BURROW A zine about the role of graphic designers in the real world and the differences that design can make.
What’s it all about? Designers do have social and ethical responsibilities. What does it mean to be socially responsible and personally accountable in the field of visual communication? Is it still possible to stand up for what you believe in? What is it exactly that you believe in as designers? How do you propose to make a difference? How do you satisfy both the clients and your own creative expectations and personal ethics? A group of design students enrolled in their final year of the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) degree at the University of Western and Honours program of the design degree at RMIT University were asked these very questions.Their job as future professionals was to create an informed opinion of where they stand within the graphic design industry. This zine represents the coming together of their individual creative responses as they continue to burrow their way out of the degree and into the real world of design.
Project Coordinators
Samantha Edwards-Vandenhoek K a t r i n a S a n d b a c h Student Contributors
Julia Bradley .Danielle B r i z g a l a . A s h l e i g h C u m m i n g s . A l b i n a Gridassova.Angelique Hering.Ashleigh Iorfino D av i d K a ta g u e . T h a o L a i . Matt Koo.Nicole Tiffen. Evelyn Lee.Tracy Tan> Disclaimer The views expressed in this zine are not necessarily the views of the staff at the UWS School of Communication Arts. Content in this zine are copyright and permission from the individual authors must be obtained before production. For more information about this project and other projects that run out of the UWS fourth year design studio (Rabbit Hole) please visit www.commarts.uws.edu.au/rabbithole or email s.edwards@uws.edu.au
JULIA BRADLEY Over the years designers have changed their methods of practice and consequently our role in society has also changed. We do not just design visuals; we communicate messages, create experiences and inspire change. In this sense the potential for design to make a difference is huge. We can be more then designers, we can become advocates, leaders, promoters that have taken on the responsibility to help address some of the challenging issues and problems, increasing awareness and perhaps even helping to achieve solutions. These days it is important for designers to immerse themselves in everything around them, the latest trends, world news, technology and social issues. Without establishing a strong knowledge base in a variety of areas we cannot make a strong contribution. If we do not immerse ourselves in all these areas then we are in danger of failing as designers. If we are to change the world, then we as designers need to start at the core issue. We need to learn and build our knowledge on sustainability and to integrate it into our design practice and methods.
Our every decisions and specifications has an impact on the environment and we need to be aware of this. It is important for us as designers to create an ecofriendly work environment to become an example for people and businesses out there. As designers we need to stay true to ourselves, keeping to our morals, values and never stepping over the boundaries of what is right and wrong. It is important for us to be honest in all our work we do, to have integrity and respect to others. If we stay true to what we believe in then we are able to devote more time on projects that are more worthy to society. I feel that as designers our acquired skill of research and problem solving can be more useful in more worthwhile projects other then the commercial strand. It is in that I feel that we can contribute to the world we live in. I hope through our values and morals, our skills and creativity, we can bring hope, inspiration and ultimately make a difference in this world through design.
Danielle Brizgala All designers relish the opportunity to begin a new project, a new challenge to conquer. They are able to connect the power of design to the people who need it most, and in the places where it can make a real and enduring difference. Just look around. Imagine life without colour, structure or balance. Simple changes can make the world of difference and without design; the world would be a dull and more complicated place. An absolutely crucial point to remember is that people ignore design that ignores people. There needs to be a connection between the designed creation and its audience. A good designer will research throughout the duration of a project to ensure that all factors and information have been taken into consideration. Events of the past and the present must be considered and understood to move forward in the future. This is essential in order to achieve sustainable design outcomes, and demonstrate sustainable design practice. As daunting as it may seem, being “sustainable” simply means being practical, resourceful, attentive and sensitive, with the view that our design practice has a responsibility to the planet earth and its inhabitants. The world moves quickly, it is changing constantly and moving forward (or in some cases, backwards). A designer’s ethical duty is to design for a solid purpose and to be honest about what that purpose is. Designers exist to solve problems, not create problems. A good designer has the ability to anticipate what effect their design will have on the world and know when to call it quits.
