL FOR MEA

&IG 4HE BASIC STEPS OF THE DESIGN PROCESS

SURING BASIC VIEWER RESPONSE TO VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS 4HE WORK OF ALL OF THE ABOVE AUTHORS IS GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGED AS THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS PAPER

4HE BASIC DESIGN PROCESS CAN BE BROKEN INTO TWO DISTINCT PHASES FIG 4HE FIRST PHASE IS DEVOTED TO INVESTIGATION OF THE DESIGN PROBLEM AND

4HIS WRITING IS ALSO A CONTINUATION OF THE AUTHOR S PAST WORK INCLUDING

THE CREATION OF STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC ISSUES FOUND 4HE SEC

A RECENT CALL FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE AND USER CENTERED APPROACH TO GRAPHIC

OND PHASE IS DEVOTED TO DEVELOPING DESIGN CONCEPTS AND FURTHER REFINED

DESIGN PRACTICE .INI

AND THE RESULTS OF A LARGE SCALE SURVEY OF

PROTOTYPES AND SOLUTIONS #ONCURRENT WITH EACH STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT IN

53 GRAPHIC DESIGN PRACTITIONERS CONCERNING THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH DESIGN

THE SECOND PHASE ARE ITERATIVE ROUNDS OF USER OR AUDIENCE TESTING WHICH

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES .INI &INALLY MANY THANKS TO THE DESIGN STU

ALLOW SPECIFIC IMPROVEMENTS TO BE MADE PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION !T THIS

DENTS AT THE /HIO 3TATE 5NIVERSITY FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND FOR THE USE OF THE PROJECT RESULTS SHOWN AND DISCUSSED BELOW

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POINT IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE PROCESS TO BEGIN AGAIN AS USER OR AUDIENCE TESTING AFTER INTRODUCTION OF THE COMMUNICATION MAY REVEAL POS SIBILITIES FOR FURTHER GENERATIONS OR EDITIONS

&IG 4YPICAL ACTIVITIES DURING THE DESIGN PROCESS

!CTIVITIES TYPICAL TO EACH PHASE FIG INCLUDE AN AUDIT OF COMPETING

&IG 4HE THREE MAIN METHODS FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH VIEWERS

VARIOUS ASPECTS OF DESIGNED COMMUNICATIONS WHILE BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH

OR SIMILAR DESIGN EFFORTS AND THE CREATION OF DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES FOR THE

CAN PROVIDE INSIGHT THROUGH OBSERVATION OF USERS ACTIONS 0ARTICIPATORY

DESIGNED COMMUNICATIONS ! BETTER AWARENESS OF THE STATE OF THE ART IS

RESEARCH CAN ALLOW FOR A PARTNERING WITH USERS TO CREATE COMMUNICATIONS

ACHIEVED THROUGH THE FIRST ACTIVITY WHILE THE SECOND CAN SUPPLY AGREED

THAT MEET SPECIFIC NEEDS FOR PARTICULAR CONTEXTS

UPON CRITERIA FOR EVENTUAL TESTING IN PHASE TWO 5SERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS CAN THEN PROVIDE INPUT INTO THE ORGANIZATION OF CONTENT AND

5SING THE DESIGN PROCESS MODEL AS A PLANNING TOOL

BASIC VISUAL APPROACH OF DESIGN CONCEPTS WHILE ALSO PROVIDING EVALU

4HE COMPLETE PROCESS MODEL AS SHOWN ABOVE CAN ALSO BE USED AS A

ATION OF DESIGN PROTOTYPES FOR FURTHER REFINEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT AND

TOOL TO PLAN SPECIFIC RESEARCH ACTIVITIES FOR MOST TYPES OF VISUAL COM

EXPERIENCE USING FINAL COMMUNICATIONS AFTER THEIR INTRODUCTION

MUNICATION DESIGN PROJECTS 7HILE ALMOST ALL PROJECTS WILL REQUIRE THE

&INALLY IT S ALSO HELPFUL TO CONSIDER THE THREE MAIN METHODS FOR CON

BASIC STEPS OUTLINED IN PHASE ONE DIFFERENT TYPES OF USER OR AUDIENCE

DUCTING USER OR AUDIENCE RESEARCH FIG AS PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS 3URVEY RESEARCH CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE IMPRESSIONS CONCERNING

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RESEARCH WOULD BE EMPLOYED ELSEWHERE IN THE PROCESS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE PROJECT "Y USING THE MODEL TO CONSIDER ALL POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS OF RESEARCH METHODS SPECIFIC USER AND AUDIENCE RESEARCH PLANS CAN BE CREATED AS NEEDED "ELOW IS AN EXAMPLE OF A RESEARCH PLAN SPECIFIC TO CORPORATE

&IG ! USER RESEARCH PLAN FOR INTERACTION AND INTERFACE DESIGN

IDENTIFICATION DESIGN FIG !S A PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS TYPE OF PROJECT IS TO CREATE A PARTICULAR IMPRESSION IN THE MINDS OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS IT S APPROPRIATE THAT SURVEY RESEARCH TOOLS BE MAINLY USED TO GAUGE THE SUC CESS OF BOTH EXISTING AND PROPOSED DESIGN EFFORTS

&IG ! USER RESEARCH PLAN FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS AND WAYlNDING DESIGN

&IG !N AUDIENCE RESEARCH PLAN FOR CORPORATE IDENTIlCATION DESIGN

.OTICE THE SIMILARITIES OF THE NEXT TWO INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PLANS FIGS AND CREATED FOR INTERACTION INTERFACE DESIGN PROJECTS AND ENVIRON MENTAL GRAPHIC WAYFINDING DESIGN PROJECTS RESPECTIVELY !S BOTH TYPES OF

&IG ! USER RESEARCH PLAN FOR TASK ORIENTED INFORMATION DESIGN

PROJECTS MAINLY CONCERN USERS NAVIGATING SPACE WHETHER VIRTUAL OR PHYSI CAL IT S APPROPRIATE THAT BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH BE THE PREDOMINANT METHOD USED 4HE FINAL RESEARCH PLAN FIG CREATED FOR TASK ORIENTED INFORMATION DESIGN PROJECTS USES ALL THREE AUDIENCE AND USER RESEARCH METHODS DUE TO THE POTENTIALLY MORE COMPLEX NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE NEED TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THE USER GROUP THROUGHOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS

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TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

.OT ALL USER AND AUDIENCE RESEARCH METHODS ARE APPROPRIATE OR EF

COMPOSITIONS BY HAND WITH NO WORDS APPEARING TO LABEL THE CONCEPTS

FECTIVE FOR ALL TYPES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN PROBLEMS "Y UNDERSTANDING THE

AND USE THESE VERSIONS TO TEST WITH AUDIENCE MEMBERS 4HEY SHOW EACH

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH METHOD THE DESIGNER CAN CONSTRUCT A

COMPOSITION TO TWENTY RANDOMLY CHOSEN VIEWERS WHO ARE ASKED TO COM

LOGICAL AND WORKABLE RESEARCH PLAN FOR ANY GIVEN PROJECT AND COMBINE THE

PLETE A SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL SURVEY FORM AND RANK A PARTICULAR CONCEPT

ABOVE RESEARCH METHODS AS CALLED FOR BY THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AT HAND

WITH FIVE ASSOCIATED WORDS AND THEIR ANTONYMS 3TUDENTS THEN CREATE A GRAPH FIG RIGHT THAT DISPLAYS THE AVERAGE

%XAMPLES OF STUDENT PROJECTS USING THIS RESEARCH APPROACH

VIEWER RESPONSES ON THE SEMANTIC DIFFERENTIAL SCALE !UDIENCE RESPONSES

&OLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT PROJECTS FROM THE VISUAL

TO COMPOSITIONS THAT PROPERLY CONVEY THE INTENDED PROPERTIES WILL NATU

COMMUNICATION DESIGN PROGRAM AT THE /HIO 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE THE

RALLY FALL TO THE APPROPRIATE SIDE OF THE SCALE 3TUDENTS ALSO CONSIDER ANY

BASIC RESEARCH APPROACH JUST DESCRIBED HAS BEEN INTRODUCED AND PUT INTO

WRITTEN RESPONSES FROM VIEWERS WHILE REFINING THEIR COMPOSITIONS AND

USE 3OME OF THE PROJECTS ARE FAIRLY SIMPLE AND SHORT TERM AS WOULD BE AP

THEN CREATE FINAL VERSIONS ON THE COMPUTER WHERE THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT

PROPRIATE TO BASIC GRAPHIC DESIGN COURSES WHILE OTHERS ARE MORE COMPLEX

WORDS ARE ADDED 4HE BASIC PROCESS OF DEFINING DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES

AND LONG TERM AS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO MORE ADVANCED COURSE WORK

FOR THEIR EFFORTS CREATING AND TESTING A VISUAL CONCEPT AND REFINING THAT CONCEPT BASED ON VIEWER RESPONSE IS INTRODUCED THROUGH THIS PROJECT

AND GIVES BEGINNING STUDENTS A GLIMPSE OF THE APPROACH THAT WILL BE USED THROUGHOUT THEIR SUBSEQUENT COURSES 3URVEY RESEARCH IS ALSO APPLIED IN AN INTERMEDIATE LEVEL COURSE PROJECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VISUAL MARK AS PART OF A CORPORATE IDEN TIFICATION SYSTEM 4O THE LEFT FIG OVER IS A STUDENT CREATED MARK FOR

&IG /PPOSING CONCEPTS EXERCISE AND AVERAGE VIEWER RESPONSES TO ASSOCIATED PROPERTIES

AN ORGANIZATION PROVIDING ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN UP SERVICES ALONG WITH APPLICATION OF THE MARK TO VARIOUS ITEMS 4O THE RIGHT ARE AVERAGE AUDI

!BOVE FIG LEFT IS THE OUTCOME OF A BASIC LEVEL GRAPHIC DESIGN COURSE PROJECT WHERE STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO CREATE VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS

ENCE RESPONSES TO A LIST OF DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES INCLUDING THE WORDS ORGANIC CLEAN WET NURTURING CALM HEALTHY FRESH AND NATURAL !LMOST

OF OPPOSING CONCEPTS AND THEN CONDUCT A SIMPLE AUDIENCE TESTING EXER CISE TO MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR EFFORTS 3TUDENTS FIRST CONSTRUCT

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TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

IDENTIFY THE MAJOR ENTRANCES OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS BUILDINGS ON THE /HIO 3TATE CAMPUS 3TUDENTS OBSERVED THE FLOW OF PEOPLE ENTERING THE VARIOUS BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND DEVELOPED CUSTOMIZED SIGNS THAT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF OPTIMAL PLACEMENTS BASED ON LIKELY VIEWS FROM APPROACHING THE BUILDINGS ON FOOT THE TYPICAL MANNER THAT ALMOST &IG #ORPORATE IDENTIlCATION MATERIALS AND AVERAGE VIEWER RESPONSES TO DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES

ALL USERS ACCESS THE BUILDINGS

ALL OF THE ATTRIBUTES WERE PERCEIVED AS INTENDED IN THIS CASE FALLING TO THE DESIRED SIDE OF THE SCALE 3TUDENTS GATHER VIEWER RESPONSES USING A FAIRLY TIGHT BLACK AND WHITE SKETCH OF THE MARK SO THAT ANY REFINEMENTS PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION CAN INCORPORATE SUGGESTIONS OR COMMENTS THAT COME FROM AUDIENCE MEMBER RESPONSES TO THE DESIGN CONCEPT "EHAVIORAL RESEARCH IS ALSO EMPLOYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERAC TIVE MEDIA SUCH AS THE ABOVE EXAMPLES FIG FROM AN ADVANCED LEVEL STUDENT WEB DESIGN PROJECT )N THIS CASE THE STUDENT OBSERVED USERS

&IG %XAMPLES OF WEB PAGE DESIGNS INCORPORATING VISUAL hSHOPPING CART v

NAVIGATING OTHER E COMMERCE SITES NOTICING PROBLEMS WITH HOW VARIOUS VISUAL INTERFACES PRESENTED THE IDEA OF A VIRTUAL hSHOPPING CART v 4HIS LED THE STUDENT TO ALLOW USERS TO DRAG OBJECTS INTO A SCROLLING FIELD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN DESIGNS THAT PRESENTED SMALLER IMAGES OF THE ITEMS TO BE PURCHASED THUS GIVING USERS A VISUAL REFERENCE OF THEIR SHOPPING CHOICES 4HE STUDENT THEN TESTED THIS INTERFACE CONCEPT WITH USERS AND REFINED THE INTERACTION DESIGN BASED ON FURTHER FEEDBACK AND EVALUATION 3IMILARLY ADVANCED LEVEL STUDENTS ENGAGE IN BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH IN

&IG %NVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS AND STILL IMAGES FROM VIDEO RESEARCH

THE CONTEXT OF ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHICS AND WAYFINDING SYSTEMS DESIGN 4HE IMAGES TO THE LEFT FIG ARE SOME CONCEPTS FOR EXTERIOR SIGNS TO

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TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

4HEY ALSO USED DIGITAL VIDEO AS A TOOL TO TRACK USERS NAVIGATING THE

4HE FINAL EXAMPLES FIG ARE FROM A TASK ORIENTED INFORMATION

INTERIORS OF VARIOUS CAMPUS ARTS BUILDINGS LOOKING FOR SITUATIONS WHERE

DESIGN PROJECT COMPLETED BY AN ADVANCED LEVEL STUDENT )N THIS CASE

CONFUSION AROSE IN A CONSISTENT MANNER 4HESE OBSERVATIONS GAVE THEM

THE STUDENT USED MOSTLY PARTICIPATORY USER RESEARCH METHODS TO DEVELOP

INSIGHT INTO CRITICAL LOCATIONS FOR THE PLACEMENT OF INTERIOR WAYFINDING

A COOKBOOK FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL

SIGNS WHERE FULL SCALE MOCK UPS COULD THEN BE PLACED AND TESTED FOR

DISABILITIES 7ORKING CLOSELY WITH USERS AND THEIR CARETAKERS IN A GROUP

THEIR EFFECTIVENESS 4HE IMAGES TO THE RIGHT FIG PREVIOUS ARE STILL

HOME THE STUDENT WAS ABLE TO EVALUATE VARIOUS APPROACHES TO DISPLAYING

IMAGES FROM ONE STUDENT GROUP S FINAL VIDEO PRESENTATION WHERE THEY

COOKING INFORMATION IN THE KITCHEN SETTING AND EVENTUALLY DEVELOP THE

ASKED SEVERAL ARTS STUDENTS TO FIND THE $EAN S OFFICE AND DOCUMENTED

MOST EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION

THE RESULTING PROBLEMS WITH COMPLETING THAT PARTICULAR TASK

!N EARLY CONCEPT WAS A POSTER DISPLAY USING CLEARLY NUMBERED ROWS OF INFORMATION PRESENTED IN SEQUENTIAL STEPS 4ESTING UNCOVERED HOWEVER

THAT THE USERS DID NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOW THE HORIZONTAL ROWS AND WERE MORE APT TO MOVE VERTICALLY DOWN THE PAGE TO OBTAIN THE INFORMATION 4HESE FINDINGS LED TO A MUCH SIMPLER APPROACH IN BOOK FORM WITH NO MORE THAN TWO STEPS PRESENTED ON A SINGLE PAGE OR A TOTAL OF FOUR STEPS ON A SPREAD OF TWO PAGES 4HIS ORGANIZATION ALLOWED THE USERS TO FOLLOW THE SEQUENCE SUCCESSFULLY AND KEPT THEM FROM BEING OVERWHELMED BY TOO MUCH SIMULTANEOUS INFORMATION &URTHER USER EVALUATION OF MOCK UPS RESULTED IN A FINAL BOOK FORMAT WITH LARGE PAGE SIZES FOR VIEWING FROM A DISTANCE OF A FEW FEET LAMINATED PAGES IN CASE OF SPILLS AND WIRE BINDING SO THE BOOK COULD LAY FLAT ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER !LL OF THESE DESIGN DECISIONS WERE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE PROCESS OF PARTNERING WITH

&IG #OOKBOOK COVER AND EXAMPLE PAGES

THE USERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNICATION

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3OME FINAL ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS

4HE ABOVE STUDENT PROJECTS REPRESENT RESULTS OF COURSE WORK COMPLETED

7ORKING WITH VIEWERS CAN ALSO HAVE POTENTIAL LIABILITY ISSUES FOR STU

IN NO MORE THAN TEN WEEKS THE LENGTH OF AN ACADEMIC TERM AT 4HE /HIO

DENTS INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING AND DESIGN PRACTITIONERS )T S A VERY

3TATE 5NIVERSITY #OMPARED TO THE TIME AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO PRO

GOOD IDEA TO REQUIRE THAT ALL USERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS SIGN A WAIVER

FESSIONAL DESIGNERS AND RESEARCHERS INVOLVED WITH SIMILAR PROJECTS THE

FORM AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STUDY AND TO GIVE PERMISSION TO THE

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND STUDENT OUTCOMES MAY BE SOMEWHAT LACKING IN

RESEARCHER TO USE THE RESULTS AS NECESSARY -ANY UNIVERSITIES REQUIRE

DEPTH AND MOST LIKELY DO NOT PROVIDE DEFINITIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE PARTICULAR

REVIEW AND PRE APPROVAL OF ANY RESEARCH THAT INVOLVES HUMAN SUBJECTS

DESIGN PROBLEMS ADDRESSED !S WELL DUE TO A LACK OF AVAILABLE DOCUMEN

AND THAT PROCESS WHILE TIME CONSUMING MUST BE FOLLOWED 0ROFESSIONAL

TATION THE KINDS OF DATA TYPICALLY REVIEWED BY SERIOUS RESEARCHERS ARE

DESIGNERS WOULD DO WELL TO CONSULT WITH A LEGAL ADVISOR CONCERNING SIMILAR

NOT PRESENTED IN THIS PAPER 4HE STUDENTS RESULTS DO HOWEVER REPRESENT

STEPS THAT THEY MIGHT TAKE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES WHEN WORKING WITH USERS

THEIR INITIAL EXPERIENCES INVOLVING INTERACTIONS WITH VIEWERS AND PROVIDE

AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS

A STEPPING STONE TO CONTINUE SUCH ACTIVITIES AS DESIGN PROFESSIONALS )N

4O CONCLUDE MANY GRAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATION PROGRAMS TEND TO IMPART

FACT MANY /HIO 3TATE ALUMNI HAVE TAKEN ON LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE PRO

THE VALUES OF THE ARTIST TO STUDENTS STRESSING THE CONCEPT OF AN INDIVIDUAL

FESSION EXPANDING AND BUILDING UPON THE RESEARCH TECHNIQUES PREVIOUSLY

WITH A STRONG PERSONAL VIEWPOINT TO EXPRESS THROUGH THEIR WORK 7HILE THIS

DISCUSSED WHILE SUCCESSFULLY APPLYING THEM TO A VARIETY OF VISUAL COM

APPROACH CAN MAKE FOR SOME VERY INTERESTING VISUAL RESULTS IT SEEMS A

MUNICATION PROBLEMS

BIT NARROW IN ITS FOCUS WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE VERY REAL AND IMPORTANT

)N MOST CASES STUDENTS ARE ACCEPTING AND ENTHUSIASTIC IN REGARD TO

NEEDS OF THE VARIOUS USERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS WHO EXPERIENCE OUR

VIEWER CENTERED APPROACHES TO GRAPHIC DESIGN 7HILE SOME RESISTANCE IS

WORK ON A DAILY BASIS "Y FOCUSSING SO STRONGLY ON OUR OWN INTERESTS AND

INITIALLY ENCOUNTERED IT USUALLY DISAPPEARS QUICKLY ONCE STUDENTS REALIZE

AGENDA WE RUN THE RISK OF EXCLUDING OR ALIENATING THOSE FOR WHOM THE

THAT INTERACTING WITH VIEWERS ALLOWS THEM TO CREATE POTENTIALLY MORE EFFEC

COMMUNICATIONS WE DEVELOP ARE INTENDED )T CAN BE EASILY ARGUED THAT

TIVE RESULTS 3IMILARLY MOST USERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS ARE GENERALLY

ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY IS THE SIMPLE ACT OF

GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR OPINION ON COMMUNICATIONS

