design makers
&
design thinkers
a study of higher graphic design education in lebanon Ribale Sleiman Haidar
02 June, 2010.
Personal experience
» Attended the American e BA University of Beirut for th in Graphic Design dio » Education limited to stu work and history courses g » Higher education limitin with professional options for » Felt the need to search help other support systems to ign build my own view of des
Why does educating tertiary graphic design students in Lebanon as “Design Thinkers” not just as “Design Makers” broaden their professional perspectives?
Why is the current situation as it is today? Why is there a need to break the loop? Why is teaching design thinking the solution? Conclusions and Future directions
Why is the current situation as it is today? Why is there a need to break the loop? Why is teaching design thinking the solution? Conclusions and Future directions
Current educational system Design Education in Lebanon
Current educational system Design Education in Lebanon
Current educational system Professional Design in Lebanon
65%
of students entering design education have no plans about their future profession.
9 20
out of graduates are today employed in advertising.
Current employement of AUB GD 2008 graduates, survey.
Current educational system The American University of Beirut » Graphic Design part of the Engineering and Architecture School, Department of Architecture and Design » Vocational education: Curriculum based on skill-building and not on self developement » Studio classes and history classes » Some electives pre-defined by the faculty » Students trained as «Design Makers»
Current educational system The Design Maker: A Profile » Strong technical skills » Know-how » Individualistic » Seperative view of design » Tactical thinking
Current educational system The Incestuous Loop - Charles Owen, 1988
Why is the current situation as it is today? Why is there a need to break the loop? Why is teaching design thinking the solution? Conclusions and Future directions
A need for change New Expectations from Design Design is still part of the problem, but it is capable of becoming part of the solution. » Climate change » Resource depletion » Ecological capacity and biodiversity » Unsustainable consumption and production » Social inequality, poverty and migration Alastair Fuad-Luke, 2009
A need for change New Role of Design
A need for change New Role of Design
A need for change Three Eras of Design - Richard Buchanan, 1997
ÂŤ Design is moving from a craft-based discipline whose emphasis is on individual creativity and commerce, into one that is more robust and multidisciplinary, committed to conceptualisation, configuration, and implementation of meaningful social environments, products, services, and systemsÂť Muratovski G. 2010.
Why is the current situation as it is today? Why is there a need to break the loop? Why is teaching design thinking the solution? Conclusions and Future directions
Design thinking «There are things to know, ways of knowing them, and ways of finding out about them special to design.» - Nigel Cross, 2006. «Design thinking uses the designer’s sensibility and methods to match people’s needs with what is technologically feasible and what a viable business strategy can convert into customer value and market opportunity.» - Tim Brown, 2009.
Design thinking Design Thinking Process Tim Brown, 2009. The design process is best described metaphorically as a system of spaces rather than a predefined series of orderly steps. The spaces demarcate different sorts of related activities that together form the continuum of innovation.
Design thinking Design Thinking in Education Design thinking will provide students with the skills and tools necessary for their future professions. Through design thinking, design education moves from first to third era answering the current needs of society and businesses.
Design thinking The Design Thinker: A Profile » Experimental » Know-why » Collaborative » Integrative view of design » Strategic thinking
Design thinking Stanford D.School: Example of Good Practice Âť Vision A place where design thinking is the glue that binds people together. Âť Design Thinking A hub for Stanford students and faculty in engineering, medicine, business, the humanities, and education to learn design thinking and work together to solve big problems in a human centered way.
Design thinking Stanford D.School: Example of Good Practice (cont’d) » Radical Collaboration The diversity and breadth of the d.school community make it possible to establish bold new initiatives and projects that integrate a unique mix of disciplines. » Multi-disciplinary approach The d.school connects Stanford’s activities in these fields and brings together divevrse teams of experts that would otherwise never collaborate.
Why is the current situation as it is today? Why is there a need to break the loop? Why is teaching design thinking the solution? Conclusions and Future directions
Conclusion The Role of Design Thinking in Breaking the Loop
Conclusion The New Designer » Through integrating design thinking in design education, students learn new skills and ways of thinking. » Students will be able to see their future profession in a wider sense: not limited to design as a tool for business but design as a change agent. » In Lebanon, «Design Thinkers» will have the possibility of going into still unexplored territories of the design field. » The New Designer as «Thinker» and «Maker» has a better and broader understanding of design.
design thinker + design maker
Future Directions Possible Integration of Design Thinking in the Curriculum » Design thinking should be part of the design education curriculum in Lebanon as a set of modules that flow in parrallel to the traditional studio classes. » A new understanding of design should be introduced into education in order to encourage and support students when going into the design field. » New faculty members from different backgrounds should join the design school in order to add the multi-disciplinary edge of design thinking. » The concept of designer as not just «design maker» should be incorporated in the philosophy of the school and even in studio classes in order to create a unified identity.
thank you!