As a budding designer, I am well-aware of the daunting task and absolute difficulty of attaining first-class ideas. This is why it is important to be constantly keeping a bright eye out for sources of inspiration. Inspiration is everywhere; you just need to know where to look. Designers need to love research, cherish libraries and scrutinize other designers. In saying that, there is a fine line between sourcing inspiration and plagiarising. If there is reservation that there is too much similarity to somebody else’s work, then it is more than likely a breach of copyright. A designer’s integrity is important, not just for the individual but for the entire design community. Ultimately, in order to uphold a respectable reputation in the design industry, a designer needs to be a superstar. They need to be motivated, innovative, disciplined and sincere. Designers are meant to be loved, not to be understood (Fabien Barral). This is true. There will be people that won’t necessarily like or understand your work. It is fine if they don’t, just as long as it’s not taken to heart. Stay determined, passionate and meticulous and you will be successful.
Ashleigh Cummings Design is more then just creating something that is aesthetically pleasing. While the final visual outcome of a project is crucial, the idea behind the design is equally as important. Good design is a balance between beauty and purpose. Like a flower, the design will only flourish when the roots are planted deep. Designers have the intelligence and ability to make a powerful impact on the world we live in. Design can make a difference, but difference isn’t always a good thing. Design has played it’s part in both the problem and the solution of nearly every issue known to humanity. The odds are if a designer is working on a solution to a problem, it was probably another designer who created that problem in the first place. Design can be used as a tool for positive change, such as showing us the damage to our health caused by smoking cigarettes. But it is also responsible for creating the negative change, encouraging people to start smoking in the first place. However by upholding our social responsibilities we have the potential for great positive change, correcting and learning from the mistakes of our predecessors. Is it the designer’s fault if the product they are working on damages the lives of the people using it? While the designer didn’t create the product, they cannot claim complete innocence. It is irresponsible design if they knew the effects that product would have on its users and chose to design it anyway. If we don’t maintain moral integrity in
our professional practice, how can we expect to uphold our moral integrity as a human? Being sustainable isn’t complicated, it’s just telling the simple honest truth, and being aware of all the possible consequences. Design is a tool for change, the bridge between information and public knowledge. It is a designer’s job to take dry and boring information and transform it into something that informs and inspires the public in an engaging way. But this skill comes with responsibility; just because we are able to manipulate how people see certain products, services or experiences, does that mean it is right to do so? I’m sure we all feel it’s inherently wrong when a fast food restaurant tells us how healthy their food is, but isn’t it equally as wrong when we are told that if everyone was a vegetarian global warming would never have happened? No matter what the project is, we need to make sure our designs are based on truth. For how can we ever expect people to make good decisions, when we convince them that EVERYTHING is the right choice.
Albina Gridassova At the beginning of my studies, my definition of design was very generic, I thought design was coming up with the new trends or clothing. But after four years of studying, my views on design have grown dramatically and I began to appreciate how lucky I am to be apart of its development. At the age of six, I moved from Chita, a small town in Siberia, Russia, to Sydney. At the time, I didn’t really understand how much change was involved; I was very young and adapted quickly. When I was twenty, I returned to visit my grandparents and it was the hardest two months of my life. My grandma lives in a small, two-room house, with no electricity or running water. Watching my grandmother, I saw that she wore the same clothes for days and walked two kilometres every week to a communal shower, where she washed herself and her clothes, and there I was with an outfit to wear everyday and ashamed to share a shower with another woman. At that point I thought, what a difference design makes. Russia, a country that has been developing for thousands of years, still cannot compare to a 200 year old Australia. According to the daily telegraphy, as an Australia woman we will spend an average of $150,000 in our lifetime on clothing, a large majority of this only worn once. In Russia, more specifically Siberia, shopping for clothing is like shopping for a car, it cost one month’s wage to buy a pair of jeans. Between Russia and Australia, it is easy to see that Russians live a sustainable life, but this is not because they
understand the environmental aspects, this is because that is the only way they can afford to live. In Australia, we are far from living a sustainable life and the environmental aspects need to be addressed. In Russia, it was evident that their community was closer. Again, this is most likely due to the reality of day-to-day living under such conditions. The irony is, my grandmother doesn’t know any different, she is so happy with what she has, while in Australia, I am a mass consumer, always craving more. Design is undeniably tied up in the creation or marketing of new trends and clothing, encouraging consumption. In this way design has made a difference to my life, especially compared to my grandmothers back in Chita. As a young designer I understand that Sydney residents cannot revert to the lifestyle of Chita, therefore, there is a bigger need for Sydney designers to keep aiming to make a difference towards a more sustainable world.