CREATING COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE FOR AUDIENCES AND USERS "UT

MEANT FOR THEIR USE THOUGH THERE IS ALWAYS A SMALL MINORITY THAT VIEW

THIS GOAL CAN NOT BE ACHIEVED WITHOUT FIRST MAKING THE STEP TO IDENTIFY

ANY ATTEMPT TO INTERACT WITH THEM AS AN INTRUSION AND PREFER NOT TO BE BOTHERED Î &ORWARD

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3HARPENING ONE S AXE MAKING A CASE FOR A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

TO RESEARCH IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROCESS

AND INCLUDE THOSE INDIVIDUALS FOR WHOM WE DESIGN SO THAT THEY MAY FULLY

0 .INI h! -ANIFESTO OF )NCLUSIVISM v IN ,OOKING #LOSER #RITICAL 7RITINGS ON 'RAPHIC

PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING USEFUL COMMUNICATIONS

$ESIGN ED - "IERUT 7 $RENTTEL 3 (ELLER .EW 9ORK !LLWORTH 0RESS AND THE !MERI

4HEREFORE ) URGE ALL GRAPHIC DESIGN FACULTY MEMBERS TO EXAMINE THE

CAN )NSTITUTE OF 'RAPHIC !RTS n

VALUES THEY IMPART TO THEIR STUDENTS THROUGH THEIR PROGRAMS AND MAKE

0 .INI h7HAT 'RAPHIC $ESIGNERS 3AY 4HEY $O v )NFORMATION $ESIGN *OURNAL

ADJUSTMENTS AS DEEMED NECESSARY &OR THOSE THAT WISH TO PURSUE A MORE

n

INCLUSIVE APPROACH ) HOPE THAT THIS PAPER OFFERS SOME GUIDANCE AS TO

# /SGOOD 4HE -EASUREMENT OF -EANING 5RBANA 5NIVERSITY OF )LLINOIS 0RESS

HOW SUCH A DESIGN PROCESS COULD BE STRUCTURED 4HERE IS STILL MUCH EX PLORATION NEEDED IN THIS AREA AND ) WELCOME ALL DESIGNERS AND EDUCATORS TO JOIN MY COLLEAGUES AND ME IN THIS IMPORTANT UNDERTAKING

3 0OGGENPOHL h7HY 7E .EED $ESIGN 2ESEARCH v 'RAPHIC $ESIGN *OURNAL

4HE 3OCIETY OF 'RAPHIC $ESIGNERS OF #ANADA n 3 2OTH h4HE 3TATE OF $ESIGN 2ESEARCH v $ESIGN )SSUES n

3OURCES , !LLMENDINGER h7ORKSHOP .OTES 2ESEARCH AND )NFORMATION $EVELOPMENT v 'RAPHIC $ESIGN *OURNAL 4HE 3OCIETY OF 'RAPHIC $ESIGNERS OF #ANADA n + "YRNE h#ROSSDISCIPLINARY 4EACHING !UDIENCE #ENTERED $ESIGN v 0ROCEEDINGS OF THE 'RAPHIC $ESIGN %DUCATION !SSOCIATION S .ATIONAL 3YMPOSIUM n # #HERRY /N (UMAN #OMMUNICATION #AMBRIDGE -ASSACHUSETTS )NSTITUTE OF 4ECHNOL OGY 0RESS

% 3ANDERS h&ROM 5SER #ENTERED TO 0ARTICIPATORY $ESIGN !PPROACHES v IN $ESIGN AND THE 3OCIAL 3CIENCES -AKING #ONNECTIONS ED * &RASCARA ,ONDON 4AYLOR &RANCIS ,TD n $ 3CHULER ! .AMIOKA 0ARTICIPATORY $ESIGN 0RINCIPLES AND 0RACTICES (ILLSDALE .* ,AWRENCE %RLBAUM !SSOCIATES

3 3CRIVENER , "ALL ! 7OODCOCK #OLLABORATIVE $ESIGN 0ROCEEDINGS OF #O$ESIGNING ,ONDON 3PRINGER 6ERLAG

* #LARKSON 2 #OLEMAN 3 +EATES # ,EBBON )NCLUSIVE $ESIGN $ESIGN FOR THE 7HOLE 0OPULATION ,ONDON 3PRINGER 6ERLAG

* &RASCARA #OMMUNICATION $ESIGN 0RINCIPALS -ETHODS AND 0RACTICE .EW 9ORK !LLWORTH 0RESS

* &RASCARA 5SER #ENTERED 'RAPHIC $ESIGN -ASS #OMMUNICATIONS AND 3OCIAL #HANGE "OCA 2ATON &, #2# 0RESS

Î &ORWARD

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

4YPOGRAPHY AND THE AGING EYE COMMON TYPEFACES AND THEIR SUITABILITY FOR OLDER VIEWERS

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN #LEAR )))$ !)'! *OURNAL OF )NFORMATION $ESIGN

WWW JOURNAL AIGA ORG )))$ 6ISION #ONFERENCE 0ROCEEDINGS #$2/-

)NTERNATIONAL )NSTITUTE OF )NFORMATION $ESIGN WWW IIID NET

Î &ORWARD

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4YPOGRAPHY AND THE AGING EYE TYPEFACE LEGIBILITY FOR OLDER VIEWERS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

WITH VISION PROBLEMS

)NTRODUCTION

,OSS OF FOCUS

4HE POPULATION IS RAPIDLY AGING AND BECOMING A LARGER SHARE OF THE MAR

4HE MOST COMMON AGE RELATED VISION CHANGE HAPPENS TO ALMOST EVERY

KETPLACE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION IS CURRENTLY OVER YEARS OLD

ONE BEGINNING BETWEEN THE AGES OF AND 4HE LENS STARTS TO LOSE

)N YEARS THAT GROUP WILL DOUBLE TO MILLION PEOPLE 0EOPLE CHANGE AS

ELASTICITY RESULTING IN A DECREASED ABILITY TO FOCUS VISION ESPECIALLY DUR

THEY AGE 3ENSORY COGNITIVE AND MOTOR ABILITIES DECLINE 4HE BUILT ENVI

ING READING ,OSS OF VISUAL ACUITY CAN RESULT IN BLURRED VISION WHICH MAY

RONMENT IS NOT TYPICALLY CREATED WITH THE NEEDS OF THE AGING POPULATION IN

WORSEN WITH AGE AS THE EYE WEAKENS 4HESE PICTURES SHOW THE DIFFERENCE

MIND (OW DOES THE CHOICE OF TYPEFACE IN SIGNAGE SYSTEMS FOR EXAMPLE

BETWEEN NORMAL FOCUS AND BLURRED VISION 4HE AMOUNT OF LOSS OF FOCUS

IMPACT THE OLDER VIEWER WHO IS EXPERIENCING VISION PROBLEMS TYPICAL TO

DIFFERS FROM PERSON TO PERSON AND CAN RANGE FROM SLIGHT TO SEVERE

THAT AGE GROUP !RE CERTAIN TYPEFACES MORE SUITABLE TO THE AGING EYE

,OSS OF LIGHT

(UMAN VISION DECLINES WITH ADVANCING AGE !LTHOUGH THERE ARE NEURAL LOSSES THE MAJOR DECLINE IS DUE TO CHANGES IN THE EYE S OPTICS 4HE PUPIL SHRINKS ALLOWING LESS LIGHT TO ENTER THE EYE 4HE PUPIL S RESPONSE TO DIM

.ORMAL VS BLURRED VISION

LIGHT ALSO DECREASES WITH AGE AND BECOMES VIRTUALLY NIL BY AGE 4HE ELDERLY HAVE ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT VISION PROBLEMS IN LOW LIGHT ENVIRON

! NOTE ON THE REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ABOVE VISION PROBLEMS

MENTS 4HESE PICTURES SHOW HOW MUCH AGING CHANGES THE RELATIVE TRANSMIS

4HE REPRESENTATIONS PROVIDED ARE AS CLOSE TO REALISTIC AS IS POSSIBLE GIV

SION OF LIGHT THROUGH THE OPTIC MEDIA FOR VIEWERS OF AGES AND

EN THE LIMITATIONS OF AVAILABLE TOOLS (UMAN PERCEPTION IS HOWEVER MUCH MORE COMPLEX THAN CAN BE REPRESENTED FOR OUR PURPOSES 4HE EXAMPLES SHOWING LOSS OF LIGHT FOR INSTANCE ARE PROBABLY DARKER THAN WHAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE PERCEIVED AS THE BRAIN MAKES ADJUSTMENTS AS THE EYE AGES !S WELL CORRECTIVE LENSES ARE COMMONLY USED TO ASSIST WITH LOSS OF FOCUS

!GE

!GE

!GE

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4YPOGRAPHY AND THE AGING EYE TYPEFACE LEGIBILITY FOR OLDER VIEWERS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

WITH VISION PROBLEMS

-ORE SERIOUS VISION PROBLEMS

#ENTRAL FIELD LOSS AND PERIPHERAL FIELD LOSS ARE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT CAN AFFECT THE EYE ESPECIALLY WITH INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM DIABETES OR

!$! TYPOGRAPHY STANDARDS

NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS 0EOPLE WITH CENTRAL FIELD LOSS DO NOT SEE WHAT IS

"ODY WIDTH TO OF HEIGHT

DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEM BUT DO SEE AN IMAGE AROUND THE PERIPHERY 7ITH

3TROKE WIDTH TO OF HEIGHT

PERIPHERAL FIELD LOSS THE OPPOSITE OCCURS 4HE EFFECT IS MUCH LIKE LOOKING THROUGH A TUBE OR TUNNEL WHERE ONLY A CENTRAL IMAGE IS VISIBLE )T IS ALSO POSSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUALS TO EXPERIENCE A COMBINATION OF THESE VISION DIF FICULTIES

3IMULATING TYPICAL VISION PROBLEMS

4HE FOLLOWING EXAMPLES SHOW TYPEFACES THAT MEET THE !$! REQUIREMENTS FOR USE IN SIGNAGE SYSTEMS %ACH IS SHOWN AS IT WOULD BE SEEN BY A VIEW ER WITH NO VISION PROBLEM COMPARED WITH AN EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WOULD BE SEEN BY A VIEWER EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF LIGHT AND FOCUS #ENTRAL &IELD ,OSS

0ERIPHERAL &IELD ,OSS "ODONI "OOK

4YPOGRAPHIC STANDARDS FOR SIGNAGE

4HE !MERICANS WITH $ISABILITIES !CT !$! SETS DOWN BODY WIDTH TO HEIGHT AND STROKE WIDTH TO HEIGHT RATIOS FOR THE USE OF APPROPRIATE TYPE FACES IN SIGNAGE SYSTEMS 4HESE STANDARDS INSURE THAT MORE UNIFORM

4HIN STROKE AREAS MAKE THIS TYPEFACE A LESS THAN OPTIMAL CHOICE FOR USE

TYPEFACES ARE USED AND THAT OVERLY THICK OR THIN STROKE WIDTHS AND

WITH SIGNAGE #HARACTERS TEND TO BREAK APART UNDER LOW VISION CONDITIONS

OVERLY CONDENSED OR EXPANDED STYLES ARE NOT USED 7HILE THESE STANDARDS ARE AN EXCELLENT STARTING POINT IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO CONSIDER ADDITIONAL FACTORS IN REGARDS TO TYPEFACE SELECTION FOR THE AGING EYE Î &ORWARD

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4YPOGRAPHY AND THE AGING EYE TYPEFACE LEGIBILITY FOR OLDER VIEWERS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

WITH VISION PROBLEMS

4IMES 2OMAN

'LYPHA 2OMAN

4HE LARGER X HEIGHT AND LESS THIN STROKE AREAS SLIGHTLY IMPROVE READABIL

!S IN THE PREVIOUS EXAMPLE THE LARGER X HEIGHT WIDER PROPORTION AND

ITY 4HE SOMEWHAT CONDENSED PROPORTION RESULTS IN CLOSED COUNTERFORMS

CONSISTENT STROKE WEIGHT ALL IMPROVE READABILITY IN LOW VISION CONDITIONS

UNDER LOW VISION CONDITIONS SUCH AS IN THE hEv AND hAv CHARACTERS

4HE LESS PRONOUNCED ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS TEND TO FALL AWAY

'ARAMOND 3EMIBOLD

&UTURA (EAVY

4HE MORE CONSISTENT STROKE WIDTH AND WIDER PROPORTION HELP READABILITY

4HE SIMPLE CIRCULAR FORMS SUCH AS IN THE SINGLE STORY hAv SINGLE STROKE

3MALL COUNTERFORMS IN THE hEv AND hAv TEND TO CLOSE UNDER LOW VISION

hUv SEEM TO HOLD UP WELL UNDER LOW VISION CONDITIONS AS DO THE LONG

CONDITIONS 4HE PRONOUNCED ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS REMAIN VISIBLE

ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS 4HE SHORT CROSSBAR OF THE hTv DOES FALL AWAY

#ENTURY 3CHOOLBOOK

(ELVETICA "OLD

4HE WIDER PROPORTION HELPS THE COUNTERFORMS IN THE hEv AND hAv TO CLOSE

4HE LARGER X HEIGHT AND WIDE PROPORTIONS HELP READABILITY UNDER LOW

LESS 4HE MORE CONSISTENT STROKE WEIGHT AND LARGER X HEIGHT IMPROVE

VISION CONDITIONS 4HE SHORTER ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS DO NOT HOLD UP

READABILITY IN LOW VISION CONDITIONS

QUITE AS WELL

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

WITH VISION PROBLEMS

5NIVERS

3UCCESSFUL QUALITIES OF TYPEFACES STUDIED

!N ANALYSIS OF THE PREVIOUS EXAMPLES SHOWS THAT THE FOLLOWING VISUAL PROPERTIES COULD BE CONSIDERED BENEFICIAL FOR TYPEFACES THAT MIGHT BE VIEWED BY OLDER VIEWERS 4HE SLIGHTLY SMALLER X HEIGHT RESULTS IN COUNTERFORMS THAT CLOSE A BIT MORE

s

#ONSISTENT STROKE WIDTHS

THAN THE PREVIOUS EXAMPLE 4HE WIDER hRv AND hTv HOLD UP WELL HOWEVER

s

/PEN COUNTERFORMS

s

0RONOUNCED ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS

s

7IDER HORIZONTAL PROPORTIONS

s

-ORE DISTINCT FORMS FOR EACH CHARACTER SUCH AS TAILS ON THE LOWERCASE

&RUTIGER "OLD

LETTERS hTv AND hJv s

!S THIS FACE WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED FOR USE ON AIRPORT SIGNAGE IT IS FITTING

%XTENDED HORIZONTAL STROKES FOR CERTAIN LETTERFORMS SUCH AS THE ARM OF THE LOWERCASE LETTER hRv OR THE CROSSBAR OF THE LOWERCASE LETTER hTv

THAT IT FUNCTIONS WELL UNDER LOW VISION CONDITIONS 4HE FAIRLY WIDE PROPOR TION OPEN COUNTERFORMS AND SLIGHTLY LONGER ASCENDERS AND DESCENDERS

!N EXISTING TYPEFACE FOR LOW VISION USERS

ALL SEEM TO IMPROVE READABILITY

4HE !MERICAN 0RINTING (OUSE FOR THE "LIND !0( HAS DEVELOPED A TYPE FACE KNOWN AS !0(ONT WHICH WAS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE USED BY

3YNTAX "OLD

READERS WITH VISION PROBLEMS )T INCORPORATES CONSISTENT STROKE WIDTHS AN UNDER SLUNG hJv AND hQv OPEN COUNTERFORMS AND LARGER PUNCTUATION MARKS 7HILE !0(ONT MAY NOT BE AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING TYPEFACE IT DOES POINT TO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF TYPEFACES THAT

4HE SLIGHTLY CONDENSED PROPORTION RESULTS IN CLOSED COUNTERFORMS UNDER

ACCOMMODATE THE AGING EYE

LOW VISION CONDITIONS THOUGH THE MORE PRONOUNCED hTv AND LONGER AS CENDERS AND DESCENDERS ARE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

WITH VISION PROBLEMS

6ISUAL UNITY VS DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER FORMS

-OST WELL DESIGNED TYPEFACES HAVE A UNIFIED APPEARANCE AS MANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN A TYPICAL FAMILY SHARE SIMILAR FORMS WITH OTHER CHARACTERS 7HILE THIS PRACTICE OFTEN PRODUCES A HARMONIOUS PRODUCT IT MAY RESULT IN SOME VISUALLY SIMILAR CHARACTER FORMS THAT DO NOT PERFORM WELL WITH THE VISION PROBLEMS TYPICAL TO THE AGING EYE )F NEW TYPEFACES ARE CREATED FOR OLDER VIEWERS THEY SHOULD PROBABLY INCLUDE MORE VISUALLY DISTINCT CHAR ACTERS IN CERTAIN CASES WHILE STILL MAINTAINING A DESIRED UNITY OF FORM

!0(ONT 2EGULAR CREATED BY THE !MERICAN 0RINTING HOUSE FOR THE "LIND !0(

3OME REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

%VEN THOUGH MANY TYPEFACES MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE !$!

