Contractor, architect and the developer.
Paul Hughes commented that designers in US see graphic design as problem solving. Generally true (and many schools preached this), except that this understanding of graphic design would collapse when there are no problems to be solved.
Just like the army which has no function at all if there is no war, except for doing the annual merdeka day parade.
So, what if graphic design if not about problem solving? Paul proposes a process that should generate opportunities. Not just solving problems but also generating opportunities along the way.
I like this observation. It is something which summarises my approach to doing work, except that I never had the moment to pause and think about what do I really do as a graphic designer.
Now I am motivated and compelled to put down my design journey so far in writing.
1: The contractor.
When I started off as a designer, I didn’t know what I was doing. Or perhaps I was too immature to understand what I was doing. I was enjoying the thrill of producing brochures, leaflets, annual reports, books, corporate profiles etc. It was nice to see works being printed - the excitement of unwrapping printed samples freshly delivered from the printers which carried that wonderful printing-ink smell. I had creative briefs from clients, but I can’t seem to find those as problems where I am required to produce solutions. “We need a catalogue to showcase our new plastic chairs”. “We want a nice brochure to sell our new property”. Being entirely honest, I have viewed all these creative briefs as merely opportunities for me to explore new grid systems, new art directions, new photography, new paper, new ways to fold a brochure, etc. Clients want brochures, hence I produce nice brochures and everyone will be happy. That would be the end of a story.
I thought I was a good graphic designer. Actually I was more of a good graphic contractor working like the contractors in renovation business - providing the best plaster ceilings as according to specs; laying down the firmest and flattest cement floor, again, as according to specs. Like graphic designers, tasks are outsourced - to plaster ceiling specialists, or flooring specialists. It doesn’t matter, as the client knows he will be dealing with the contractor.
Arguably, contractors could be problem solvers too.
2: The architect.
It was after a few years of working with Andersen Consulting (now known as Accenture) and going through their rebranding exercise that I realized graphic design is more than design. This started the phase where I find myself constantly at struggle with what I am doing (the contractor) and what I should be doing.
It revolves around the issues of branding. Leaving aside my viewpoints on branding for future postings, here’s how things changed.
“We need a catalogue to showcase our new plastic chairs.”
Instead of saying, oh, ok, will do you a nice catalogue, I started throwing back questions to clients.
“Would you be continuing to produce chairs and would they be in similar direction?”
“Do you want public to see the chairs as good products by themselves without having to know which manufacturer produced them?”
“How would the chairs be labeled, packaged and displayed? Do you want the brochure to reflect some of that?”
"How would you rank your chairs - above Pasar Malam quality and below Old Klang Road?”
“Whom would you be passing the catalogue to? Oh, your resellers. How does your reseller perceive your products? Should your brochure be in line with past catalogues or do you want something entirely new to break away from the old stuff?”
And so on.
These are essential questions to establish the branding of products/services. I became a believer of looking at branding and brand identities before graphic design kicks in. This approach invited troubles, as generally, it is not the preferred method of working in graphic design.
“I just want a chair catalogue that we are launching next week. I don’t know how to answer your questions. Can you just give me a nice catalogue?"
Tough.
Instead of being a contractor I was trying to play architect. I wanted to build a house which caters for the client’s needs in the future - factoring in the number of rooms and washrooms needed, the positions of windows and doors, the installation of wiring and plumbing systems down to the trees that are supposed to be planted now so that it would grow into beautiful shades for the future.
But the client just needed a room and some wallpaper for his room.
I was fortunate to have a few clients who understood, but generally I became disillusioned about the business known as graphic design.
3: The developer.
I used to be addicted to Simcity.
Simcity starts with a piece of predefined land. The gameplay: Divide the residential, commercial and industrial zones; Make them attractive for humans to move in, then improvise and continue to monitor; Tear down abandoned and aging buildings (built out of early mistakes); introduce new amenities - parks, cinemas, casinos, whatever to sustain growth. And remember to monitor power grids, water supply and pollution levels.
I’d like to imagine the client being a piece of land. As a designer I am providing content for the client to continue to grow. Each individual component from the content designed would take on its own branding and identity but would converge to contribute to he overall growth. The content has to be engaging - it should invite end users to participate repeatingly. The content is not limited to communications media. The content is not static, it has to be constantly updated refreshed and improvised.
Working like this not only allows me to play the developer (the content provider), but allows me the freedom to occasionally play architect (building the framework for the content) and also the contractor (implementing the content).
This process of playing developer makes designing fun.
But is this graphic design? I am not so sure.
(If you are here, you have just read a 1000 words blog entry, proving that designers do read. Thank you. I would however love to know your thoughts on this subject matter, and if you are the type that hates all things cheesy about registering a friendster account just to write a comment, do send me a mail).
September 13th, 2006 at 3:01 am
Ok, so here i am to prove designer do read. (Applause)
After a comfortable reading of this 1000 words, some issue that was bothering my brain had surfaced. One is about the designer , and another issue is about the client.
1. The two types of designer
I’m not sure how to define the two types but of course there are far more than 2 types of people who work as designer.
The one who think before design and the one who design just for the sake of design.
Let’s talk about what I saw in my college as I’m a student who is still immature to the industry. (money does not come into discussion)
Whenever lecturer gives us a new brief about the upcoming project/assignments that we are going to do, different students give different response.
‘A’ type of student just listen whatever the lecturer says about the requirement and whatever the lecturer wants us to put into the design. Let’s say a brochure. This type of student would just go to library and search for book with beautiful brochures samples and sort of adopt that design into their assignment and fit in all the content into their ‘design’. Gao dim.