Angelique Hering Design isn’t invented. Rather, it is recognised. It makes sense out of chaos; a manifestation of all the commotion that consists of our human relationships and experiences. A solution. Design doesn’t need to be invented, because the story is already told. It just has to be found and interpreted by the designer. When we design, we are not simply designing for a specific outcome. We are designing for a complex relationship between our clients, the user, the environment and ourselves.
By this I mean audiences are gratified when they are left to put the message together, rather than having it outright shouted in their face.
As a designer, I am a firm believer in interpreting my subject in a way to make my audience think the way I think. Call me a manipulator if you will. This is what good design does. We are not artists or inventors. We are interpreters. As designers, we recognize the message in the story which has already been written. Then we take that message and make it coherent for everyone else.
Getting things down on paper helps make sense of the entire goings on in your head and will help you categorise them. This leaves me enough headspace to figure out my process! Mistakes birth creativity, and will lead you down better solutions.
Keep It Simple, Stupid. Design doesn’t make you jump through hoops to find the answer. I know when a design of mine is successful when my audience doesn’t ask any questions. The glint they get in their eye, a nod of the head or a smile is all the affirmation I need to tell me they understood the message. Good design is clear, concise and understood immediately. Design is the body of a message, not the sugar icing thrown on top to make it easier to swallow. Use your head (and the audience isn’t dumb). Good design is both clear and clever. It is most successful, and appeals to us most as humans, when it lets us use our brain.
We all know the great feeling of accomplishment when we solve a riddle. Don’t treat your audience like a child. Leave clues and let them figure it out by themselves. No matter how lame, cliché or ludicrous, when I’m brainstorming I write every little idea which comes into my head.
Design is objective. But we as designers, try, as we might, will always be human. As humans we have a responsibility to our community, be it social, ethical, political or environmental. This responsibility is amplified all the more by our unique platform in our community; to directly influence others. As a designer I am expected to pick up any brief and accept the work if the conditions are fair to me. But as a human being and contributor, I consider it my duty to analyse the brief and assess whether or not this assignment clashes with my ethics. Know where you stand and have your beliefs. It will make you a better human, and in turn a better designer.
Ashleigh Iorfino “You are a designer, not an artist!” This statement seems to be reiterated and echoing in my mind more than ever as of late. But many would wonder what the distinction between the two actually is, and the answer I believe is that designers have the opportunity to make a difference in everyday scenarios. Designers are more than just people who mesh graphics, images and type. We design for a purpose. Independently, we have no power to make a difference alone. Collectively, designers have the ability to persuade an audience to change and to break the rules that were meant to be broken. Everything you see in the world around you, is a form of design. Man-made or natural, good or bad, a designer has created it all; perhaps God is the greatest designer of all. Design has a social responsibility whether the designer is concerned or not. Are you hindering their current way of life? Or simply, will your design make your audience think a little differently? Designing for sustainability seems to be a new term adopted in this “global warming / environmentally conscious” society we currently live in. The way consumers think and act is a difficult thing to change. A more likely option is to change the products that are consumed, and the best people to implement these changes are the designers. Sustainability is a design issue that few designers consider because it is timeconsuming and often expensive to do so. However, designers that do have an informed understanding of the issue and
employ the relevant theories and solutions to their designs will benefit whole communities and future generations. Every designer has his or her own set of morals and ethics. How strongly one chooses to religiously follow these beliefs is personal choice. Some designers see black and white, others follow the shades of grey; each decision depending on one’s willingness to compromise or to do exactly what they are told to do. Design will always cause controversy. As a designer I have my standards, set of rules, list of ethics that I will or will not adhere to. Whilst this personal code of conduct may not be publicly hung on the wall behind my desk, they are a strong influence in my professional practice. Researching, sourcing styles, trends and examples for inspiration is one thing, but plagiarism, copying and stealing someone else’s ideas is another. If we were all to copy one another, the world would never change, communities would never grow, and designers would never be challenged to break away from the norm. At the end of the day, in the words of Paul Arden, “it’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be.” So if you have the passion, persistence and understanding to design with a purpose, you will leave your mark in society and in doing so, make a difference.