THEY

.OTICE THE FORMS SHARED BY THESE SIMILAR CHARACTERS

MAY NOT ALL FUNCTION WELL WITH THE AGING EYE )N GENERAL SANS SERIF FACES APPEAR TO BE THE MOST READABLE DUE TO THEIR LARGER X HEIGHTS AND CONSIS TENT STROKE WIDTHS 4YPOGRAPHIC DESIGNERS MUST UNDERTAKE A MORE COM PREHENSIVE STUDY OF THIS SUBJECT AND DEVELOP TYPEFACES THAT WORK WELL WITH THE COMMON VISION PROBLEMS OF THE AGING POPULATION )T SEEMS CLEAR THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PROGRESS IN THIS AREA OF RESEARCH

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

WITH VISION PROBLEMS

4ESTING TYPEFACES UNDER SIMULATED LOW VISION CONDITIONS

3OURCES

3IGNAGE DESIGNERS MIGHT WISH TO SIMULATE CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE

!MERICAN 0RINTING (OUSE FOR THE "LIND !0(ONT A &ONT FOR ,OW 6ISION

SHOWN HERE TO TEST TYPEFACE CHOICES PRIOR TO SPECIFICATION AND FINAL SIGN

WWW APH ORG PRODUCTS APHONT HTML

FABRICATION "LURRED AND DARKENED EFFECTS CAN BE EASILY CREATED IN AN IMAGE EDITING PROGRAM SUCH AS !DOBE 0HOTOSHOP SO DIGITAL MODELS CAN BE EXAMINED !S WELL MATERIALS SUCH AS SMOKED OR FROSTED 0LEXIGLAS CAN BE PLACED IN FRONT OF THREE DIMENSIONAL PROTOTYPES OR INSTALLED SIGNS TO

0ETER "ARKER AND *UNE &RASER 3IGN $ESIGN 'UIDE ! 'UIDE TO )NCLUSIVE 3IGNAGE *-5 AND THE 3IGN $ESIGN 3OCIETY ,ONDON AND (ARPENDEN 5+

2OB #ARTER "EN $AY AND 0HILIP -EGGS 4YPOGRAPHIC $ESIGN &ORM AND #OMMUNICATION

4HIRD %DITION *OHN 7ILEY 3ONS .EW 9ORK

SIMULATE THE EFFECTS OF THE AGING EYE ,IGHTHOUSE )NTERNATIONAL 53 WWW LIGHTHOUSE ORG #ONCLUSIONS

7E KNOW THAT FOR SIGNAGE TO FUNCTION WELL THAT IT MUST DISPLAY USEFUL IN FORMATION BE PLACED AT AN ACCESSIBLE POINT IN THE SPACE AND AT A PROPER VIEWING HEIGHT AND BE ADEQUATELY ILLUMINATED 4EXT MUST BE THE PROPER

2OYAL .ATIONAL )NSTITUTE OF THE "LIND 5+ 4IRESIAS )NTERNATIONAL )NFORMATION ON 6ISUAL $ISABILITY WWW TIRESIAS ORG 3OCIETY OF %NVIRONMENTAL 'RAPHIC $ESIGN 53 3%'$ !MERICANS 7ITH $ISABILITIES !CT !$! 7HITE 0APER WWW SEGD ORG RESOURCES PUBLICATIONS HTML

SIZE FOR READABILITY FROM DESIRED DISTANCES AND MUST CONTRAST CLEARLY AGAINST THE BACKGROUND 4HE DEMANDS OF THE AGING EYE HOWEVER REQUIRE TYPEFACES THAT FUNCTION WELL UNDER LOW VISION CONDITIONS "OTH TYPE DE SIGNERS AND SIGNAGE DESIGNERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE ISSUES SURROUND ING COMMON VISION PROBLEMS OF THE AGING POPULATION SO THAT THE NEEDS OF THIS GROUP MIGHT BE BETTER ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE

Î &ORWARD

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

'RAPHIC DESIGN FAMILY VALUES

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN 4HE %DUCATION OF A 'RAPHIC $ESIGNER SECOND EDITION

!LLWORTH 0RESS

3TEVEN (ELLER EDITOR 6OICE !)'! *OURNAL OF $ESIGN $ESIGN %DUCATION &ORUM

WWW JOURNAL AIGA ORG

Î &ORWARD

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'RAPHIC DESIGN FAMILY VALUES

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

)NTRODUCTION

3O WHAT ARE YOUR CORE BELIEFS

'RAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE LIKE FAMILIES AND AS WITH FAMI

4HE ANSWER TO THE ABOVE QUESTION WILL OF COURSE DIFFER FOR EACH OF US

LIES VALUES ARE PASSED ON EVEN IF THEY AREN T STATED EXPLICITLY )T IS OFTEN

"UT THERE ARE SOME BASIC ISSUES THAT WE WOULD ALL PROBABLY DO WELL TO

EASY TO IDENTIFY ALUMNI FROM CERTAIN SCHOOLS BY THE VALUES EVIDENT IN THEIR

CONSIDER IN THE CONTEXTS OF OUR COURSES AND PROGRAMS )N A TALK ENTITLED

WORK (OW ELSE CAN ONE EXPLAIN STUDENT PROJECTS THAT ARE VERY EXPERI

h,EGACY OF A 3IXTIES #REDOv PRESENTED AT THE !)'! &UTURE(ISTORY

MENTAL AND EXPRESSIVE AT ONE END OF THE SPECTRUM AND OTHERS THAT ARE

DESIGN EDUCATION CONFERENCE 0ROFESSOR AND AUTHOR +EN (IEBERT SUG

MORE ANALYTICAL AND USER CENTERED AT THE OTHER 6ALUES ARE EMBEDDED IN

GESTS THE FOLLOWING ISSUES FOR OUR CONSIDERATION $ECEPTION VS 6ERAC

OUR STUDENTS WORK AND REFLECT WHAT WE AS EDUCATORS HAVE DETERMINED TO

ITY 0OSTURING VS 3UBSTANCE #ONGESTION VS #LARITY ,ITERALISM

BE IMPORTANT

VS !BSTRACTION AND %XPLOITATION VS !CCOUNTABILITY AMONG OTHERS

9ET ) HIGHLY DOUBT THAT MANY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACTUALLY CHOOSE

(E ALSO URGES US TO ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO PUT THEIR WORK TO USE FOR MORE

UNDERGRADUATE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROGRAMS BASED ON SUCH ISSUES -Y EX

NOBLE PURPOSES SUCH AS ENHANCING THE PUBLIC S UNDERSTANDING OF AND

PERIENCE AS AN EDUCATOR DEALING WITH PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS IS THAT THEY

PARTICIPATION IN OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY THROUGH THE PRESENTATION OF WELL

SELECT A PROGRAM BASED ON MORE PRAGMATIC CONCERNS SUCH AS COST AND

STRUCTURED INFORMATION ,IKEWISE +EN 'ARLAND S WELL KNOWN h&IRST 4HINGS

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION FOR EXAMPLE )NTERESTED STUDENTS OFTEN HAVE VERY

&IRSTv MANIFESTO ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE 5+ IN AND REVISED IN

LITTLE IDEA OF THE VALUES INHERENT IN A CHOSEN PROGRAM WHICH MAY NOT BE

EXPRESSES SIMILAR SENTIMENTS

MADE CLEAR UNTIL THEY RE WELL INTO A PARTICULAR COURSE OF STUDY )T S ALSO

4HE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM IN WHICH ) TEACH EMPHASIZES AUDIENCE

PROBABLY UNREALISTIC TO EXPECT POTENTIAL STUDENTS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT A

AND USER CENTERED DESIGN AS WE FEEL IT S IMPORTANT TO CREATE COMMUNICA

PROGRAM S BASIC PHILOSOPHY AS IT S NOT LIKELY TO BE ONE OF THE MAJOR CON

TIONS THAT MEET THE EXPECTATIONS OF THOSE WHO ULTIMATELY EXPERIENCE THEM

CERNS FACTORING IN THEIR DECISION

7E ALSO DEAL ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY WITH INFORMATIVE COMMUNICATIONS AS

4HIS SITUATION REQUIRES THEREFORE THAT DESIGN EDUCATORS DO TWO VERY

OPPOSED TO PERSUASIVE AS WE HAVE LITTLE DESIRE TO CONVINCE VIEWERS 7E

SIMPLE THINGS &IRST WE MUST EXAMINE OUR OWN CONVICTIONS AND DETER

SIMPLY WISH TO PRESENT THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR DECISIONS TO BE EAS

MINE WHICH OF THOSE WE WISH TO STRESS THROUGH OUR COURSES AND THE EX

ILY MADE /THER PROGRAMS ARE MORE ORIENTED TOWARD ADVERTISING WHERE

PERIENCES WE PROVIDE TO OUR STUDENTS 3ECOND WE MUST TAKE EVERY OP

PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION APPROACHES ARE EMPLOYED TOWARD VARIOUS

PORTUNITY TO MAKE OUR VALUES CLEAR TO POTENTIAL STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN

ENDS 3TILL OTHERS FOLLOW A MORE FINE ART BASED APPROACH WHERE DEVELOP

ACTUALLY PLAY A PART IN A STUDENT S DECISION TO ENROLL IN A DESIGN PROGRAM Î &ORWARD

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'RAPHIC DESIGN FAMILY VALUES

ING THE DESIGNER AS hAUTHORv THAT IS SOMEONE WITH A STRONG INDIVIDUAL

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

3TUDENTS SHOULDN T HAVE TO THINK MUCH ABOUT THE FACULTY S CONVICTIONS

VOICE IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL /BVIOUSLY THERE ARE VARYING BELIEFS AT WORK IN

AND HOW THOSE ARE REFLECTED THROUGH A PROGRAM S EDUCATIONAL APPROACH

EACH OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS BUT ARE POTENTIAL STUDENTS AWARE OF

AS SUCH THINGS SHOULD BE CLEARLY AND SIMPLY STATED IN THE INFORMATION

THE DIFFERENCES AND ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO ARTICULATE THEM IN HOW WE

THAT WE PROVIDE ) URGE ALL GRAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATORS TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER

DESCRIBE OUR EFFORTS

THESE ISSUES TO DISCUSS THEM WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AND TO DETERMINE HOW TO INCORPORATE SUCH CONTENT IN THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR PROGRAMS )F

4ELL IT LIKE IT IS

A PROGRAM HAS NO CLEAR BELIEFS ON WHICH ALL FACULTY MEMBERS AGREE THEN

/UR STUDENTS FIND OUT ABOUT US THROUGH A VARIETY OF MEDIA SUCH AS WEB

IT S TIME TO START TALKING AND COMING TO SOME CONCLUSIONS

SITES PRINTED LITERATURE POSTERS ETC BUT HOW MANY OF THESE ITEMS

"EING A PROFESSIONAL DESIGNER MEANS IN PART THAT WE ADOPT VALUES THAT

ACTUALLY GO BEYOND THE EXPECTED PROGRAM INFORMATION AND PROVIDE STATE

ARE AT THE CORE HOW WE PRACTICE /UR PROFESSION IS DIVERSE AND THERE ARE

MENTS CONCERNING THE VALUES ON WHICH AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WILL

VARYING BELIEFS THAT ARE REFLECTED IN OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMS )T S TIME FOR

BE BASED 3UCH INFORMATION OUGHT TO BE FRONT AND CENTER AND IT SHOULD

US AS DESIGN EDUCATORS TO MAKE THE VALUES OF OUR PROGRAMS OBVIOUS /UR

BE A PROUD DECLARATION OF WHAT WE AS DESIGN FACULTY BELIEVE 7E NOT ONLY

STUDENTS DESERVE TO KNOW A BIT MORE ABOUT THE KIND OF FAMILY THEY RE JOIN

OWE IT TO OUR POTENTIAL STUDENTS BUT ALSO TO OURSELVES TO MAKE OUR IDEALS

ING WHEN THEY EMBARK ON THEIR DESIGN CAREERS

KNOWN 7HAT WE STAND FOR AS DESIGN FACULTY OUGHT TO BE PLAIN FOR ANYONE TO SEE )T S CONFUSING ENOUGH FOR THE GRAPHIC DESIGN STUDENT TO DETERMINE WHICH KIND OF PROGRAM TO CHOOSE 7OULD A "&! BE BETTER THAN A "3 $E SIGN OR A "! )S THE PROGRAM A COMPREHENSIVE MAJOR AN EMPHASIS OR JUST A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DESIGN COURSES (OW MANY REVIEWS WILL SOMEONE GO THROUGH BEFORE THEY RE SURE THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET THROUGH A PROGRAM !RE THERE INTERNSHIP OR FOREIGN STUDY OPPORTUNITIES $O THE GRADUATES OF A PROGRAM FIND GOOD JOBS 4HESE ARE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE TYPI CALLY ASKED AND ON WHICH STUDENTS BASE DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT THEIR PROFESSIONAL LIVES

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

)N SEARCH OF ETHICS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN 6OICE !)'! *OURNAL OF $ESIGN

WWW JOURNAL AIGA ORG

Î &ORWARD

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)N SEARCH OF ETHICS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

) WENT LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN ETHICS AND DIDN T FIND

TO ART DESIGN IS OFTEN TAUGHT AS A MEANS OF EXPRESSING YOURSELF 3O YOU

MUCH 7ELL THAT S NOT ENTIRELY TRUE 7HEN ) h'OOGLEDv THE SUBJECT ) DID

SEE WITH STUDENTS PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE THEY COME OUT WITH NO IDEA

FIND THE KIND OF THINGS ) EXPECTED SUCH AS GRADUATE LEVEL DESIGN SEMI

THAT THERE IS AN AUDIENCE 4HE FIRST THING ) TRY TO TEACH THEM IN CLASS IS

NAR COURSES AND UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES COURSES THAT

YOU START WITH THE AUDIENCE )F YOU DON T KNOW WHO YOU RE TALKING TO YOU

TOUCH ON ETHICAL ISSUES ) ALSO FOUND GROUPS OF PRACTITIONERS AND EDUCA

CAN T TALK TO ANYBODY v

TORS CREATING PROJECTS WHERE THEY VE USED GRAPHIC DESIGN AS AN INSTRU

3OMEWHAT TELLINGLY ) DIDN T FIND MUCH ELSE THAT ACKNOWLEDGES OUR

MENT OF SOCIAL CHANGE WITH VERY POSITIVE RESULTS !LL OF THESE THINGS ARE

PROFESSION S RESPONSIBILITIES TO AUDIENCE MEMBERS OR USERS SPECIFICALLY

WORTHWHILE INITIATIVES AND

BY ALL MEANS LET S KEEP THEM GOING

THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE THE WORK WE CREATE ON A DAILY BASIS !)'! HAS

) M ALSO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ) FOUND SOME OTHER VERY POSITIVE EFFORTS

EMBRACED THE CONCEPT OF hEXPERIENCE DESIGN v WHICH BY IT S VERY NATURE

OUT THERE 4HE h$ESIGN )NQUIRYv SYMPOSIUM RECENTLY HOSTED BY THE -AINE

REQUIRES THE INVOLVEMENT OF AUDIENCES AND USERS IN THE DESIGN PROCESS

#OLLEGE OF !RT GAVE PARTICIPANTS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO DIG DEEPLY INTO THE

!)'! HAS ALSO PUBLISHED THE $ESIGN "USINESS AND %THICS SERIES THAT AD

ISSUES SURROUNDING OUR ROLES AS PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATORS IN CONSUMER

DRESSES A NUMBER OF TOPICS INCLUDING h"USINESS AND ETHICAL EXPECTATIONS

CULTURE 4HERE ARE ALSO MANY INITIATIVES TO EDUCATE DESIGNERS TO THEIR

FOR PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS v WHICH IS REFERRED TO ABOVE (OWEVER A QUICK

EFFECT ON THE EARTH S ECOSYSTEM INCLUDING AN EXCELLENT PUBLICATION BY

LOOK MAKES IT CLEAR AS 'LASER ASSERTS THAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO AUDI

THE !)'! THAT CLARIFIES MANY OF THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS CONCERNING MORE

ENCE MEMBERS AND USERS HAS NOT BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY ADDRESSED IN WHAT IS

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION PRACTICES

OTHERWISE A VERY WELL CONSIDERED EFFORT

) ALSO CAME ACROSS THE SPEECH DELIVERED BY -ILTON 'LASER AT THE !)'!

4HERE IS CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH PROTECTING OUR PROFESSIONAL

6OICE #ONFERENCE WHICH APPEARS ON THE 6OICE WEBSITE WHERE

INTERESTS AND THE INTERESTS OF OUR CLIENTS AND YOU LL FIND CONTENT TO THAT

HE NOTES THAT h)N THE NEW !)'! S CODE OF ETHICS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT

EFFECT IN MOST STATEMENTS OF ETHICAL PRACTICES CREATED BY DESIGNER OR

AMOUNT OF USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS CLI

GANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD (OWEVER ) WOULD ARGUE THAT OUR SINGLE

ENTS AND OTHER DESIGNERS BUT NOT A WORD ABOUT A DESIGNER S RELATIONSHIP

MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE

TO THE PUBLIC v ,IKEWISE IN AN INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY -ARTIN # 0EDERS

COMMUNICATIONS WE CREATE ARE ACTUALLY USEFUL TO THOSE FOR WHOM THEY RE

EN 'LASER HAD THIS TO SAY IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE WAY DESIGN IS CURRENTLY TAUGHT h) WOULD CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OF THE PURPOSE OF DESIGN THAT IS DEEPLY IMBEDDED IN DESIGN EDUCATION "ECAUSE IT S LINKED

Î &ORWARD

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)N SEARCH OF ETHICS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

INTENDED AND THAT THIS CONCERN MUST BE ELEVATED TO THE SAME LEVEL OF

TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND HELP THIS INITIATIVE PROGRESS FROM THIS POINT )N

IMPORTANCE AS THOSE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED

THE SPIRIT OF INCLUSIVE DESIGN ) PERSONALLY INVITE YOU PARTICIPATE AND ADD

-ANY OF US ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE CONCEPTS OF hAUDIENCE CEN

YOUR VOICE TO THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC &INALLY PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOURTH AND FIFTH STATEMENTS BELOW ARE

TEREDv OR hUSER CENTEREDv DESIGN BUT HOW MANY OF US CAN HONESTLY CLAIM TO ROUTINELY INCLUDE USERS OR AUDIENCE MEMBERS IN OUR PROCESS OF DESIGN

