2. Problem
Today's graphic designers find themselves consumed with the superficial
production of visual artifacts—logos, packaging, books, websites—rather than
higher-level decision making about how to use such artifacts, their greater
interaction with culture and business, and their effect on society.
3. Problem (2)
In this peripheral role, designers wield little authority with clients because of
their limited attention to and responsibility for the results and impact of their
work. In addition, they draw less creative satisfaction from this than many
academic design programs promise.
4. Hypothesized Solution
By holding themselves accountable for the measurable effect their work has,
and claiming a stake in big-picture client goals, graphic designers can gain the
authority with which to substantially influence a client's strategies. Through
shared ownership of a broad view objective, the client and designer can face
problems together, each standing to gain or lose from their investment.
5. Potential Results
In this new relationship model, graphic designers may find the opportunity to
put their broad abilities to plan and communicate to more profound use,
evolving the nature of the profession from trivial to indispensable.
6. Outline
Introduction
- Set the stage with an example of designers having little authority and doing
superficial work (contrast this with Paul Rand's influence on IBM)
- Give overview of the problem:
- superficial production,
- limited authority & responsibility,
- less creative satisfaction
- Propose hypothesized solution
- Imagine effect this could have
- Set forth what rest of the book will talk about
7. Outline (2)
Defining the Problem
- Define graphic design
- Give quick history of design
- Analyze the problem for G-Design today - "machine operators," aestheticians,
not thinkers
- How the market is using designers — fragmentation into different
specializations (e.g., UX designers)
- Why the most technical specializations are most visible (web design)
- Design Education: how we're taught to be thinkers not just visual
tradespeople
- Cite the historical connection between art and philosophy
- Discuss why architecture and industrial design doesn't have this
disassociation problem
- Talk about G-Design's problem of utility and compare to other design
disciplines
- Disassociation from the work product, end results
8. Outline (3)
Ownership & Accountability
- Define what it means to own or be invested in something
- Why owning something and being accountable gives you authority
- Go over models of ownership for designers, discussing pros and cons of
each, examples, how they might apply in diff. situations
- "One new skill all of these methods require is leadership."
9. Outline (4)
Authority & Leadership
- Discuss how by having ownership and accountability, authority emerges
- Talk about leadership and why it's necessary for those in power
- Go over traits of a leader
- Who are some design leaders?
- Designers must learn more about their client's business in order to make
good decisions
10. Outline (5)
The New Client/Designer Dynamic
- How shared ownership promotes understanding and facing problems
together
- Increased motivation for designers to do their best work
- Discuss whether designers would care less about their portfolios with a new
perspective on their decisions
- Talk about the new risks for designers
- Micro View: Describe a day in the life of an invested designer
- Macro View: What this would mean for the profession, and businesses
- Where will graphic design evolve to next?
11. Methods of Ownership
Designers already have some accountability, for an agency whose designs seem to fail its clients will not get hired again. But the
connection is often nebulous. (Why? How?)
• Design fees tied to success—the more a client's end goal is met, the more the agency is paid
• Having the designer's "signature"—the more public a designer's involvement in a project, the more his/her reputation is at
stake. Paul Rand used to literally sign many of his works, as a fine artist would. There could be many ways to make the
designer more visible—sponsorship, credit listing... (more?)
• Increased intellectual property ownership—by having rights to the reproduction and reuse of the design, the client has less
at stake in terms of paying for the design in the short run, and the designer has a larger interest in continued success of the
design, since that will keep the royalties coming in.
• The emotional investment—perhaps a classic "artist's" means of ownership, requires a big personality that shows intense
energy, belief in and commitment to the big-picture goal, not just the design itself. James Victore seems to succeed with this
approach. This would often work best with clients tackling social problems.
• The business partner model—no doubt the biggest, riskiest investment, here the designer would actually legally and
financially partner with the client in order to accomplish the client's objectives.
One thing all of these methods require is leadership.