David katague Everyone was brought into this world as the same blank canvas. Our living environments are what contribute to what we become. In a way everyone is a designer. We all design our own destinies, where each choice represents our vision of the future and our actions are how we see it fit to bring it to fruition.
Design follows a system. A process wherein a set of steps must be followed or the design will be flawed. If a design’s potential future environment is not carefully researched, it will be consumed by it. We are all in a system, a hierarchy of skill level or industry exposure.
Design is everything. Everything is designed. Wherever you look, if you look hard enough, design is and has always been there. Even from the beginning of humanity, we were first to use tools, using an object for a specific purpose other that what it was originally for, to simplify or make a task more efficient. In essence, design is exactly that, creating functionality in conjunction with aesthetics.
You must constantly adapt, to stay ahead of the pack, not just in your close vicinity, but look further. Look broader. Look worldwide. As a designer, be part of the system, if you’re good, you’ll get bad clients. If you’re great, you’ll get good clients. If you’re outstanding, you will get great clients.
To design, you must understand design. A designer must be observant of contemporary issues, of current design style trends (just because its current doesn’t mean its good) and the worldwide audience. Design is not respected in this world as a profession. Ignorance overwhelms the realm of clients, as designers it is also our responsibility to also educate and inform. Clients are our bread and butter. If you cannot deal with them, be an artist. Design is evolution. Evolution is designed. Whether it is natural or man-made. Looking at nature, plants have all adapted to better fit the environment around them. We adapt our solutions to suit their environment.
If you aren’t any of the above, you’re the reason designers look bad. Design work is everywhere. Just because it is, doesn’t mean you have to do it. There are moral and ethical issues with many forms of design work. Designers must filter what they see fit as design work, and what is not acceptable. Don’t lower your standards. Don’t scrape the barrel. Stick to your beliefs. The right design jobs will find you, if you’ve made yourself and your work available to the world. Make the client filter through their options for you. Designers are a community of creative professionals, tradespeople, salespeople, practitioners, client relations, and account managers. As designers, we are everything; and we have to be. Otherwise, our environment will consume us.
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The one wonderfully reassuring certainty about design is that every aspect of any given design process, is in itself part of a larger design process or system. From the minuscule to the monumental, everything is always being re-evaluated in the way of functionality and sustainability, and subsequently is perpetually undergoing redesign. This said, one could conclude that design is self-sufficient and thus self-sustaining. Although, an extremely comforting notion, it is only natural to be anxious.
I don’t make a conscious effort to purchase and utilize green friendly materials, products and services and I almost always rip out the first page of any new workbook to appear seemingly unconcerned with my initial drafts.
Although all these questions are worrying, I take comfort in knowing that man and society will always long for the ‘est’; the best, the prettiest, the latest, the fastest. As long as man longs for improvement and, realistically, unobtainable perfection, I will still have my job and most importantly one of my greatest passions. Everything in the built environment, and if you are a creationist like myself, the natural environment, is designed. The difference that design makes to the world is the difference between constantly improved living and stagnant existence. If it weren’t for design, we would still be in the dark ages, literally. The process alone has shaped the way we view everything, from our basic decision making, to our moral fibre. Design is integral. Whilst on the topic of the natural environment, I will openly and unashamedly admit that I am not an environmentally friendly designer. A convenient excuse is that I belong to a generation that doesn’t consider the future relevant or as important as the now.