ADAPTED FROM THE EXISTING 0ROFESSIONAL #ODE OF %THICS AUTHORED BY )#3)$

7HILE THERE ARE CLEARLY SEGMENTS OF OUR PROFESSION THAT DO PRACTICE IN

THE )NTERNATIONAL #OUNCIL OF 3OCIETIES OF )NDUSTRIAL $ESIGN !S WELL THE

A MORE INCLUSIVE FASHION THE MAJORITY OF US DO NOT AND THAT IS TO MY

SIXTH STATEMENT IS ADAPTED FROM THE #ODE OF %THICS FOR 0ROFESSIONAL #OM

MIND WHERE OUR GREATEST ETHICAL FAILURE AS A PROFESSION CURRENTLY LIES

MUNICATORS CREATED BY )!"# THE )NTERNATIONAL !SSOCIATION OF "USINESS

4HE CLIENT S DESIRE FOR PROFITS AND OUR DESIRE FOR VISUAL SOPHISTICATION

#OMMUNICATORS /F THE MANY PROFESSIONAL CODES OF ETHICS REFERENCED IN

AND PEER RECOGNITION SHOULD COME AFTER THE NEEDS OF OUR AUDIENCES AND

THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS ARTICLE THESE TWO GROUPS WERE AMONG THE FEW

USERS HAVE BEEN MET "Y PUTTING OUR hCONSTITUENTSv FIRST AND OURSELVES

TO INCLUDE SIGNIFICANT STATEMENTS CONCERNING THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE

LAST WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CREATE A MORE SIGNIFICANT ETHICAL MODEL FOR OUR

PUBLIC

PROFESSION TO PURSUE &URTHER EFFORTS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPON SIBILITY AND TO EMPLOY GRAPHIC DESIGN AS A MEANS OF SOCIAL CHANGE ARE

4HE $ESIGNER S 2ESPONSIBILITY TO !UDIENCE -EMBERS AND 5SERS

CERTAINLY DESIRABLE BUT SO ARE MORE EFFECTIVE EVERYDAY MESSAGES THAT THE

s

USERS WHENEVER POSSIBLE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE COM

MAJORITY OF US CREATE

MUNICATIONS AND TO ACT AS AN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CONCERNS TO THE CLIENT

3O IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE RAISED ) VE TAKEN THE ENTIRELY PRESUMPTUOUS STEP OF CREATING LANGUAGE THAT OUTLINES OUR RESPONSIBILITIES

$ESIGNERS MUST RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO INCLUDE AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND

s

4HE $ESIGNER S MAIN CONCERN MUST BE TO CREATE COMMUNICATIONS THAT

TO AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND USERS ) ENVISION THIS TEXT AS AN ADDITION TO THE

ARE HELPFUL TO AUDIENCES AND USERS AND THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS WITH

!)'! S EXISTING PUBLICATION ON ETHICS WHICH CURRENTLY INCLUDES SECTIONS

DIGNITY AND RESPECT !NY COMMUNICATION CREATED BY A DESIGNER THAT

CONCERNING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PROFESSION AND OUR CLIENTS 4HERE

INTENTIONALLY MISLEADS OR CONFUSES MUST BE VIEWED AS A NEGATIVE

FORE ) ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS TO YOU MY PROFESSIONAL COLLEAGUES

REFLECTION ON THE PROFESSION AS A WHOLE

7HAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SENTIMENTS EXPRESSED BELOW )S IT NECESSARY FOR US TO HAVE SUCH TEXT INCLUDED IN OUR CODE OF ETHICS !RE YOU WILLING Î &ORWARD

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)N SEARCH OF ETHICS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

3OURCES s

$ESIGNERS MUST NOT KNOWINGLY USE INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM

!)'! $ESIGN "USINESS AND %THICS SERIES

AUDIENCE MEMBERS OR USERS IN AN UNETHICAL MANNER SO AS TO PRODUCE

HTTP WWW AIGA ORG CONTENT CFM #ONTENT)$

COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE UNDULY MANIPULATIVE OR HARMFUL IN THEIR EFFECT s

)!"# #ODE OF %THICS FOR 0ROFESSIONAL #OMMUNICATORS

HTTP WWW IABC COM

$ESIGNERS MUST ADVOCATE AND THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDER THE NEEDS OF ALL POTENTIAL AUDIENCES AND USERS PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH LIMITED ABILITIES

-ILTON 'LASER h4HIS )S 7HAT ) (AVE ,EARNED v HTTP VOICECONFERENCE AIGA ORG TRANSCRIPTS INDEX HTML

SUCH AS THE ELDERLY AND PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED s

$ESIGNERS MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR WORK CONTRIBUTES TO THE WELL BEING OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO HEALTH AND SAFETY AND

s

-ARTIN # 0EDERSEN h!N )NTERVIEW 7ITH -ILTON 'LASER v HTTP WWW METROPOLISMAG COM HTML CONTENT? OB OB ? ?B HTML

MUST NOT CONSCIOUSLY ACT IN A MANNER CONTRADICTORY TO THIS WELL BEING

)#3)$ 0ROFESSIONAL #ODE OF %THICS

$ESIGNERS UPHOLD THE CREDIBILITY AND DIGNITY OF THEIR PROFESSION BY

HTTP WWW ICSID ORG

PRACTICING HONEST CANDID AND TIMELY COMMUNICATION AND BY FOSTERING THE FREE FLOW OF ESSENTIAL INFORMATION IN ACCORD WITH THE PUBLIC

4HE $ESIGN )NQUIRY SYMPOSIUM

HTTP WWW DESIGNINQUIRY MECA EDU

INTEREST

4O CONCLUDE JUST HAVING SUCH A STATEMENT THAT WE MAY AGREE WITH IS NOT ENOUGH 7E MUST NOW ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING TO IMPROVE THE CURRENT SITU ATION 7E MUST DEVELOP A SUSTAINED DIALOGUE WITH THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE THE FRUITS OF OUR LABORS AND RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE MORE IMPOR TANT THAN OUR OWN

Î &ORWARD

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a 7 #LOSE &ILE

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

! MANIFESTO OF INCLUSIVISM

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN ,OOKING #LOSER &OUR #RITICAL 7RITINGS ON 'RAPHIC $ESIGN

!LLWORTH 0RESS !)'!

-ICHAEL "IERUT 7ILLIAM $RENTTEL

AND 3TEVEN (ELLER EDITORS

Î &ORWARD

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! MANIFESTO OF INCLUSIVISM

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4HE 'RAPHIC $ESIGNER PURSUES MUCH OF HIS OR HER WORK IN A MOSTLY SOLI

WHO DO END UP EXPERIENCING THE FRUITS OF OUR LABORS WHETHER WE LIKE IT

TARY MANNER MANIPULATING AND ARRANGING WORD AND IMAGE ON A COMPUTER

OR NOT 3HOULDN T WE CONSIDER WAYS TO ALLOW INPUT FROM THOSE ON THE

OR IN THE PAST

BY HAND ON A DRAFTING TABLE 4HE VERY NATURE OF THE PRO

RECEIVING END OF OUR WORK SO THAT EVERYONE THE CLIENT THE USER AND THE

FESSION IS SOMEWHAT ISOLATIONIST AS DESIGNERS TEND TO TUCK THEMSELVES

DESIGNER MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THE PROCESS

AWAY FROM THE WORLD WORKING IN OFFICES FAR REMOVED FROM THE MADDEN

-UCH CURRENT GRAPHIC DESIGN SEEMS TO BE hCLIENT CENTERED v WHERE

ING CROWD 7HILE THERE ARE OF COURSE MEETINGS WITH CLIENTS CO WORKERS

THOSE PAYING THE BILLS CALL THE SHOTS OR hDESIGNER CENTERED v WHERE

SUPPLIERS AND OTHERS WHO ASSIST IN THE COMPLETION OF OUR WORK THE MAN

THE STRONG PERSONALITY OF THE DESIGNER HOLDS SWAY ! hUSER CENTEREDv AP

ON THE STREET OFTEN DOES NOT ENTER INTO THE DAILY CONCERNS OF THE TYPICAL

PROACH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT ALL STAKEHOLDERS HOWEVER )F USERS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 7E OFTEN SPEAK VAGUELY ABOUT hTARGET AUDIENCESv OR

RECEIVE INFORMATION THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS THEN OUR

hUSERS v BUT IN REALITY HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH THEM #ERTAINLY WE DON T

CLIENTS HAVE PROVIDED ADDED VALUE TO THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND

TYPICALLY ENGAGE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN CREATING COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE

ONE VERY IMPORTANT BENEFIT OF OUR EXPERTISE AS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS BE

MEANT FOR THEIR ULTIMATE USE

COMES OBVIOUS

4HIS UNSPOKEN CODE OF EXCLUSIVITY HAS ITS ROOTS IN THE ACKNOWLEDGED

7HILE IT S CLEAR TO US THAT THE POTENTIAL VALUE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS BRING

MASTERS OF OUR PROFESSION AND THEIR WRITINGS 0AUL 2AND IN HIS BOOK

TO COMMUNICATION CAN BE GREAT SHOULDN T WE PERHAPS AGREE THAT WHAT WE

0AUL 2AND ! $ESIGNER S !RT STATES ON PAGE IN THE SECTION TITLED

DEEM TO BE A hSUCCESSFULv PROJECT MUST AT LEAST MEET THE BASIC NEEDS OF

h0OLITICS OF $ESIGN v

THOSE FOR WHICH IT WAS CREATED 7E ROUTINELY CELEBRATE WORK IN OUR PROFES

h4HE SMOOTH FUNCTIONING OF THE DESIGN PROCESS MAY BE THWARTED IN

SION S PUBLICATIONS BASED MAINLY ON HOW IT LOOKS 7HAT IF THESE COMPETI

OTHER WAYS BY THE INSECURE CLIENT WHO DEPENDS ON INFORMAL OFFICE

TIONS ALSO REQUIRED DESIGNERS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THEY INTERACTED WITH

SURVEYS AND PSEUDO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO DEAL WITH QUESTIONS THAT ARE

USERS OR AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND HOW INPUT FROM THOSE GROUPS HELPED

UNANSWERABLE AND ANSWERS THAT ARE QUESTIONABLE v

SHAPE COMMUNICATIONS THAT SUCCESSFULLY MET THEIR NEEDS 4HE RESULTS OF

-ANY OF US WOULD IMMEDIATELY AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT .ONE OF US AP

SUCH A COLLECTION OF WORK MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT FROM

PRECIATES OUR WORK BEING RIPPED AWAY FROM US AND SHOWN TO THE SO CALLED

WHAT WE SEE TODAY BUT ONE COULD ARGUE THAT SUCH CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION

hUNINITIATED AND UNEDUCATED v WHO ARE THEN ASKED TO PASS JUDGEMENT ON ITS WORTHINESS "UT THIS SITUATION MAY ALSO LEAVE US WITH A SOMEWHAT UNEASY FEELING )T IS AFTER ALL THE SO CALLED hUNINITIATED AND UNEDUCATEDv

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

MIGHT MOVE US AWAY FROM AN EMPHASIS SOLELY ON THE AESTHETIC AND AT

ERS TO PURCHASE EXISTING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AND IN THE END TELLS US

LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE SOME SENSE OF THE FUNCTIONAL

VERY LITTLE THAT WE CAN PUT TO USE IN OUR EFFORTS

3LIGHTLY FURTHER IN THE EARLIER CITED PASSAGE 0AUL 2AND ALSO WRITES h5NLESS THE DESIGN FUNCTION IN A BUSINESS BUREAUCRACY IS SO

'OOD DESIGN RESEARCH SHOULD BE ABOUT LISTENING TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY SO THAT WE CAN ATTEMPT TO MEET THE NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT

STRUCTURED THAT DIRECT ACCESS TO THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER IS

THEY VOICE 7E MUST ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WHAT PEOPLE SAY AND WHAT THEY

POSSIBLE TRYING TO PRODUCE GOOD WORK IS OFTEN AN EXERCISE IN

DO MAY BE DIFFERENT THINGS AND THAT THEY MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THE CON

FUTILITY v

TRADICTIONS IN THEIR WORDS AND ACTIONS 7E MUST DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO

/BVIOUSLY THIS STATEMENT IS TRUE .O DOUBT WE VE ALL EXPERIENCED THE

OBSERVE USERS WHEN NECESSARY SO THAT THEIR BEHAVIOR CAN SPEAK TO US

FRUSTRATION OF WORKING WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVEN T ENJOYED SUPPORT FOR

AS WELL 7E MUST ALSO ALLOW USERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ORGANIZATION AND

DESIGN EFFORTS FROM TOP MANAGEMENT AND HAVE SEEN THE WASTEFULNESS

STRUCTURING OF MESSAGES AND COMMUNICATIONS SO THAT THE PATTERNS AP

THAT RESULTS IN SUCH SITUATIONS

PARENT IN WHAT THEY MAKE CAN BE APPLIED IN OUR DESIGN EFFORTS )N SHORT

"UT THE REMARKABLE THING ABOUT THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS ITS hDESIGNER CENTEREDNESS v IF YOU WILL )T S ASSUMED THAT IF DESIGNERS ARE JUST GIVEN THE PROPER CLIENT SUPPORT THEN GOOD DESIGN WILL NATURALLY RESULT "UT IF

WE MUST CREATE A USER CENTERED DESIGN PROCESS THAT IS OUR OWN AND THAT MEETS THE RESEARCH NEEDS SPECIFIC TO THE PRACTICE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN -ANY OF US HAVE STARTED CREATING INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS IN RE

THE ULTIMATE RECEIVERS OR USERS OF DESIGNED COMMUNICATIONS ARE IGNORED

CENT YEARS AND ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE CONCEPT OF hUSABILITY TESTINGv IN THIS

ARE WE TRULY CREATING hGOODv DESIGN 4HE RESULTS MAY BE PLEASANT ENOUGH

CONTEXT 7HILE IT S OBVIOUSLY VERY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT USERS CAN

TO VIEW BUT IF THE NEEDS OF THOSE WHO WILL EXPERIENCE THE INFORMATION ARE

NAVIGATE SUCH INFORMATION SPACES THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH REPRESENTS ONLY

NOT MET THEN WHAT WE RE LEFT WITH IS SIMPLY AESTHETICALLY PLEASING EPHEM

ONE LIMITED OPPORTUNITY FOR USER INPUT 5SERS CAN PARTICIPATE IN HELPING TO

ERA $ON T OUR CLIENTS THE USERS OF OUR WORK AND OUR PROFESSION ALL DE

GENERATE CONTENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DESIGN PROCESS 4HEY CAN ALSO

SERVE A HIGHER STANDARD

HELP EVALUATE COMMUNICATION PROTOTYPES THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENT

'RAPHIC DESIGNERS MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THEY SHOULDER THE RESPONSIBIL

PROCESS AND EXPERIENCE FINISHED SOLUTIONS TO HELP REFINE FUTURE GENERA

ITY TO OPEN THE LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH USERS AND AUDIENCE MEM

TIONS OF THE PROJECT 7E SHOULD STRIVE TO ESTABLISH A SUSTAINED hDIALOGUEv WITH

BERS 0AUL 2AND IS CORRECT WHEN HE IN THE FIRST QUOTE CITED REFERS TO THE

USERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR DESIGN PROCESS

UNSUITABILITY OF MARKET RESEARCH TO DESIGN -OST MARKET RESEARCH IS ABOUT DISCOVERING WHAT CONDITIONS ARE NECESSARY TO CONVINCE POTENTIAL CUSTOM

Î &ORWARD

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! MANIFESTO OF INCLUSIVISM

) WOULD LIKE TO ASSERT FINALLY THAT TRULY hGOODv DESIGN MOST LIKELY CAN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

h%ND USERS CAN AND SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PLAYERS IN THE

NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE ULTIMATE END USERS OF OUR WORK 7E

DESIGN PROCESS )N FACT OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PROCESS SUCH AS

IGNORE THEM AT OUR OWN PERIL AND SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO ALLOW THEIR VOICES

PRODUCERS DISTRIBUTORS SELLERS AND BUYERS SHOULD ALSO PARTICIPATE

TO BE HEARD AND TO ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS IN MORE SIGNIFICANT WAYS 7E

DIRECTLY IN THE PROCESS 4HE INCLUSION OF ALL THE RELEVANT STAKE HOLDERS

MUST ATTEMPT TO MOVE BEYOND OUR AT TIMES CONTEMPTUOUS VIEW OF USERS

CHANGES THE NATURE OF DESIGN ACTIVITY FROM ONE OF INDIVIDUAL CREATIVITY

AND INSTEAD SEE THEM AS hCOLLABORATORSv OR hPARTNERSv IN THE PROCESS OF

TO ONE OF COLLECTIVE GENERATIVITY )T IS THIS DOMAIN OF COLLECTIVE

CREATING USEFUL COMMUNICATIONS 4HE AGE OF EXCLUSIVENESS MUST COME

GENERATIVITY THAT WHEN PRACTICED AS AN ONGOING ACTIVITY ) WILL CALL

TO AN END &OR OUR PROFESSION TO FULLY CONTRIBUTE TO A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

0OSTDESIGN v

IT MUST BECOME AS INCLUSIVE AS POSSIBLE 7E MUST NOT BE AFRAID TO COME DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF THE COMMON MAN WHO IF WE RE LISTENING CAREFULLY

WILL ALWAYS HAVE IMPORTANT THINGS TO TELL US )N CLOSING ) WOULD LIKE TO OFFER THIS INSIGHT FROM %LIZABETH " . 3AND ERS 0RESIDENT OF 3ONIC2IM A FIRM SPECIALIZING IN PARTICIPATORY DESIGN RE SEARCH 4HIS PASSAGE APPEARS IN HER PAPER ENTITLED h0OSTDESIGN AND 0AR TICIPATORY #ULTURE v WHICH WAS PRESENTED AT THE 5SEFUL AND #RITICAL 4HE 0OSITION OF 2ESEARCH IN $ESIGN CONFERENCE AND WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE PROCEEDINGS 4HE CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN 3EPTEMBER OF IN 4UUSULA

&INLAND AND WAS HOSTED BY THE 5NIVERSITY OF !RT AND $ESIGN (ELSINKI

Î &ORWARD

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a 7 #LOSE &ILE

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN )NFORMATION $ESIGN *OURNAL

VOL NO

Î &ORWARD

Í "ACK

a 7 #LOSE &ILE

7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

)NTRODUCTION

)NDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN FIELDS WHICH INVOLVE PROBLEM SOLVING ACTIVITIES

ACTUAL VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES DURING FORM MAKING AND

MEDICINE ENGINEERING ETC OFTEN FOLLOW A PROCESS THAT CONSISTS OF THE

ADDITIONAL WRITTEN COMMENTS

FOLLOWING BASIC STEPS IDENTIFICATION OF A PROBLEM GATHERING AND ANALYSIS

4HE QUESTIONNAIRE WAS MAILED TO PROFESSIONAL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

OF INFORMATION DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN DESIGNING A SOLUTION EVALUATING

GEOGRAPHICALLY DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE 5NITED 3TATES 4HE MAILING LIST

THE SOLUTION PRODUCING AND INTRODUCING THE SOLUTION AND EVALUATING

WAS CAREFULLY CONSTRUCTED FROM GRAPHIC DESIGN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

RESPONSES TO THE SOLUTION &EEDBACK INTO THE PROCESS CAN OCCUR AT ANY POINT

DIRECTORIES SO THAT A CROSS SECTION OF APPROPRIATE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

SO THAT STEPS CAN BE REPEATED AS NECESSARY TO REFINE THE FINAL OUTCOME

WOULD BE SURVEYED &REELANCERS FOR INSTANCE WHO ARE GENERALLY

4HIS PROCESS DOES NOT APPEAR TO EXIST IN A FORMAL OR RIGOROUS WAY IN

HIRED ON A PER PROJECT BASIS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY AS THEIR

