Opinion 10 ways designers can help now

By Ian Grais

Thoughts from ICOGRADA* Design Week in Vancouver

After an inspiring two days of speaker presentations and discussion I was compelled to compile my notes in the form of an action plan. Given that the theme of the conference was Design Currency, there was a lot of questioning of the value of design, with many speakers pushing design and designers to do more. Here are some ways we can help:

1. Engage with creativity

Most of us got interested in design in the first place to be creative and inspire others. Marian Bantjes encouraged us to remember that we used to be called graphic “artists” and that beautifully crafted, artful work benefits culture by inspiring others. Frank Chimero reminded us of this by pointing out that we're gift givers and our job is to reward people for their time by providing design solutions that delight. And with so many new communication forms today, designers have more opportunities than ever to add value with their creativity.

2. Uncover and provide meaning

With so much in flux there's never a shortage of new information to digest, understand and put into context. Where confusion reigns, designers can help. Design process helps us focus our thinking. Designers are naturally curious so we're exposed to a lot more ideas than most, making us well prepared to clarify most any subject. One example of providing meaning came from Brian Collins, who showed how understanding human archetypes can provide stronger narratives for clients. Steve Jobs** even goes so far as to say that “design is the fundamental soul of man-made creations,” telling us that our process for discovery is key to everything that's made.

3. Design information

After we discover meaning, the design process can help bring that meaning to life. Using infographics allows us to not only condense but also harness information for maximum impact. Effectively visualizing information also adds new meaning, as Edward Tufte** illustrates in his book series. We need more focused shorthand today than ever before to solve our problems and make our points in more robust ways. While discussing green building strategies, architect Peter Busby pointed out that the efforts that reach the most people are actually design and education strategies emphasizing that a little visual clarity goes a long way.

4. Educate

Knowledge is not ours to keep. We are conduits, and the more we share the more we will have to share. Or as Maya Angelou** said, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Whether you’re leading a company, a class, a team or an intern, you can make a big difference by giving away what you know. Pass on your knowledge and experience, then use your increased flow of inspiration to set further examples, dictate curricula and make positive change.

5. Translate change

“When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” A great reminder from Debra Sparrow that we are in control of change. We can choose to accept or deny or be afraid of or oppose almost any situation just by adjusting our outlook. We can also use our skills as communicators to amplify our points of view. So if we want to make a difference, one strategy is to use our design skills to help others understand the change taking place around them. From outlining and illustrating the changing media landscape to translating and summarizing a design conference, our skills as communicators are always helpful.

6. Create better solutions

Use the creative process to generate many options. Make new connections, think laterally, extend narratives and look at the world in new ways. Engage with creativity to design delight into more places and at more stages in the process. Don't stop at just graphic design, start with strategy and extend out to execution in all forms. Collaborate and experiment with new partners, technologies and processes. Build new tools, teams and terms to realize smarter solutions. If it can be imagined it can be made in this new flatter world where rules and roles are what we make them.

7. Conceive and build platforms for innovation

Like Cameron Sinclair and his team from Architects for Humanity who’ve created the Open Architecture Network, “an online, open-source community dedicated to improving living conditions through innovative and sustainable design.” Here users can contribute, learn, collaborate, share, manage and protect the rights of their projects. All of which contributes to changing the lives of thousands in countries like Haiti that desperately need organized intellectual capital to avoid repeating past construction mistakes. Designing structures for content is really just an extension of our understanding and use of the classic grid systems designers were raised on. Sinclair takes this thought further by claiming that “graphic designers are the new hackers [of APIs],” suggesting new terrain for designers interested in content integration and design. By treating intellectual capital as content and programming interface as grid, our ideas become amplified as structures for community action and innovation.

8. Make better materials and processes work

There are really two sides to this one. The first is getting up to speed on what can be done today with eco-friendly materials at sites like ecosalon.com. The second is to take some of these less than glamorous materials and processes and make them interesting, engaging and inspiring, like many of the examples at inhabitat.com. Lead by example and inspire others to create using similar means. Remember when every designer couldn't wait to use thermography? Well why shouldn't the next big trend be designing with rice hulls? It would be if we came up with a clever application for this material that circulated the blogosphere. We're continually learning that we're not just responsible for what happens at the beginning of the process but also what happens at the end, so experimenting with friendlier processes and materials is always time well spent.

9. Do more with less

Like the martial arts master who can take down an opponent with the flip of his wrist, designers have the power to create meaning with very little. If we focus our purpose on doing more with less our work can lead by example, becoming a blueprint for efficiency. ’Nuf said.

10. Accept the challenge

In his book Shaping Things, science fiction writer Bruce Sterling** outlines his view of the future of objects and communications and ponders who will be best suited to manage this future:

“A class of aware, well-informed, trained and educated people who can navigate their way through this field of complexity, negotiating the snaky processes of technosocial change and guiding them toward the sustainable. People who will make it their professional business, no, even their calling, their practice, their very mode of being to create a human-object relationship that is as advanced as I can manage while still remaining acceptable to me. Who would that be, then? Designers.”

Yet another endorsement for the power and position of design in our culture. By recognizing this opportunity and responsibility we can start to focus our output and energy towards higher-value design.

Tell me what you think or add another way to help below.

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Ian Grais, a partner and national creative director with Rethink based in Vancouver and Toronto.

* International Council of Graphic Design Associations (an international collective of the leading national design associations)

** Steve Jobs, Edward Tufte, Maya Angelou and Bruce Sterling were not actual speakers at Design Currency (maybe next time), they were just referenced.

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