However, as stated at the start, design is constantly being redesigned and slowly I have observed that the ‘enviro-conscious’ alternative is often just as appealing if not more. For example, many paper stocks are have more interesting textures and are aesthetically more engaging. This said, I believe in the near future, green friendly solutions will shift from being an alternative to a standard. For me, the issue of ethics and correct behaviour has always been pretty black and white. All the rules run parallel with my own personal ethics and sense of right, wrong and borderline. Thou shalt not plagiarize. Thou shalt not commit to an unreasonable client. As for the ‘borderline’ cases that will inevitably never see you pleasing everyone, for example, aiding in the promotion of tobacco, I will most likely choose my assigned duty. I have been raised with a strong work ethic; that if you are paid to do something, you do it, and you do it to the best of your ability. No questions. Every profession has its burden, and unfortunately this is ours.
T h a o Defining design is almost impossible; the definition of design is never fixed. Design is contextual, the nature of design is fluid, always in a state of change. This is the main difference between art and design. Design is not art. Art is self-expression, emotional. Art is an appreciative artefact; it is not contextually bound to one era. Great art is timeless, but there are great designs that are no longer necessary. Design ceases to be design when there is no longer use for it. We design for a purpose; design is the solution to a problem. If there is no problem the solution is no longer required. Understanding the problem is probably the most important part of design, the exploration of the issue in terms of approaches, and possible solutions. If the designed outcome does not solve the problem, it is not design; it is a waste of time. When designing, a designer must understand all aspects of the problem. Defining the problem, understanding its effects and the effect of the solution on its users and their environment. These questions are universal to how designers should approach a problem. However this is just the start. As a creative professional or visual communicator, you must be culturally aware of contemporary issues. If you do not understand the context that you design in, then you do not completely understand what you are designing, and ultimately its purpose. As design is contextual, you must be aware of the social and
L a i environmental ramifications that your solutions create. If you control the language, you control the understanding of the message. Not all designers understand that we bridge the gap between information and understanding, we control how the world understands the message. We define and redefine what ‘the message’ is. Visual communicators have an essential responsibility to be ethical and mindful of the repercussions of our actions on our surroundings, whether that is social, economic or environmental. As visual communicators, we will be accountable for our actions, as we have the power to change the future. We will strive to better our local and global community. We will do no harm, we will do no wrong. We will take a responsible role in the visual portrayal of people, the consumption of natural resources, and the protection of animals and the environment. We will use our skills and talents for more productive, sustainable and democratic forms of communication. We shall design for the benefit of future generations, not just our own. The time for action is now. Why should we? Because we can.
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Design is not just art, its art with function. We are not artists but inventors. We as designers are here to create the unseen, through research and innovation. Through our creations we can influence the world in a larger scale.
As communicators, we have the ability to elaborate or simplify Issues to make them easier for audiences to understand. We are the magicians that are able to turn imagination to life.
Ivan Chermayeff, graphic designer, once stated that “Design is directed toward human beings. To design is to solve human problems by identifying them and executing the best solution.”
Ultimately, as a designer I wish to act on these little matters to help make a difference in the world.
As we are facing global warming, designers can start by implanting action into our practices in order to educate our own industry and the community on such issues. We are responsible for addressing the issues surrounding sustainability. As we are closely related to these serious environmental issues everyday. All human beings should take into considerations of the environment in all aspects of life, as we share this place together, little do people understand that we eventually suffer from these consequences together. As designers, we are creators; we convey messages that people listen to and follow. Hence, we are role models; we can impact on the world through our actions.
Through my creations I would like to take on the responsibility to educate the public of the serious issues around us, “think of yourselves, think green”. We can change our world with our own hands. We are the creators of style.