GRAPHIC DESIGN -Y EXPERIENCE IN AND OBSERVATION OF THE FIELD SEEMS TO

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT WITH INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS

SUGGEST THAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ARE QUITE ADEPT AT DESIGNING PRODUCING

ACTIVITIES ARE GENERALLY NOT EXTENSIVE !S WELL !LLIED *UNIOR AND

AND INTRODUCING SOLUTIONS MESSAGES BUT THAT THESE ARE BASED ON LITTLE IF

)NSTITUTIONAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERS WERE NOT SURVEYED

ANY INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ,IKEWISE IT IS RARE TO FIND GRAPHIC DESIGNERS THAT SOLICIT END USER EVALUATION OF THEIR EFFORTS WHETHER IN

3AMPLE 3IZE AND 2ESPONSE 2ATE

PROTOTYPICAL OR FINAL FORM 4HIS MAY EXPLAIN WHY MANY GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

FULLY COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRES WERE RETURNED AND INCLUDED IN THE

FIND THEMSELVES WITH A LESS THAN FAVORABLE PROFESSIONAL STATURE

FINDINGS RESULTING IN A RESPONSE RATE 7HILE THIS RATE IS FAIRLY

0ART OF MY RESEARCH INTO GRAPHIC DESIGNERS METHODS INVOLVED A

LOW THE SAMPLE SIZE IS OF AN ACCEPTABLE QUANTITY FROM WHICH TO DRAW

LARGE SURVEY OF PROFESSIONAL DESIGNERS THAT ATTEMPTED TO MEASURE THEIR

CONCLUSIONS ! LOW RESPONSE RATE MIGHT BE INTERPRETED AS A MAJORITY

INVOLVEMENT WITH INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS DESIGN PLANNING AND

OF INTERESTED RESPONDENTS INFLUENCING THE RESULTS AS UNINTERESTED

END USER EVALUATION EFFORTS 4HE SURVEY AND ITS RESULTS ARE DESCRIBED BELOW

MEMBERS OF THE TARGETED GROUP PROBABLY DID NOT BOTHER TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE 3O IT MAY BE THAT THE LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT WITH

4HE 1UESTIONNAIRE

INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES REPORTED HERE MAY BE

! QUESTIONNAIRE WAS CONSTRUCTED THAT CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS

INFLATED SOMEWHAT BEYOND THEIR OCCURRENCE IN THE FIELD

DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION CONCERNING THE RESPONDENT AND THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION PROJECT INITIATION AND DESIGN PROCESS ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO FORM MAKING ) USE THIS TERM TO SIGNIFY THE CREATION OF PROTOTYPICAL AND

Î &ORWARD

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4HE RESULTS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE

3ECTION 0ROFILES OF RESPONDENTS AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS

/VER OF THE RESPONDENTS HAD OR MORE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE

4HIS SECTION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONSISTED OF TWO SUB SECTIONS 4HE FIRST

GRAPHIC DESIGN PROFESSION AND HELD A BACHELOR OR MASTER LEVEL DESIGN

REQUESTED DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FROM THE RESPONDENT EXPERIENCE

DEGREE 4HE RESPONDENT GROUP CAN BE CHARACTERIZED THEREFORE AS BOTH

AND EDUCATION AND THE SECOND CONCERNED THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION SIZE

EXPERIENCED AND WELL EDUCATED 4HE MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS LISTED THEIR

CLIENT BASE TYPES OF SERVICES ETC 5NLESS OTHERWISE NOTED RESPONDENTS

TITLES AS EITHER 0RINCIPAL $IRECTOR OR 0RESIDENT OF THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND

WERE ASKED TO MARK ONE RESPONSE ONLY AND TO PROVIDE BRIEF WRITTEN

INDICATED THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN A WIDE VARIETY OF CREATIVE AND MANAGEMENT

COMMENTS

ACTIVITIES .O SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HIGHER LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE OR EDUCATION AND GREATER INVOLVEMENT WITH INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES WERE FOUND HOWEVER

2ESPONDENTS .UMBER OF YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROFESSION

/VER YEARS

RESPONDENTS

$ESIGN /RGANIZATION )NFORMATION

TO YEARS

4YPES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS

TO YEARS

#ONSULTING FIRMS

RESPONDENTS

TO YEARS

)N HOUSE DEPARTMENTS

TO YEARS

,ESS THAN YEAR

,EVEL OF DESIGN DEGREES COMPLETED

.UMBER OF REGULAR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WITHIN GRAPHIC DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS

/VER

RESPONDENTS

TO

0H $

RESPONDENTS

TO

-ASTER LEVEL

RESPONDENTS

TO

"ACHELOR LEVEL

TO

!SSOCIATE LEVEL

TO

.O DEGREE

/THER

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

.UMBER OF REGULAR FULL TIME EMPLOYEES WORKING AS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO LIST A SPECIFIC NUMBER

RESPONDENTS APPROXIMATELY WROTE IN COLLABORATORS INVOLVED WITH

2ESPONSES VARIED FROM A HIGH OF FULL TIME GRAPHIC DESIGN EMPLOYEES TO A

DEVELOPING DESIGN RATIONALE SUCH AS MARKET RESEARCHERS OR DESIGN

LOW OF ONE 4HE AVERAGE NUMBER OF GRAPHIC DESIGN EMPLOYEES WAS

EVALUATION EXPERTS

4HE BREAKDOWN OF DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPES AND NUMBER OF GRAPHIC

4YPES OF CLIENTS SERVED BY GRAPHIC DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS

DESIGN EMPLOYEES APPEAR TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF NORMS FOR THE FIELD IN

RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO MARK ALL APPLICABLE RESPONSES

THE 53

)NTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

RESPONDENTS

.ATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

/THER DISCIPLINES EMPLOYED BY GRAPHIC DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS OR THAT GRAPHIC DESIGN

2EGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

ORGANIZATIONS INTERACT WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS

,OCAL ORGANIZATIONS

RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO MARK ALL APPLICABLE RESPONSES AND LIST DISCIPLINES UNDER h/THER v

!CTIVITIES OF CLIENTS SERVED BY GRAPHIC DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS

0RODUCT DESIGNERS

RESPONDENTS

RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO MARK ALL APPLICABLE RESPONSES

)NTERIOR DESIGNERS

-ANUFACTURING ORGANIZATIONS

RESPONDENTS

!RCHITECTURAL DESIGNERS

3ERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

7RITERS %DITORS

2ETAIL ORGANIZATIONS

0HOTOGRAPHERS )LLUSTRATORS

#ULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

/THERS

!GAIN THESE RESULTS APPEAR TO REFLECT NORMS FOR THE FIELD WITH GRAPHIC

4HESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT GRAPHIC DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS MOST COMMONLY

DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING SERVICES TO VARIOUS TYPES OF CLIENTS

INTERACT WITH THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THEIR WORK

INVOLVED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES

0RINTERS SERVICE BUREAUS AND PAPER COMPANIES WERE TYPICAL WRITTEN RESPONSES IN THE @/THERS CATEGORY /NLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4YPES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES PROVIDED

RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED TO MARK ALL APPLICABLE RESPONSES

3ECTION )NFORMATION 'ATHERING AND !NALYSIS !CTIVITIES

#ORPORATE )DENTIFICATION

RESPONDENTS

4HIS SECTION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE CONSISTED OF THREE SUB SECTIONS 4HE

0RINT %DITORIAL

FIRST REQUESTED INFORMATION CONCERNING INITIATION OF PROJECTS WHILE THE

0RODUCT 0ACKAGING

SECOND AND THIRD WERE CONCERNED WITH DESIGN ORGANIZATION INVOLVEMENT

%NVIRONMENTAL 2ETAIL

WITH INQUIRY BASED ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO FORM MAKING AND EVALUATION

-ULTI MEDIA )NTERACTIVE

ACTIVITIES DURING FORM MAKING

4HESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT TRADITIONAL PRINT BASED COMMUNICATIONS

0ROJECT )NITIATION AND $ESIGN 0ROCESS

TRADEMARKS BUSINESS STATIONERY BROCHURES ETC CONTINUE TO MAKE

4HE SCOPE OF THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION S INVOLVEMENT WITH A PROJECT IS TYPICALLY

UP THE MAJORITY OF SERVICES PROVIDED BY GRAPHIC DESIGNERS 0RODUCT

DETERMINED BY

PACKAGING AND SIGNAGE WAY FINDING SYSTEMS ALSO REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT

4HE CLIENT ORGANIZATION

RESPONDENTS

SERVICES FOR THE FIELD )NTERACTIVE MULTI MEDIA DESIGN WHILE CLEARLY A

#LIENT DESIGN NEGOTIATION

@BUZZ WORD AT THE MOMENT HAS NOT YET MADE A WIDESPREAD IMPACT ON

4HE DESIGN ORGANIZATION

GRAPHIC DESIGN PRACTICE

! THIRD PARTY ORGANIZATION

)NSTANCES OF RECOGNITION IN NATIONAL OR INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS AND OR EXHIBITS IN

! MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS INDICATE THAT THE CLIENT TYPICALLY DETERMINES

THE LAST THREE YEARS

THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH A PROJECT WHILE A SMALLER PERCENTAGE INDICATE THAT

/VER

RESPONDENTS

THEY DETERMINE THEIR INVOLVEMENT OR NEGOTIATE THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH

TO

THE CLIENT 4YPICAL WRITTEN RESPONSES STATE THAT MOST GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

TO

ARE NOT IN THE POSITION TO DETERMINE THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH PROJECTS

PARTICULARLY WITH NEW CLIENTS -ANY RESPONDENTS INDICATE THAT GREATER

-ANY RESPONDENTS COMMENTED THAT THEY DO NOT ENTER DESIGN COMPETITIONS

INPUT IN DETERMINING THEIR INVOLVEMENT OCCURS MORE COMMONLY WITH LONG

AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT HAVE THEIR WORK PUBLISHED OR EXHIBITED 4HESE

TERM CLIENTS

SENTIMENTS SEEM TO ECHO THE GROWING DISSATISFACTION WITH COMPETITIONS THAT IS EVIDENT IN MUCH CURRENT GRAPHIC DESIGN LITERATURE

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4HE DESIGN ORGANIZATION S RESPONSE TO INITIATING A PROJECT

!CCEPTANCE OF CLIENT S BRIEF

RESPONDENTS

FELT THAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS PROBABLY SHOULD BEAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR

/PEN ENDED PROBLEM INQUIRY

DETERMINING USE OF THEIR EFFORTS BUT THAT MANY CLIENTS FEEL FREE TO IGNORE

4IGHTLY DIRECTED INQUIRY

ADVICE OR TO NOT FULLY IMPLEMENT PROPOSED SOLUTIONS 4HIS MAY SUGGEST THAT MANY GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ARE PERCEIVED BY CLIENTS AS SUPPLIERS OF A

! MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS INDICATE THAT SOME TYPE OF PROBLEM INQUIRY

SERVICE AS OPPOSED TO STRATEGIC LEVEL ADVISORS

TAKES PLACE AT INITIATION OF A PROJECT 4YPICAL WRITTEN RESPONSES CENTER AROUND THE NEED TO OBTAIN INFORMATION BEYOND THAT SUPPLIED BY THE CLIENT

!CTIVITIES 0RIOR TO &ORM MAKING

AT THIS POINT IN A PROJECT S DEVELOPMENT

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY GATHER INFORMATION RELATED TO A CLIENT S PROJECT

4HE FINAL OUTCOME OF A PROJECT CAN BEST BE DEFINED AS

9ES

RESPONDENTS

#LIENT REQUESTED WORK

RESPONDENTS

.O

$ESIGNER DEFINED WORK

7ORK DEFINED BY BOTH

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY ANALYZE DESIGN EFFORTS OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN COMPETITION WITH A CLIENT

0ARTY BEARING RESPONSIBILITY TO DETERMINE USE OF DESIGN EFFORTS

9ES

RESPONDENTS

4HE CLIENT ORGANIZATION

RESPONDENTS

.O

4HE DESIGN ORGANIZATION

-ARKETING CONSULTANTS

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY ANALYZE DESIGN EFFORTS THAT A CLIENT HAS ATTEMPTED IN THE PAST

2ESPONDENTS OVERWHELMINGLY INDICATE THAT THE OUTCOME OF THEIR WORK

9ES

RESPONDENTS

INVOLVES COLLABORATION WITH THE CLIENT SUGGESTING A PARTNERSHIP IN

.O

DETERMINING HOW DESIGN EFFORTS ARE USED /N THE OTHER HAND WHEN ASKED TO NAME THE PARTY BEARING ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE USE OF DESIGN EFFORTS RESPONSES SPLIT ALMOST EVENLY BETWEEN THE CLIENT AND DESIGN ORGANIZATIONS ! MAJORITY OF WRITTEN COMMENTS INDICATED THAT RESPONDENTS

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY ENGAGE IN EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE

!CTIVITIES $URING &ORM MAKING

DESIGN EFFORTS CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVELY USED

9ES

RESPONDENTS

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY DEVELOP A PLAN OR WRITTEN DOCUMENT DISCUSSING

.O

RATIONALE FOR DESIGN EFFORTS

2ESPONSES INDICATE THAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ARE ON A WHOLE INVOLVED

9ES

RESPONDENTS

.O

IN INFORMATION GATHERING ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO FORM MAKING ! SIGNIFICANT MAJORITY RESPOND THAT THEY GATHER PROJECT RELATED INFORMATION BUT THE

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY SOLICIT USER INPUT DURING THE CONCEPT

PERCENTAGE OF POSITIVE RESPONSES DECLINES WHEN QUERIED ABOUT PARTICULAR

DEVELOPMENT STAGE

ACTIVITIES

9ES

RESPONDENTS

.O

-OST RESPONDENTS INDICATE THAT THEY REVIEW PAST CLIENT DESIGN EFFORTS

AND IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE NEW DESIGN EFFORTS CAN BE USED MORE EFFECTIVELY 4HE LEAST AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY APPEARS TO TAKE PLACE WITH ANALYSIS OF

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY SOLICIT USER EVALUATION OF COMMUNICATION

COMPETITORS DESIGN EFFORTS 4YPICAL WRITTEN RESPONSES TO THIS QUESTION

PROTOTYPES

MENTION THAT THIS ACTIVITY MIGHT BE PERFORMED BY OTHER CONSULTANTS OR

9ES

RESPONDENTS

IN HOUSE PERSONNEL OUTSIDE THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION -ANY NEGATIVE

.O

RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM THIS SERVICE UNLESS IT WAS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE CLIENT -ANY RESPONDENTS ALSO INDICATED THROUGH WRITTEN RESPONSES THAT

$OES THE DESIGN ORGANIZATION TYPICALLY SOLICIT USER EVALUATION OF FINAL DESIGNED COMMUNICATIONS

THE ABOVE ACTIVITIES ARE MOST OFTEN PERFORMED ON AN INFORMAL BASIS

9ES

RESPONDENTS

WITHOUT MENTION IN PROJECT PROPOSALS AND WITHOUT A FORMAL METHODOLOGY

.O

%VEN THOUGH THE QUANTITY OF RESPONSES CONCERNING THESE INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES IS SIGNIFICANT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS TO FORMALIZE THIS AREA OF THE DESIGN PROCESS CLEARLY EXISTS

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

2ESPONSES INDICATE THAT A MAJORITY OF GRAPHIC DESIGNERS DO NOT ENGAGE IN

3ECTION !DDITIONAL 7RITTEN #OMMENTS

PLANNING AND USER EVALUATION ACTIVITIES DURING THE FORM MAKING PHASES

4HE FINAL SECTION OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE ENABLED RESPONDENTS TO MAKE

OF THE DESIGN PROCESS -OREOVER IT APPEARS THAT INVOLVEMENT WITH THESE

ANY ADDITIONAL WRITTEN COMMENTS CONCERNING THE ISSUES AND ACTIVITIES

TYPES OF ACTIVITIES LESSENS AS THE DESIGN PROCESS DRAWS TO A CLOSE

SURVEYED 4HE MAJORITY OF THESE RESPONSES COULD BE CLASSIFIED AS

!S MENTIONED IN THE PRIOR SUB SECTION OF RESULTS WRITTEN COMMENTS

SUPPORTIVE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER .ON SUPPORTIVE COMMENTS TENDED TO BE

INDICATE THAT THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE ACTIVITIES IN QUESTION OFTEN PERFORM

SIMILAR TO THOSE PARAPHRASED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION WHERE RESPONDENTS

THEM ON AN INFORMAL BASIS WITHOUT MENTION IN PROJECT PROPOSALS AND

DID NOT FEEL THE NEED TO EMPLOY FORMAL INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS

WITHOUT A FORMAL METHODOLOGY

ACTIVITIES /THERS INDICATED THAT THEIR CLIENTS WERE QUITE ADEPT AT HANDLING

7RITTEN COMMENTS ALSO INDICATE THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER OF POSITIVE RESPONDENTS INTERPRETED THE USER EVALUATION QUESTIONS TO MEAN

THESE ACTIVITIES 3TILL OTHERS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO BECOME INVOLVED WITH INFORMATION

EVALUATION BY CLIENT REPRESENTATIVES I E hWE SHOW MOCK UPS TO THE

GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES BUT INDICATED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT

CLIENTv 7HILE MEMBERS OF THE CLIENT ORGANIZATION COULD BE CONSIDERED

TO DO SO GIVEN CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS TIGHT CLIENT BUDGETS AND

USERS OF DESIGNED COMMUNICATIONS IN CERTAIN CASES SALES PERSONNEL ARE

THEIR UNFAMILIARITY WITH THESE ACTIVITIES

SIGNIFICANT USERS IN RESPECT TO SALES AND PRICE LITERATURE FOR INSTANCE

THEY PROBABLY SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED SO IN ALL INSTANCES 0OSITIVE

! SELECTION OF SUPPORTIVE WRITTEN COMMENTS ARE SUPPLIED BELOW

RESPONSES THAT CONTAINED WRITTEN COMMENTS INDICATING THIS INTERPRETATION

h/UR FIELD IS REMARKABLY INFORMAL IN RESEARCH AND RELATED AREAS

OF THE ABOVE QUESTIONS WERE TABULATED NONETHELESS SO THE POSITIVE

/UTSIDE FOCUS GROUPS BY THIRD PARTIES ARE UNUSUAL v

RESPONSES SHOWN ABOVE MAY BE SLIGHTLY INFLATED

h) BELIEVE IT IS CRITICAL IF WE ARE TO BE COMMUNICATORS THRU SIC

! COMMON WRITTEN COMMENT OF THOSE RESPONDING NEGATIVELY TO THE

DESIGN THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WORK WE DO BEING TRULY EFFECTIVE