‘B’ types of student usually go for research rather than start on the outlook design. At least they look for what’s the company’s background, who’s the target audience, how the printed media are going to give impact, and how to make people wanna keep the brochure instead of throwing it away.
This results the difference of design that looks good only but lack of practicability and design which has strong concept and practical.
‘A’ type of students work hard on crafting skills but are lack of thinking. ‘B’ type of student work hard on producing good concept but are lack of crafting skills and usually ‘B’ type of student possesses better general knowledge. There must be a balance in order to come up with excellent work.
2. The mentality/quality of client
I try to fit this into lecturers. Some lecturers give very detailed assignment brief and stated down every requirements for us to follow. In the end, all our works look more or less the same and no surprise. Some lecturers give more on lectures, talk bout what is this assignment brief about and how it is gonna work. The rest is up to the student to experiment themselves. End up, students’ creativity are explored although there are variety of quality among students but that’s for the study purpose.
If looking into the ‘real world’, a good client should know more and open up themselves into creativity if effective design is what they are looking for. Just look at those successful brands that made its way to the market with the power of creativity. (e.g Nike, Adidas, Apple etc. )
Maybe I put it this way, a doctor is doctor, a nurse is nurse, nurse cannot be doctor but doctor can be nurse. Maybe we should just break away from the address of being graphic designer and be a graphic designer who can do strategies planning and design. So what should we be called then?
September 14th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
I am not yet a graphic designer, yet I consider myself as a designer (coz I am designing my life). As a graphic design student, I always have to answer the question: what do you think graphic design is? the latest answer that i’ve spoken out is in the class, the english language lecturer asked me the same question.
“so what do you think about graphic design?” (formula question….)
“…..eeE, (deciding i should answer it according to formula or my own thinking)… can I answer you….IT IS NOTHING…? ”
” (look at me with big eyes)…what? ”
” I mean…. ( I hate explaining in class…) It is some technique that have been used in the society. It’s everywhere…, everything might involve graphic design and it’s so near to us… yet, there is not a concrete subject and I don’t have the concrete definition for “Graphic Design”…. that’s what I think… It’s nothing…. ”
“….i think it’s more to philosophy…..”
” … ” (thinking… why not? It is involved.)
well, I have thought about this since I chose to study in this line… I do not set my own definition for it coz I don’t have enough resources such as experience and discovery. but i really interested on it.
As what you mention, it can brings us to many position, and when we have the chance to due with the devoloping process, yes, it is really fun. In the stage of learning, I shouldn’t limit myself in a kind of thinking. This is what you have remind me indirectly and it wakes me up in a shock. I was too desire to find out what graphic design is and make it becomes the worst. I couldn’t think in my own way…
Then I realize, graphic design is just a noun. which represent the graphic things that people have done in this earth,this century (since the word “GRAPHIC DESIGN: the art or skill of combining txt and pic in ad, magazines or books” created), and it involves business - (MONEY). It is an excellent combination of art, business and life, which I think what “design” mean.
GRAPHIC DESIGN is now a tool for me. By learning it, is a tool for me to link with the real world and myself. after this, balance it. I might have to do everything to reach the point of balancing.
Once the balance point has been found, everything will become nothing… then I would have to start another point… maybe to maintain the balancing or to change the focus point (zhong4 xin1) then another everything starts again….
Once you have found out the meaning of ART, BUSINESS and LIFE clearly, I guess you might have an answer for GRAPHIC DESIGN. yes, just like a clerk might have to know how to make a good coffee to the boss beside doing the data works….
’sometimes think it in a simple way, you might find the answer…’
( this is what you have taught me…)
September 16th, 2006 at 9:06 am
fri. 4.18am, again i flipped thru 8VO on the outside, a book dat i really enjoy reading it & impressed of wut they hv done thruout their journey as designer…while flipping thru, dis little title caught my attention “DEsign not MEsign” (Design, of course, is also a form of expression, but expression as a by-product of the processs rather than self-expression as a goal in itself: DEsign, signs of, about and on behalf of something: not MEsign, signs of or about the designer. Designer are the messengers-we are not the messanger) As a student, v always 1 2 explore more on nice packaging, format, style, “i didnt mean it is wrong 2 do so” & sumtimes v care 2 much of d “outlook” & hv negleted d purpose/ reason behind, & sadly mostly all d time ppl jus 1 2 c d “outlook” of it. Recently, i was asked by sum1 dat closed 2 me 2 design a set of corp. identity for a club. He came 2 me wif some design books…showing me dat i 1 dis kind of style, i 1 my logo 2 b like dat, jus refine sum part of it, i 1 drop shadow, i 1 3 figure hugging each other, etc. Immediately i was stunk. I threw him d quest. if u oledi knew wut u 1, den y u stil come 2 me 2 help u design d corp set? He said: U r d designer, dis is wut u shud do as a designer. Client is always rite, & u shud listen 2 ur client…Huh? but not in dis way, rite??!! I wanted 2 say “NO” 2 dis work, but i can’t. I said lets forget bout dis style, dat logo..i need 2 know wut’s ur club is about, ur audience..etc. Dis is how he answered me, “Can u pls stop asking 2 much, jus think bout an entertainment club, & gif me a nice logo. My friend(also a designer)can immediately draw me a logo, jus trace an existing logo & refine it 2 become a nice logo, y can’t u??” dis is wut his friend did. HAIZ~~~ really sad case. Sometimes i jus wondered who causes all of dis happened?? D designer dat jus 1 2 do nice “outlook” or…i dunno.. anyway, lastly wanted 2 say 10q for giving me d freedom in doing campustown proj. : ) at least dis is sth dat i enjoying doing it.