T r a c y Designers make up a group which has become the ‘interface’ between people and their products and services. But what is it that we do exactly? In a world saturated with visual messages mostly revolving around consumption, the role of a designer can be easily overlooked. Commercial work is synonymous with graphic design - It is what the public generally perceives ‘design’ to be and is how most designers make a living. Books are written about well designed products, advertising campaigns and branding strategies. However, in today’s mass consumer context, has ‘design’ become a well designed ‘brand’ in itself and are we as designers fitting into this paradigm? While most of our world revolves around the promotion and consumption of goods, it is all the more important that we as designers demonstrate a commitment to sustainability by seeking to improve our practice through evaluating the consequences of our actions. Let’s face it. The environmental impact of any product or service is determined at the design stage. Not at point of purchase. This leads me to echo the question which prevails amongst contemporary designers “are designers guilty of killing the planet”? Now, we can bury our heads in sand, argue that we are just doing our jobs, sit back and cringe with guilt, or become a part of the solution. I believe the latter is what design is all about we have a massive opportunity that
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those in other occupations don’t have. We have the option to redesign the design process and change material, energy and resource output that is ultimately unsustainable. In this regard, one of the most essential skills of a designer is in balancing social, economical and environmental implications while still addressing the needs of a client. It is up to us as designers to not only continue to search for sustainable alternatives, but to provide, present and put these alternatives into practice. Behind the best design, there is not only an intelligent process and solution, but an intellectual foundation. Designers aren’t expected to study math, science, history or literature. While some say that the state of illiteracy in design schools is staggering, I believe that it mirrors the scarcity of cultural literacy surrounding us. To create informed design, there is much more to consider than visual appeal “…in order for design to really matter, designers need to think and know more about things besides design.” (Drenttel and Helfand) Many questions need to be asked and one solution may invariably create another problem. So it is important to be conscious of the potential effects of our decisions. Designers should keep learning and questioning, improving and refining our practice, initiating action and response. To be ‘solutionists’ who seek the alternatives and look beyond single issues is what makes a difference in design.
Nicole Tiffen As a designer it is important to be: Accountable; We are accountable for our ideas, actions and all that we produce. Collaborative; Working with others is important in design; different perspectives activate dynamic and fresh ideas. Communicative: We are responsible for communicating clear messages, in the best way, to the target audience. Consistent; We should strive to maintain a high standard of work, always. Creative; Finding innovative solutions to communicating the intended message in original and/or unexpected ways. Curious & Experimental; Be inquisitive and eager to learn something new every day. Experiment with challenging concepts and previously unexplored methods. Resourceful; Being clever and finding quick ways to successfully overcome challenges and achieve the best outcome. Make quick decisions under pressure, while being rational and effective at the same time. Excited; Design can make a difference in the world, at its simplest level, through creating design artefacts that inspire. Flexible; listening to our clients and maintaining our own standards of professional practice. Organised, Strategic &Analytical; Be efficient, methodical and logical in our work practices.
Receptive; Embrace our surroundings, listening and responding effectively. Responsible; Work processes and outcomes should be environmentally responsible, adhering when possible to sustainable design practices. Spontaneous; Make everything as interesting and enjoyable as possible, for myself, and also those around me. There is no such thing as a crazy idea. Design is, in most cases, a response to an issue or problem. A client has a message they want to communicate to a specific audience and as visual communicators we are the translators of this message. A designer has created almost everything we see on any given day, for a specific purpose. It is through its undeniable presence in the greater world and everyday life that design can make a difference, environmentally, culturally, socially, aesthetically and emotionally. Design’s evolution has always been closely related to progress in science and technology. As this knowledge continues to develop exponentially, so does design’s ability to continue to do what it does best, that is, to create in order to solve a problem, cause a reaction, innovate and inspire.
Special
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The School of Communication Arts, University of Western Sydney Russell Kerr, Honours Coordinator, The Works RMIT consultancy School of Media and Communication, RMIT University AGIDEAS International Design Conference Museum of Contemporary Art Zine Fair. Most importantly, to the students who without their thoughts and designs we wouldn’t have this zine in the first place. Layout design by Thao Lai & Albina Gridassova Cover design by Ashleigh Iorfino Inside cover design by Matt Koo