ABOVE QUESTIONS CAN BE PARAPHRASED AS h)F WE HAVE DONE OUR JOBS

COMMUNICATIONS +NOWLEDGE OF MARKETING AND FOLLOW UP ON SUCCESS ARE

CORRECTLY THERE IS NO NEED FOR THESE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES v 7HILE THIS POINT

CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING -ERE DESIGN DECORATION IS NOT THE BUSINESS WE

IS OBVIOUSLY DEBATABLE IT DOES INDICATE A CERTAIN LACK OF INTEREST IN

ARE IN THOUGH TOO MANY DO JUST THIS AND CHARGE TOO MUCH /UR PURPOSE

INCORPORATING PLANNING AND USER EVALUATION ACTIVITIES AMONG THE NEGATIVE

IS TO FURTHER OUR CLIENT S BUSINESS NOT BE FINE ARTISTS v

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a 7 #LOSE &ILE

7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

h4HE FIELD OF GRAPHIC DESIGN NEEDS TO IMPROVE ITS PROFESSIONAL

EVALUATION ACTIVITIES 1UESTIONNAIRE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THIS CLAIM HAS

STANDARDS )N FIFTY YEARS THINGS WILL BE MUCH BETTER &OR NOW IT IS A

MERIT AS THESE SPECIALIZED RESPONDENTS WHEN ISOLATED AS A GROUP HAVE

CONFUSED AND FRUSTRATED FIELD OF ENDEAVOR %NVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGN

SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER POSITIVE RESPONSE RATES TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING THOSE

HAS PROVEN TO BE LESS COMPETITIVE MUCH MORE RESPECTED AND VERY

ACTIVITIES

LUCRATIVE ALBEIT A DIFFICULT PROFESSION TO MASTER v h4O COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY IN TODAY S CROWDED DESIGN MARKETPLACE A

#ONCLUSIONS

DESIGN FIRM MUST BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES THAT INCLUDE ALL ASPECTS OF

4HE TYPICAL CONSULTING ORGANIZATION THOUGH RELATIVELY SMALL AND WORKING

MARKETING RESEARCH PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT FEDERAL AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

WITH A VARIETY OF CLIENT TYPES MIGHT CONSIDER INCORPORATING FORMAL

FOR PACKAGING LEGISLATION FOR INSTANCE PRODUCT EVALUATION ETC )N MANY

INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES IN ITS PRACTICE INCLUDING

RESPECTS MARKETING CONSULTANTS AND DESIGN CONSULTANTS ARE BECOMING

SUCH ACTIVITIES IN PROPOSALS FOR INSTANCE 4HIS SHOULD BE APPROACHED

ONE AND THE SAME PARTICULARLY IN THE PACKAGING DESIGN FIELD OUR AREA

IN A FLEXIBLE MANNER HOWEVER .OT ALL CLIENTS CAN BE @EDUCATED TO

OF FOCUS v

APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF THESE ACTIVITIES AND NOT ALL DESIGNERS WILL BE

h)T IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS DESIGNERS TO EDUCATE CLIENTS TO OUR NEED TO

COMFORTABLE ENGAGING IN THEM $EVELOPING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH

GATHER AND ANALYZE INFORMATION AS AN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY PART OF THE

MARKET RESEARCHERS USER EVALUATION EXPERTS OR OTHER SPECIALISTS MIGHT

DESIGN PROCESS -OST CLIENTS DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR THIS PHASE

BE A LOGICAL FIRST STEP TOWARDS BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THESE ACTIVITIES AND

OF A PROJECT v

LEARNING HOW TO ADAPT THEM TO THE NEEDS OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER

h0LEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE IDENTITY CONSULTANTS AND OUR WORK IS

)N HOUSE DESIGN DEPARTMENTS APPEAR TO HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE SET

PRIMARILY IN CORPORATE BRAND AND RETAIL IDENTIFICATION 4HE ANALYSIS AND

OF PROBLEMS IN THE AREAS OF INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS 4HEIR

PLANNING ASPECTS OF PROBLEM SOLVING ARE ALWAYS INTEGRAL TO OUR DESIGN

RESPONSES WHEN ISOLATED AS A GROUP WERE SOMEWHAT LOWER THAN

PROCESS v

THE CONSULTANT DESIGNERS 4HE NEED FOR CLIENT EDUCATION STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ETC APPEARS TO BE EVEN GREATER WITH THIS GROUP 3OME

2ESPONDENTS WORKING PREDOMINANTLY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PACKAGING

WRITTEN RESPONDENTS FROM IN HOUSE DEPARTMENTS INDICATE THAT THESE

AND CORPORATE IDENTIFICATION AREAS OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGN PROFESSION

DESIGNERS FEEL A SENSE OF ISOLATION FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN

CLAIM TO HAVE A MORE FORMAL METHODOLOGY THAN THE REST OF THE FIELD AND GREATER INVOLVEMENT WITH INFORMATION GATHERING ANALYSIS PLANNING AND

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7HAT GRAPHIC DESIGNERS SAY THEY DO

ORGANIZATION S MESSAGES AS THEY ARE TYPICALLY BROUGHT IN AT THE END OF

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

)F THE GRAPHIC DESIGN FIELD IS TO PROGRESS BEYOND ITS CURRENT STATURE IT

THE PROCESS AND DEAL WITH VISUAL FORMAT ONLY 3OME IN FACT SUGGESTED

MUST PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE TO BUSINESS AS USUAL 4ECHNOLOGY WILL ONLY

THAT A SPECIAL STUDY OF IN HOUSE DESIGN DEPARTMENTS BE LAUNCHED SO THAT

CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND WITH THAT IMPROVEMENT COMES THE THREAT OF

THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION COULD BE EXPLORED IN MORE DEPTH

AN ERODING OF THE FIELD )T IS NO LONGER ENOUGH FOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS TO

)N EITHER CASE AUGMENTATION OF TRADITIONAL GRAPHIC DESIGN SERVICES

SAY THAT THEY HOLD THE SECRETS TO CREATING SOPHISTICATED VISUAL FORM AS

WITH INFORMATION GATHERING AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES COULD BENEFIT ALL THOSE

SOON EVERYONE WILL HAVE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL TOOLS FOR THAT PURPOSE ON THEIR

CONCERNED "Y FORMALIZING THE ACTIVITIES COVERED IN THIS SURVEY GRAPHIC

DESKTOP )T IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS THAT SHOULD

DESIGNERS MIGHT GO A LONG WAY TOWARD CONSTRUCTING A RIGOROUS PROCESS

SET PROFESSIONAL WORK APART FROM WORK CREATED BY NON DESIGNERS )F

COMPARABLE TO OTHER MORE RESPECTED PROFESSIONS !LLOWING END USERS

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS DO NOT TAKE STEPS TO ENSURE THAT THIS VALUE IS ADDED

TO EVALUATE DESIGNERS EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE FORM MAKING STEPS OF THE

TO THEIR WORK THEY MUST FACE THE POSSIBILITY OF THEIR PROFESSION BECOMING

DESIGN PROCESS COULD RESULT IN MESSAGES BETTER SUITED TO THE NEEDS OF

INCREASINGLY MARGINALIZED 4HIS SURVEY OF THE FIELD INDICATES THAT THERE IS

AUDIENCES 4HESE TYPES OF MESSAGES ARE PROBABLY ALSO OF A STRATEGIC

STILL MUCH TO BE DONE

VALUE TO MOST CLIENTS AS THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH HIGHLY USEFUL INFORMATION -OST GRAPHIC DESIGNERS HAVE NO SYSTEM IN PLACE TO MEASURE THE EFFECT OF THEIR WORK ON AN INTENDED AUDIENCE 0ROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF PEER APPROVAL THROUGH A VARIETY OF PUBLICATIONS AND JURIED COMPETITIONS WHERE EMPHASIS IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOPHISTICATED GRAPHIC FORM 4HE USE OF INFORMATION GATHERING ANALYSIS

AND AUDIENCE EVALUATION TECHNIQUES MIGHT PROVIDE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS WITH A MORE SIGNIFICANT METHOD TO ESTABLISH THE SUCCESS OF THEIR EFFORTS 'REATER DOCUMENTATION OF SUCCESSFUL AUDIENCE BASED GRAPHIC DESIGN PROJECTS COULD SUPPLY THE PROFESSION WITH A MORE OBVIOUS MEANS TO DEMONSTRATE ITS VALUE Î &ORWARD

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

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7E RE IN BRAS LAMPS AND BREAKFAST CEREAL

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN %YE THE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

VOL NO

4ODAY S CORPORATION IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM ITS PREDECESSORS "UT THE IDENTITIES DEVISED BY DESIGNERS ARE FAILING TO MIRROR THOSE CHANGES

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7E RE IN BRAS LAMPS AND BREAKFAST CEREALS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

#ORPORATIONS HAVE CHANGED 4HEY LOOK AND ACT DIFFERENTLY COMPARED TO

ES AFFECTING LARGE COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS THEIR TRADITIONAL PATRONS )F

THE WAY THEY DID WHEN MASS PRODUCTION WAS AT ITS HEIGHT 4HE hGENERALv

TODAY S BIG CORPORATION IS A DIFFERENT ANIMAL FROM ITS PREDECESSOR WHY

IS ON THE DECLINE AND THE hSPECIFICv HAS COME TO THE FORE AS CONSUM

THEN HAVE WE NOT SEEN NEW APPROACHES TO IDENTITY DESIGN THAT MIRROR

ERS EXPECT AND DEMAND PRODUCTS AND SERVICES TAILORED TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL

SUCH CHANGE

NEEDS .OW JUST A NOT SO FOND MEMORY THE CENTRALIZED MONOLITHIC AND

4HE TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO CORPORATE IDENTITY WHICH WERE DEVEL

INFLEXIBLE CORPORATION HAS BEEN REPLACED BY AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS DE

OPED IN THE S THE TIME WHEN MASS PRODUCTION FLOURISHED ARE FOR

CENTRALIZED DIVERSIFIED CUSTOMER DRIVEN FLEXIBLE AND TEAM ORIENTED

THE MOST PART STILL IN USE TODAY 4HE MOST FAMILIAR IS THE INSTITUTIONAL

7ELL THAT S THE THEORY ANYWAY

STRATEGY WHICH IS USED TO PRESENT A SINGLE CORPORATE IMAGE FOR A LARGE

4HE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THIS FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IS TECHNOLOGY #OM

ORGANIZATION THIS IS THE APPROACH TRADITIONALLY FAVORED BY CORPORATE IDEN

PUTING IS JUST THE LATEST AGENT OF SWEEPING CHANGE E MAIL PORTABLE LAP

TITY CONSULTANTS !T THE OTHER END OF THE SCALE IS THE INDIVIDUAL APPROACH

TOPS NETWORKING AND MULTI MEDIA PRESENTATIONS ARE SOME OF THE GROWING

WHICH TREATS BUSINESS ACTIVITIES SEPARATELY WITH ITS OWN hBRANDv IDENTIFIER

LIST OF COMPUTER BASED TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE ALLOWING TODAY S CORPORATION

)N BETWEEN THE TWO EXTREMES ARE VARIATIONS OF THE ENDORSING APPROACH

TO BECOME THAT NEW FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATION

WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND ITS VARIOUS ACTIVITIES TO BE IDENTIFIED

4HE DESIGN WORLD IS OF COURSE AFFECTED BY AND CONTRIBUTING TO THESE DEVELOPMENTS )NDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS ARE BUSY INTEGRATING COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATION FUNCTIONS INTO ALL SORTS OF PRODUCTS SELF DIAGNOSTIC COPI

TOGETHER IN EITHER AN EQUAL MANNER OR WITH ONE OR THE OTHER IN A DOMI NANT POSITION 4HESE APPROACHES APPEAR TO WORK FINE FOR THE MAJORITY OF AVERAGE

ERS THAT CALL THE REPAIR PERSON BEFORE THEY BREAK DOWN FOR INSTANCE

SIZED BUSINESSES WHICH ARE SIMILAR TO MOST ORGANIZATIONS OF THE PAST IN

WHILE OFFICE DESIGNERS ARE GRAPPLING WITH THE CHALLENGE OF INCORPORATING

THAT THEY DEAL WITH A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF RELATED AUDIENCES 4HE

EVER CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES INTO AN ALREADY COMPLEX WORKPLACE 'RAPHIC

SAME CANNOT BE SAID FOR THE BIG CORPORATIONS OF THE S WHICH USE

DESIGNERS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN THE MOST AFFECTED BY COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY

NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO PROVIDE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR A VARIETY OF AUDI

AS THEIR TRADITIONAL MEANS OF CREATION AND PRODUCTION AND MEDIA USED TO

ENCES SOME QUITE UNRELATED TO OTHERS )T S WHEN TRADITIONAL APPROACHES

TRANSMIT THEIR WORK HAVE ALL BEEN TRANSFORMED

TO CORPORATE IDENTITY COLLIDE WITH THIS NEW TYPE OF ORGANIZATION THAT THE

#ORPORATE IDENTITY CONSULTANTS A VERY IMPORTANT SECTOR WITHIN

TROUBLE BEGINS

GRAPHIC DESIGN HAVE TAKEN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY ON BOARD WITH THE REST OF US 7HAT THEY HAVE NOT YET DONE THOUGH IS RESPOND TO THE CHANG

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7E RE IN BRAS LAMPS AND BREAKFAST CEREALS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4WO EXAMPLES FROM THE S ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT "EATRICE AND !L

4HIS ACHIEVES THE REQUIRED FLEXIBILITY BUT IT ALSO PRESENTS A FACELESS INHU

LEGIS TWO #HICAGO BASED ORGANIZATIONS ATTEMPTED TO PRESENT THEMSELVES

MAN IMAGE WHICH RUNS COUNTER TO THE PERSONAL CUSTOMER DRIVEN IDENTITY

AS BUSINESSES OFFERING A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES "EATRICE FOR

THAT A CORPORATION MAY REQUIRE )T ALSO FAILS TO PROVIDE THAT CORPORATION S

INSTANCE TRIED TO APPLY A SINGLE CORPORATE IDENTIFIER TO PRODUCTS AS DI

DIFFERENT BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITH SPECIFIC WELL DEFINED IMAGES IN THEIR

VERSE AS BRAS LAMPS AND BREAKFAST CEREAL !LLEGIS TRIED TO ENDORSE THREE

SEPARATE MARKETS )T APPEARS THEN THAT BOTH SPECIFICITY AND ADAPTABIL

WELL KNOWN TRAVEL RELATED ORGANIZATIONS UNDER ITS LOGOTYPE "OTH ATTEMPTS

ITY ARE IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS TO BUILD INTO THE IDENTITY OF TODAY S COMPLEX

ENDED IN FAILURE AND WERE ULTIMATELY SCRAPPED

BREED OF ORGANIZATION

4HE "EATRICE AND !LLEGIS BUSINESS STRATEGIES RAISED IMPORTANT QUES

3O WHAT DOES THIS NEW SITUATION MEAN FOR THE TRADITIONAL APPROACHES

TIONS CONCERNING THE IDENTITY OF UNRELATED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITHIN A

TO CORPORATE IDENTITY DESIGN WITHIN LARGE COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS %SSEN

SINGLE CORPORATION ,ARGE AND COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN AROUND

TIALLY IT MEANS EVEN GREATER COMPLEXITY 4RADITIONAL APPROACHES CAN BE

FOR MANY TEARS 'ENERAL %LECTRIC AND 'ENERAL -OTORS ARE TWO OBVIOUS

COMPARED TO TAMING A MULTI ARMED BEAST KEEPING ALL THE ARMS IN LINE TO

EXAMPLES BUT THEIR VARIOUS ACTIVITIES HAVE TENDED TO BE RELATED !T

PRESENT A UNIFIED IMAGE AN ALREADY DIFFICULT TASK "UT NOW EACH ARM

TEMPTS TO GROUP TODAY S MORE DIVERSE ACTIVITIES UNDER A SINGLE UMBRELLA

HAS GROWN A HEAD AND EACH HEAD IS TALKING TO A VARIETY OF CUSTOMERS

SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A LIMIT TO WHAT AUDIENCES WILL ACCEPT

4AMING THIS BEAST IS AN EVEN GREATER CHALLENGE REQUIRING A BROADER SET OF

4HERE ARE MOREOVER OTHER CHANGES HAPPENING IN TODAY S TECHNOLOGI CAL LANDSCAPE THAT WILL AFFECT CORPORATE IDENTITY DESIGN h.ETWORKINGv

STRATEGIES TO ALLOW FOR THE NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY AND SPECIFICITY !LSO CLOUDING THE WATERS ARE AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS OF A BUSINESS ACTIVI

ORGANIZATIONS NOW EXIST IN WHICH THE PRODUCTION OF GOODS AND OR DELIVERY

TIES SOMETHING THAT IS OFTEN INFLUENCED BY TRADITIONAL VIEWS THAT HAVE LIT

OF SERVICES MAY BE CONTRACTED TO OUTSIDERS &REED FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF

TLE TO DO WITH CURRENT REALITIES 4HE 5 3 CORPORATION 3INGER FOR INSTANCE IS

TRADITIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES THESE VENTURES CAN SWITCH QUICKLY

INVOLVED IN A WIDE RANGE OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES BUT IN PEOPLE S MINDS WILL

FROM ONE ACTIVITY TO ANOTHER 4HERE IS THEREFORE A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY OF

PROBABLY ALWAYS BE ASSOCIATED WITH ITS LONG HISTORY OF MANUFACTURING SEW

BUSINESSES ROUTINELY REDEFINING THEIR ACTIVITIES ONE DAY THEY DO THIS

ING MACHINES AND IF 3INGER WERE TO START MAKING COMPUTERS IT IS DOUBTFUL

THE NEXT DAY THEY DO THAT (OW CAN CORPORATE IDENTITY SYSTEMS KEEP UP

THAT ITS TRADITIONAL IMAGE WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED IN THIS NEW CONTEXT )T IS

WITH SUCH A RATE OF CHANGE

EXACTLY THIS TYPE OF ISSUE THAT IDENTITY CONSULTANTS MUST NOW ADDRESS

/NE RESPONSE HAS BEEN TO USE LARGELY MEANINGLESS CORPORATE NAMES

TO WHICH ANY TYPE OF ACTIVITY CAN BE ATTACHED !LLEGIS IS ONE EXAMPLE

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7E RE IN BRAS LAMPS AND BREAKFAST CEREALS

"ECAUSE THE POST INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATION HAS BECOME DIVERSE IT IS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

)N AN ARTICLE THAT APPEARED IN A RECENT ISSUE OF %YE NO VOL

APPROPRIATE THAT NEW IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES ALLOW FOR AND ENHANCE THAT

*ULIA 4HRIFT SUGGESTS THAT MUCH CURRENT IDENTITY DESIGN SUFFERS FROM A

DIVERSITY )F A SINGLE CORPORATE IDENTITY IS NO LONGER ADEQUATE THEN A

BLANDNESS THAT IS PERPETRATED BY THE LARGE LESS THAN CREATIVE DESIGN

STRATEGY THAT ALLOWS MANY RELATED BUT PERSONALIZED IDENTITIES MUST BE DE

FIRMS 3HE ALSO SUGGESTS THAT SMALL RISK TAKING DESIGN TEAMS MIGHT BE

VELOPED /NE CAN ENVISION A COMPLEX ORGANIZATION THAT EMPLOYS A HYBRID

BETTER PLACED TO CREATE UNIQUE AND EFFECTIVE IDENTITIES 4HIS DOES NOT GO

STRATEGY CONSISTING OF ALL THE TRADITIONAL IDENTITY STRATEGIES BUT TAILORING

FAR ENOUGH IT IS MORE THAN INVENTIVE FORM MAKING THAT IS AT ISSUE HERE

THEM TO ITS PARTICULAR NEEDS 4HOSE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE PERCEIVED AS RE

THOUGH THAT TOO WOULD HELP 7HAT IS NEEDED IS THE COURAGE TO MOVE

LATED TO THE ORGANIZATION S TRADITIONAL IMAGE WOULD BE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF

BEYOND OLD MODELS OF CORPORATE IDENTITY PRACTICE TO CREATE NEW ONES THAT

THE CENTRAL INSTITUTION WHILE OTHER ACTIVITIES LESS DIRECTLY RELATED WOULD

ARE APPROPRIATE TO THE REALITIES OF OUR DIVERSE AND EVER CHANGING CLIENTS

BE STRONGLY OR SUBTLY ENDORSED STILL OTHERS COULD BE LEFT TO STAND ALONE WITH THEIR OWN UNIQUE IDENTITIES 7HAT IS NEEDED IS A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM hCONSISTENCY v WHICH HAS BEEN THE HALLMARK OF CORPORATE IDENTITY AS WE KNOW IT #ON SISTENCY CAN NO LONGER BE VIEWED IN SIMPLISTIC TERMS THAT IS APPLYING A SINGLE CORPORATE IDENTIFICATION STRATEGY TO A DIVERSE ORGANIZATION )TS MEANING MUST BE EXPANDED TO ALLOW FOR THE COMPLEXITY WE NOW SEE #RITICAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL INTRODUCTION OF A HYBRID IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM ARE THE METHODS FOR DETERMINING HOW TO LINK ACTIVITIES TO THE CENTRAL ORGANI ZATION 4HESE MUST BE BASED ON HARD MEASUREMENTS OF AUDIENCE PERCEP TIONS MYTH WILL SIMPLY NOT DO IN THIS CASE -ANY LARGE CORPORATE IDENTIFICA TION FIRMS ALREADY HAVE THE RESOURCES IN PLACE TO PERFORM THIS TYPE OF WORK ALL THAT IS NEEDED IS TO RECOGNIZE AND PROPERLY DEAL WITH THE CORRECT ISSUES

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

)T WAS GOOD FOR ME BUT HOW ABOUT YOU

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN %YE THE INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

.EW MEDIA WILL ALLOW AUDIENCES

VOL NO

GREATER CONTROL THAN EVER OVER THE RECEPTION OF MESSAGES $ESIGNERS NEGLECT USER NEEDS AT THEIR PERIL

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4HE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE BROUGHT UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE TO GRAPHIC DE

FESSION EXHIBITS SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF IMMATURITY -OST GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

SIGN 2ECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY HAVE RADICALLY AFFECTED THE CRE

ARE CONTENT TO ACCEPT THE ROLE OF FINAL FORM MAKER FOR COMMUNICATIONS

ATION TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF VISUAL MESSAGES 'RAPHIC DESIGNERS

$EVELOPMENT OF MESSAGE CONTENT AND DETERMINATION OF HOW MESSAGES

SHIFTED TO COMPUTERS AS THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF MESSAGE PRODUCTION AND

MIGHT BEST BE TAILORED FOR USERS ARE LEFT TO OTHERS 4HIS LIMITED DEFINITION

SOME HAVE EMBARKED UPON THE CREATION OF hINTERACTIVEv COMPUTER BASED

OF OUR PROFESSION HAS MANIFESTED ITSELF IN ALL ASPECTS OF HOW WE PRACTICE

PRESENTATIONS OF INFORMATION 4HESE PRESENTATIONS ALLOW FOR LIMITED CON

TEACH AND WRITE ABOUT OURSELVES

TROL OF MESSAGE SEQUENCE ENABLING USERS TO WANDER THROUGH AN INFORMA TION STRUCTURE AND PERSONALIZE THEIR EXPERIENCE !S THESE TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOP SO TOO WILL EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOW

'RAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATION IS BASED MOSTLY AROUND A SERIES OF FICTITIOUS SITUATIONS WHERE STUDENTS PRODUCE PRESCRIBED OUTCOMES AS AN EDUCATOR ) MUST ADMIT TO USING THIS TEACHING MODEL MYSELF 3ELDOM ARE STUDENTS

MESSAGES ARE RECEIVED 0RELIMINARY EFFORTS IN THIS AREA SUCH AS OP

ENCOURAGED TO INVESTIGATE THE WANTS AND NEEDS OF COMMUNICATION USERS

TIONS WITHIN INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS TO ALLOW VARIOUS LEVELS OF CONTENT

AND TO ALLOW A FINAL COMMUNICATION TO GROW OUT OF THE CONTEXT IN WHICH IT

TO BE ACCESSED AS THE USER DESIRES HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE AND

WILL BE USED )T COMES AS NO SURPRISE TO FIND THAT PROFESSIONAL GRAPHIC DE

PRESENTATIONS THAT CAN BE ADAPTED TO DESIRED LEARNING STYLES HAVE BEEN

SIGNERS ALSO SELDOM ENGAGE IN THESE ACTIVITIES -OST LITERATURE REPRESENT

CREATED .OT SURPRISINGLY TECHNOLOGY HAS ALSO FUELED CHANGES OUTSIDE OF

ING OUR FIELD EMPHASIZES THE FORM THAT A COMMUNICATION TAKES AND DISRE

GRAPHIC DESIGN $EVELOPERS AND OBSERVERS OF TECHNOLOGY PREDICT THAT THE

GARDS THE CONTEXT OF ITS USE 4HE RESULT IS OFTEN PAGES OF STYLISH ARTIFACTS

ENTERTAINMENT PRINT PUBLISHING AND COMPUTER INDUSTRIES WILL UNDERGO A

THAT WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMULATE WITH SOME PUBLICATIONS BEING MORE

JOINT METAMORPHOSIS IN THE ST CENTURY WITH MEDIA CONGLOMERATE 4IME

THAN WILLING TO SHOW US HOW "UT THERE ARE SOME HOPEFUL SIGNS OF A NEW

7ARNER BEING JUST ONE OBVIOUS EXAMPLE OF THIS DIRECTION

MATURITY 'RAPHIC DESIGN CRITICISM SEEMS TO BE DEVELOPING 3OME GRAPHIC

3O HOW SHOULD GRAPHIC DESIGN PRACTICE EDUCATION AND LITERATURE

DESIGNERS ARE BEGINNING TO TAKE GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR MESSAGE CON

PROCEED INTO THIS BRAVE NEW WORLD 7ILL CURRENTLY ACCEPTED PARADIGMS

TENT AS COMPUTERS PROVIDE A SMOOTH PLATFORM FOR INTEGRATING BOTH WRITING

PROVE SATISFACTORY OR WILL WE BE FORCED TO REDEFINE OURSELVES IN THE FACE

AND DESIGN ! CLEAR DIRECTION FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIELD IS LACK

OF CONTINUING CHANGE

ING HOWEVER

'RAPHIC DESIGN IS A RELATIVELY YOUNG PROFESSION 7E RECOGNIZE IT AS AN INVENTION OF THIS CENTURY THOUGH ITS ROOTS GO BACK TO THE DESIRE OF PREHIS TORIC CAVE DWELLERS TO COMMUNICATE VISUALLY )N ITS CURRENT STATE THE PRO

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-OST DEFINITIONS OF THE FUNCTION OF GRAPHIC DESIGN REVOLVE AROUND THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED CONCEPT OF READABILITY 7E TEND TO BELIEVE THAT IF A COMMUNICATION IS READABLE THEN IT WILL COMMUNICATE 3UCH RUDIMENTARY

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

DESIGNERS COULD INCREASE THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF THEIR SERVICES USERS WOULD RECEIVE INFORMATION TAILORED TO NEEDS AND EXPERIENCE 4HE MOVE TOWARDS A USER BASED APPROACH REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL CHANG

LOGIC DOESN T ADEQUATELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE USER S EXPECTATIONS SUR

ES IN GRAPHIC DESIGN EDUCATION PROGRAMS PRACTICE AND LITERATURE %DUCA

ROUNDING RECEPTION OF THE MESSAGE OR THE CONTEXT OF HOW THE INFORMATION

TION MUST PROVIDE MORE THAN AESTHETIC AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCE 9OUNG

IS ACTUALLY USED

DESIGNERS CAN BE TRAINED TO INVESTIGATE AND ANALYZE CLIENTS COMPETITORS

3IMPLE OBSERVATION OF USERS INTERACTING WITH INFORMATION CAN YIELD

AND AUDIENCES AND TO IDENTIFY IMPORTANT ISSUES OF COMMUNICATION 4HE

SIGNIFICANT INSIGHTS (OW MANY OF US HAVE BEEN SHOCKED AND DISMAYED

NEXT GENERATION OF DESIGNERS MUST POSSESS THESE SKILLS TO EXPAND THE CUR

ON THOSE RARE OCCASIONS OF VIEWING HOW OUR WORK IS REALLY USED %XPERTS

RENT FORM ORIENTATION OF THE PROFESSION

HAVE LONG THEORIZED THAT COMMUNICATION CAN T TAKE PLACE WITHOUT A

7E MUST ALSO DEMAND MORE FROM OUR LITERATURE THAN CHRONICLES OF THE

SHARED FIELD OF REFERENCE OR EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THE SENDER AND RECEIVER

LATEST STYLISTIC DEVELOPMENTS (OW CAN SUCCESSFUL GRAPHIC DESIGN EFFORTS

OF A MESSAGE 7E HAVE LITTLE CHANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE CONCERNS OF

BE CRITICALLY ASSESSED WITHOUT FIRST RECOGNIZING BASIC INFORMATION 7HAT

THOSE FOR WHOM WE DESIGN IF WE INSULATE OURSELVES BEHIND COMPUTERS AND

WAS THE INTENT OF THE COMMUNICATION 4O WHOM WAS IT DIRECTED 0ERHAPS

DRAWING BOARDS 7ITHOUT EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND THE USER S EXPERIENCE WE

A FUTURE MODEL FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN LITERATURE MIGHT INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS OF

CONTINUE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT IS READABLE BUT MAY NOT COMMUNI

TECHNIQUES USED BY DESIGNERS TO ARRIVE AT A RATIONALE FOR THEIR EFFORTS EM

CATE EFFECTIVELY ! NEW DEFINITION OF FUNCTIONALITY IS REQUIRED 2ESPONSIBIL

PHASIZING THE ROLES OF VARIOUS PLAYERS CLIENTS CUSTOMERS ETC IN SHAP

ITY FOR PROVIDING EFFECTIVE AND APPROPRIATE COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD FALL ON

ING THE FINAL COMMUNICATIONS

THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER !S TECHNOLOGY ENABLES AUDIENCES TO CONTROL HOW AND WHEN THEY RE

3PECIFIC ACTIVITIES OF USER ORIENTED GRAPHIC DESIGN MIGHT INCLUDE STRA TEGIC ANALYSIS OF CLIENT AND COMPETITOR PAST DESIGN EFFORTS IN ORDER TO HELP

CEIVE MESSAGES AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE USER S EXPERIENCE BECOMES

IDENTIFY NEW DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES 5SER OPINION COULD BE SOUGHT AT VARI

EVEN MORE CRITICAL 0ERHAPS A NEW PARADIGM OF THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER AS

OUS STAGES OF DESIGN DEVELOPMENT 5SER INPUT AT THE CONCEPT DEVELOP

A USER ADVOCATE CAN BE DEVELOPED IN WHICH THE DESIGNER IS INVOLVED IN

MENT STAGE CAN PROVE CRITICAL TO DETERMINING THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE

TRULY SIGNIFICANT MEDIATION BETWEEN THE SENDER THE CLIENT AND THE RE CEIVER THE USER 4HE POTENTIAL BENEFITS FOR ALL INVOLVED ARE GREAT CLIENTS COULD PROVIDE CUSTOMERS AND AUDIENCES WITH USEFUL INFORMATION GRAPHIC

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INITIAL DIRECTION WHILE EVALUATION DURING PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT ALLOWS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

4ECHNOLOGY HAS ALREADY PLACED A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF GRAPHIC DE

FOR SUBSTANTIAL REFINEMENT PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION OF FINAL DESIGNS ,ASTLY

SIGN PRACTICE INTO THE HANDS OF NOVICES CALLING INTO QUESTION THE VALUE

POST MORTEM EVALUATION CAN PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR FUTURE EFFORTS

OF OUR SERVICES )F WE REFUSE TO ADAPT TO THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT WE WILL BE

'RAPHIC DESIGNERS MIGHT WISH TO CONSULT EXPERTS IN VARIOUS FIELDS

RELEGATED INTO A POSITION OF INSIGNIFICANCE DIRECTED BY OTHERS WHO WILL BE

MARKET RESEARCHERS COGNITIVE HUMAN FACTORS SPECIALISTS ETC IN ORDER

HAPPY TO PRESCRIBE OUR LIMITED ROLE 7E MUST EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF OUR

TO ADAPT THEIR METHODS .OT ALL CLIENTS WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD A GREAT NUM

PROFESSION 7E MUST FOCUS OUR ATTENTIONS ON THE USERS OF OUR WORK AND ON

BER OF HOURS SPENT ON THESE ACTIVITIES BUT EVEN A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF

CREATING TRULY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS )F WE CHOOSE NOT TO ACT WE LL HAVE

TIME IS BETTER THAN NONE AT ALL

ACCEPTED THE FATE THAT AWAITS US 4HE OPPORTUNITY TO REDEFINE OURSELVES FOR

)NCORPORATING USER CENTERED ACTIVITIES COULD HELP PROVIDE A MORE

THE NEXT CENTURY IS UPON US 7E CAN NO LONGER HOLD ON TO THE PAST

AMBITIOUS DIRECTION AND ENABLE GRAPHIC DESIGNERS TO VIEW THEMSELVES AS MORE THAN MERE FORM MAKERS )NSTEAD WE MIGHT SEE OURSELVES AS ES SENTIAL PARTICIPANTS IN THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AS PRODUCERS OF MES SAGES THAT ARE ACTED UPON AND USED BY OUR AUDIENCES 'RAPHIC DESIGN IS MUCH MORE THAN TWO DIMENSIONAL FORM ON A SURFACE OUR EFFORTS ARE CENTRAL TO A SOCIETY THAT THRIVES ON INFORMATION )T IS COMPLETELY APPROPRI ATE THAT AS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS WE BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CREATING MES SAGES THAT ARE EFFECTIVE FOR OUR AUDIENCES

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

(YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES INCREASING SPECIlCITY AND mEXIBILITY IN IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

0REVIOUSLY PUBLISHED IN 0ROCEEDINGS OF THE $-) &ORUM ON $ESIGN -ANAGEMENT AND %DUCATION

0ROCEEDINGS OF THE )DENTITY -ANAGEMENT #ONFERENCE

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(YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES INCREASING SPECIFICITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

)NTRODUCTION

3TRATEGIES DEFINED IN THE S PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR TODAY S CORPORATE

IN THE NEED TO FLEXIBLY UPDATE IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS AS CHANGES OCCUR

IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS 7HILE THESE STRATEGIES CONTINUE TO BE VALID IN

7HILE MANY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RETREATED FROM THE MERGERS AND ACQUISI

MOST CASES THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS APPROPRIATE TO THE CHALLENGES FACED BY

TIONS MANIA OF THE S THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY IN UPDATING IDENTIFICA

TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS )T IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR CURRENT DAY ORGANI

TION PROGRAMS STILL EXISTS

ZATIONS TO ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITH SOME ACTIVITIES

! NEW DEVELOPMENT IN HOW ORGANIZATIONS OPERATE MAKES THE NEED FOR

BEING QUITE UNRELATED TO THE MAIN BUSINESS FOR WHICH AN ORGANIZATION IS

FLEXIBILITY CLEAR /NE EXAMPLE OF A TYPE OF ORGANIZATION THAT MAY BECOME

MOST KNOWN 3TILL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS MAY BE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN INTRODUC

MORE PREVALENT IN THE FUTURE IS KNOWN AS THE hNETWORKINGv MODEL 4HIS

ING NEW PROMISING BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OR ELIMINATING UNPROFITABLE ONES

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION IS MADE UP ONLY OF ITS OFFICERS DIRECTORS AND CORPO

FROM THEIR RANKS 4HESE SITUATIONS MAY REQUIRE APPROACHES TO IDENTIFICA

RATE STAFF LEAVING ALL PRODUCT AND SERVICE ACTIVITIES TO BE CONTRACTED TO

TION THAT GO BEYOND THE ONES THAT ARE MOST USUALLY EMPLOYED

OTHER CONCERNS 4HIS MODEL IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS AN ORGANIZA TION TO EASILY MOVE FROM ONE BUSINESS ACTIVITY TO ANOTHER !N ORGANIZATION

4HE NEED FOR SPECIFICITY

OPERATING IN A hNETWORKINGv FASHION COULD POTENTIALLY ENGAGE IN MANY

!S AN ORGANIZATION ADDS MORE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES THE NEED TO SPECIFICALLY

DIVERSE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES ADDING AND ELIMINATING ACTIVITIES AS IT DESIRES

IDENTIFY ITSELF IN EACH OF ITS MARKETS ALSO INCREASES 4HIS SITUATION POSES

3UCH AN ORGANIZATION WILL REQUIRE GREAT FLEXIBILITY IN HOW IT IDENTIFIES ITSELF

A PROBLEM FOR MANY ORGANIZATIONS )F AN ORGANIZATION ENTERS INTO ONE OR

WHILE OPERATING IN THIS MANNER

MORE NEW MARKETS TRADITIONAL PERCEPTIONS MAY NOW COME INTO CONFLICT WITH ITS NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IMAGINE FOR INSTANCE IF &ORD STARTED

#URRENT IDENTIFICATION APPROACHES

MAKING REFRIGERATORS /NE TYPICAL SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE TO

#URRENT APPROACHES TO IDENTIFICATION CENTER AROUND THREE GENERALLY AC

CREATE A NEW MORE GENERAL NAME THAT IS APPROPRIATE TO ALL BUSINESS AC

CEPTED PROGRAM TYPES 4HESE THREE APPROACHES ARE ILLUSTRATED ON THE

TIVITIES 0LEASE NOTICE HOWEVER THAT IDENTIFICATION OF THE ORGANIZATION HAS

FOLLOWING SCALE ON WHICH ARE POSITIONED A SERIES OF FIVE FICTITIOUS IDENTIFI

NOW BECOME MORE GENERAL AND THAT THE GOAL FOR SPECIFICITY IN PARTICULAR

CATION EXAMPLES 4HE EXAMPLES NOT ONLY HELP EXPLAIN THE THREE PROGRAM

MARKETS HAS NOT BEEN MET THROUGH SUCH AN APPROACH

TYPES BUT ALSO ILLUSTRATE THE VARIOUS WAYS A NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITY CAN BE CONNECTED TO THE IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM OF AN ESTABLISHED ORGANIZATION

4HE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY

%NTERING INTO NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITIES OR ELIMINATING OLD ONES CAN RESULT

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(YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES INCREASING SPECIFICITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

&OR THESE EXAMPLES WE WILL USE THE ORGANIZATION h89: v A WELL KNOWN

4HE LAST EXAMPLE WHICH FALLS UNDER THE BRANDED HEADING ALSO KNOWN

COMPUTER MANUFACTURER WHICH HAS RECENTLY PURCHASED h4RI#O v A CONSUMER

AS INDIVIDUAL HAS NO IDENTIFICATION OF THE ORGANIZATION )N THIS CASE 4RI#O

ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURER IN AN ATTEMPT TO PURSUE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

THE NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN LEFT TO OPERATE WITHOUT ANY IDENTIFI CATION OF 89: 4HIS STRATEGY IS USED WIDELY BY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WISH TO

)NSTITUTIONAL

%NDORSED

"RANDED

ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITHOUT PRESENTING A CORPORATE

4HE FIRST IDENTIFICATION EXAMPLE WHICH FALLS UNDER THE INSTITUTIONAL

HEADING ALSO KNOWN AS MONOLITHIC IS THE MOST STRONGLY CONNECTED TO

hFACEv TO THEIR AUDIENCES 0ROCTOR 'AMBLE IS ONE OBVIOUS EXAMPLE 7HILE THE BRANDED APPROACH ALLOWS FOR GREAT FLEXIBILITY IN IDENTIFYING A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES IT PROVES UNACCEPTABLE TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT WISHES TO IDENTIFY ITSELF ALONG WITH THOSE ACTIVITIES

THE ORGANIZATION 4HE NEW ACTIVITY IS SIMPLY BROUGHT INTO THE EXISTING VISUAL PROGRAM

BY WAY OF ADDING A GENERIC DESCRIPTION TO IDENTIFY IT .O

0ROBLEMS WITH #URRENT )DENTIFICATION !PPROACHES

MENTION OF THE NEW ACTIVITY S NAME IS MADE 4HIS APPROACH BUILDS ON

!S MENTIONED EARLIER GENERALLY ACCEPTED IDENTIFICATION APPROACHES PROVE

THE EQUITY OF THE CURRENT IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM AND PROVIDES GREAT CON

SATISFACTORY FOR THE MAJORITY OF ORGANIZATIONS )T IS WITH THE SPECIALIZED

SISTENCY BETWEEN ALL POTENTIAL IDENTIFICATION DEVICES 4HE INSTITUTIONAL

NEEDS OF COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS HOWEVER THAT CURRENT APPROACHES TEND

APPROACH IS USUALLY NOT APPROPRIATE TO ANY ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT CLOSELY

TO FUNCTION LESS ACCEPTABLY

ALIGNED TO THE ORGANIZATION 4HE NEXT THREE EXAMPLES FALL UNDER THE ENDORSED HEADING ALSO KNOWN

4HE INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH FOR INSTANCE PROVIDES GREAT CONSISTENCY BETWEEN ALL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND IS FAVORED BY MANY IDENTIFICATION

AS SIGNATURE AND ILLUSTRATE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO COMBINING IDENTIFICA

CONSULTANTS AND MANAGERS FOR THAT REASON 3OME CONSULTANTS IN FACT MAY

TION OF A NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITY NAME WITH THE ORGANIZATION S INDENTIFIER

SUGGEST NEW ABSTRACT NAMES FOR CORPORATIONS WHO ENGAGE IN A WIDE VARI

4HE FIRST ENDORSING EXAMPLE SHOWS THE 89: IDENTIFIER DOMINATING 4RI#O

ETY OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES SO THAT ALL ACTIVITIES CAN CONTINUE TO BE IDENTIFIED

THE NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITY 4HE SECOND ENDORSING EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATES

UNDER A SINGLE NAME IN AN INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM 4HE WEAKNESSES OF THIS

EQUAL IDENTIFICATION OF BOTH PARTIES AND THE THIRD ILLUSTRATES DOMINANCE OF

PARTICULAR APPROACH INCLUDE A LOSS OF EQUITY IN THE CURRENT ORGANIZATION S

THE NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITY !LL THREE APPROACHES ARE INDIVIDUALLY USED IN

NAME AND A POSSIBLE NEGATIVE REACTION TO A LARGELY MEANINGLESS NEW

ENDORSING IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS THEIR USE DEPENDENT ON HOW STRONGLY AN ORGANIZATION WISHES TO CONNECT ITSELF TO ITS VARIOUS ACTIVITIES

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(YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES INCREASING SPECIFICITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

NAME "RANDED APPROACHES AS MENTIONED BEFORE PROVIDE NO METHOD FOR

ENDORSING STRATEGIES WERE APPLIED REGARDLESS OF THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE

AN ORGANIZATION AND ITS BUSINESS ACTIVITIES TO BE CONCURRENTLY IDENTIFIED

CONNECTION OF A PARTICULAR BUSINESS ACTIVITY TO THE ORGANIZATION "EATRICE

AND IS THEREFORE ONLY APPLICABLE IN CERTAIN CASES

FOR EXAMPLE WAS KNOWN MOSTLY FOR ITS FOOD PRODUCTS BUT ENDORSED THESE

%NDORSING IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES OFFER PROMISE FOR COMPLEX ORGANI

IN THE SAME MANNER THAT IT ENDORSED LUGGAGE WATER SOFTENING PRODUCTS

ZATIONS BUT HAVE PROVEN UNSATISFACTORY IN SOME CASES 4HE !LLEGIS AND

AND LAMPS AS A VERY FEW EXAMPLES )T SEEMS THEREFORE THAT DIFFERENTIA

"EATRICE PROGRAMS TWO UNSUCCESSFUL ENDORSING IDENTIFICATION ATTEMPTS

TION BETWEEN HOW AN ORGANIZATION CONNECTS ITSELF TO ITS VARIOUS BUSINESS

FROM THE S ARE WORTH MENTIONING IN THIS REGARD "OTH ORGANIZA

ACTIVITIES WILL BE CRITICAL TO FUTURE ENDORSING IDENTIFICATION ATTEMPTS

TIONS ATTEMPTED TO ENDORSE OTHER EXISTING BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITH THEIR IDENTIFICATION DEVICES !LLEGIS ATTEMPTED TO TAKE ITS NEW NAME AND IDENTI

!PPROACHES TO )DENTIFYING #OMPLEX /RGANIZATIONS

FIER AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ENDORSE 5NITED !IRLINES (ERTZ 2ENT A #AR AND

4HE FAILURE OF THE !LLEGIS AND "EATRICE PROGRAMS SUGGESTS THAT FUTURE

7ESTIN (OTELS ITS THREE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES SEE EXAMPLE BELOW "EATRICE

IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS FOR COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD AVOID THE USE

ATTEMPTED TO USE ITS IDENTIFIER A RED BAR WITH THE CORPORATE LOGOTYPE IN

OF A SINGLE ENDORSING STRATEGY EMPLOYED OVER A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES

WHITE TO ENDORSE SEVERAL HUNDRED BRANDS REPRESENTING A WIDE VARIETY OF

#LEARLY A MORE VARIABLE APPROACH IS CALLED FOR WHERE EACH ACTIVITY IS AL

BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AS IN THE BELOW EXAMPLE "OTH OF THESE ATTEMPTS WERE

LOWED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE ORGANIZATION AS IS APPROPRIATE TO ITS RELA

MET WITH VERY NEGATIVE REACTIONS FROM THEIR VARIOUS AUDIENCES AND WERE

TIONSHIP TO THE MAIN FIELD OF ENDEAVOR THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS KNOWN FOR

SUBSEQUENTLY ABANDONED

!S NO EXAMPLES OF THIS HYBRID IDENTIFICATION APPROACH CURRENTLY EXIST A FICTITIOUS ONE HAS BEEN CREATED FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSION ,ET S RETURN TO THE EARLIER EXAMPLE OF h89: v THE COMPUTER MANUFACTURER 89: NOW HAS A DIVISION TO CREATE SOFTWARE FOR ITS COMPUTERS A CONSUMER ELECTRONICS DIVISION h4RI#Ov A DIVISION THAT CREATES OFFICE FURNITURE h4RU "UILTv AND A DIVISION THAT PRODUCES ROBOTIC MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS h&LOW

!LLEGIS %NDORSEMENT 3TRATEGY

"EATRICE %NDORSEMENT 3TRATEGY

#ORPv %ACH BUSINESS ACTIVITY IS RELATED TO 89: S hCORE BUSINESSv COMPUT ING IN SOME WAY AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH 89: IS LOGICAL )T IS PROBABLY

4HE METHODS OF ENDORSEMENT USED APPEAR TO BE PRIMARY REASONS FOR THE FAILURE OF THE !LLEGIS AND "EATRICE PROGRAMS )N BOTH CASES CONSISTENT

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(YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES INCREASING SPECIFICITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

#ONCLUSIONS

NOT ADVISABLE HOWEVER TO CONNECT EACH ACTIVITY TO 89: IN THE SAME WAY !

4HE HYBRID APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS SHOWS SIGNIFI

TYPICAL INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH TO THIS PROBLEM FOLLOWS WHERE EACH ACTIVITY IS

CANT PROMISE AS IT ALLOWS ALL THREE OF THE BASIC IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM

BROUGHT INTO THE ORGANIZATION S CURRENT IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM IN A CONSISTENT

TYPES INSTITUTIONAL ENDORSED AND BRANDED TO BE BROUGHT INTO A SINGLE

MANNER %ACH ACTIVITY IS EQUALLY CONNECTED TO THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH A

PROGRAM 4HIS APPROACH CAN ALLOW FOR INDIVIDUALIZED AND SPECIFIC IDENTIFI

GENERIC DESCRIPTION THAT IS PLACED BELOW THE 89: LOGOTYPE

CATION TO TAKE PLACE AS WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO AN ORGANIZATION S VARIOUS ACTIVITIES 4HE ABILITY TO INTRODUCE AND DISCONTINUE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES IN A FLEXIBLE MANNER WOULD ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH HYBRID PROGRAMS AS CHANGE REGARDING ONE ACTIVITY WOULD NOT NECESSARILY EFFECT ALL OTHERS 4HERE HAVE BEEN MANY PAST CASES WHERE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SIMULTA NEOUSLY USED MORE THAN ONE IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM TYPE TO IDENTIFY THEIR BUSINESS ACTIVITIES &OR EXAMPLE IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR AN ORGANIZATION TO

!N INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH AS ABOVE RUNS THE RISK OF FAILURE THAT THE !LLEGIS OR "EATRICE PROGRAMS EXPERIENCED AS A WHOLE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES

ENDORSE NEWLY ACQUIRED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WITH ITS NAME AS A TEMPO

ARE NOW STRONGLY CONNECTED TO THE ORGANIZATION ! HYBRID STRATEGY AS BE

RARY MEASURE PRIOR TO BRINGING THESE NEW ACTIVITIES INTO AN INSTITUTIONAL

LOW MIGHT BEST SUIT THIS EXAMPLE SO THAT A MORE INDIVIDUALIZED APPROACH

PROGRAM (OWEVER THIS TYPE OF AD HOC IDENTIFICATION STRATEGY SHOULD NOT

TO CONNECTING ACTIVITIES TO THE ORGANIZATION MIGHT OCCUR 7ITH A HYBRID

BE CONFUSED WITH A TRUE HYBRID PROGRAM WHERE EACH ACTIVITY IS ALLOWED

STRATEGY IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE SOME ACTIVITIES IDENTIFIED AS IN AN INSTITU

TO BE IDENTIFIED AS IS APPROPRIATE TO ITS CONNECTION TO THE CORE BUSINESS

TIONAL PROGRAM SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND STILL OTHERS IDENTIFIED AS IN

0LEASE ALSO NOTE THAT PERCEPTIONS OF AN ORGANIZATION S MAIN BUSINESS CAN

ENDORSING CONSUMER ELECTRONICS AND OFFICE FURNITURE AND BRANDED PRO

CHANGE OVER TIME AND AS THESE CHANGES OCCUR IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO

GRAMS ROBOTICS 4HE LOGIC OF THIS APPROACH CAN BE CARRIED OUT TO A LARGE

ADJUST HOW OTHER ACTIVITIES ARE CONNECTED TO THE ORGANIZATION /NGOING

NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES WITHIN A CONSISTENT BUT NOT RIGID VISUAL PROGRAM

REVIEW AND ADJUSTMENT OF HYBRID IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS WILL BE CRITICAL TO THEIR SUCCESSFUL USE /BVIOUSLY THEN HYBRID IDENTIFICATION APPROACHES MUST BE CAREFULLY RE SEARCHED AND PLANNED TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY !T THE HEART OF CONSTRUCTING

)NSTITUTIONAL

%NDORSED

"RANDED

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(YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES INCREASING SPECIFICITY AND FLEXIBILITY IN

0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

IDENTIFICATION OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS

3OURCES

ANY HYBRID PROGRAM ARE THE DECISIONS REGARDING HOW TO CONNECT THE VARI

( ) !NSOFF h3TRATEGIES FOR $IVERSIFICATION v (ARVARD "USINESS 2EVIEW VOL NO

OUS ACTIVITIES TO THE ORGANIZATION 4HESE DECISIONS MUST BE BASED ON THE

3EPTEMBER /CTOBER

PP

RELATION OF EACH ACTIVITY TO THE hCORE BUSINESSv FOR WHICH THE ORGANIZATION IS BEST KNOWN 3UCH DECISIONS CAN BE MADE BY MANAGERS AND CONSUL TANTS BUT IT IS PROBABLY BEST TO ENGAGE THE AUDIENCES OF AN IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM CONCERNING THESE ISSUES &OCUSED INTERVIEWS CONCEPT TESTING

0 !RGENTI h-ANAGING #ORPORATE )DENTITY v $ESIGN -ANAGEMENT *OURNAL VOL NO

7INTER

PP ! $ #HANDLER 3TRATEGY AND 3TRUCTURE #HAPTERS IN THE (ISTORY OF THE )NDUSTRIAL %NTERPRISE #AMBRIDGE -ASSACHUSETTS 4HE -)4 0RESS

AND OTHER METHODS OF GATHERING AUDIENCE INPUT SHOULD BE USED AS TOOLS TO PROPERLY CONSTRUCT A HYBRID PROGRAM /NLY AFTER AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS ARE MEASURED CAN INFORMED DECISIONS BE MADE CONCERNING CONNECTION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES TO THE ORGANIZATION #ONSISTENT IDENTIFICATION OF AN ORGANIZATION HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN A PRIMARY GOAL OF IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS 4HERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE NEED FOR CONSISTENCY STILL EXISTS WITHIN THE SPECIALIZED REQUIREMENTS OF COM PLEX ORGANIZATIONS #ONSISTENCY SHOULD NOT HOWEVER BE VIEWED AS IT HAS IN THE PAST WHERE IT HAS TAKEN PRECEDENCE OVER APPROPRIATE IDENTIFICA

+ $ (ALLORAN h4HE )MPACT OF - ! 0ROGRAMS ON #OMPANY )DENTITY v -ERGERS !CQUISITIONS VOL NO 3PRING

PP 7 ' -C'OWAN h7HAT "USINESS ARE 7E 2EALLY )N 4HE 1UESTION 2EVISITED v 3LOAN -ANAGEMENT 2EVIEW VOL &ALL

PP 7 /LINS #ORPORATE )DENTITY #AMBRIDGE -ASSACHUSETTS (ARVARD "USINESS 3CHOOL 0RESS

7 /LINS 4HE #ORPORATE 0ERSONALITY .EW 9ORK -AYFLOWER "OOKS

TION OF INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS ACTIVITIES -EANINGLESS CORPORATE NAMES THAT

4 3PAETH h$IAGNOSING #ORPORATE )DENTITIES v $ESIGN -ANAGEMENT *OURNAL VOL

SERVE AS AN UMBRELLA FOR A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES ARE NOT REALISTIC SOLUTIONS

NO 7INTER

PP

TO THE IDENTIFICATION PROBLEMS OF TODAY S COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS (YBRID IDENTIFICATION STRATEGIES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SERVE AS VIABLE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO IDENTIFYING COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS AND IT IS WITH THAT INTENT THAT THESE STRATEGIES ARE OFFERED (OPEFULLY MORE APPROPRIATE AND UN DERSTANDABLE IDENTIFICATION OF COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS CAN RESULT FROM THE INDIVIDUALIZED IDENTIFICATION OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY HYBRID APPROACHES

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0AUL * .INI 3ELECTED !CADEMIC 7RITINGS n

Í "ACK TO #ONTENTS

!BOUT THE AUTHOR 0AUL * .INI IS A 0ROFESSOR IN THE $EPARTMENT OF $ESIGN AT 4HE /HIO 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE HAS ALSO SERVED AS #OORDINATOR OF THE UNDERGRADUATE 6ISUAL #OMMUNICATION $ESIGN PROGRAM AND AS THE 0AST 'RADUATE 3TUD IES #HAIRPERSON (IS WRITINGS HAVE APPEARED IN A VARIETY OF PUBLICATIONS

AND HE HAS PRESENTED AT NUMEROUS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AND EDUCATION CONFERENCES (E HAS BEEN ON THE FACULTY AT /HIO 3TATE SINCE 0RIOR TO THAT TIME HE TAUGHT AS A 6ISITING ,ECTURER IN 6ISUAL #OMMUNICATION $ESIGN AT BOTH THE )NSTITUTE OF $ESIGN AND THE 3CHOOL OF THE !RT )NSTITUTE OF #HI CAGO (E HAS ALSO RECENTLY TAUGHT AS A 6ISITING ,ECTURER IN THE 'RAPHIC $ESIGN 0ROGRAM AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF #INCINNATI (E HOLDS AN -3$ESIGN FROM THE )NSTITUTE OF $ESIGN AND A "&! FROM -IAMI 5NIVERSITY /HIO (E HAS BEEN A PRACTICING 6ISUAL #OMMUNICA TION $ESIGNER SINCE

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