Anyone can do it
Why didn’t anyone tell us before we embarked on 4 or 6 years of studies in communication design that anyone can do it? A courier came into the studio yesterday and proceeded to explain to us at length how his buddy was a whiz at design—or maybe it was desktop publishing, he mused—(same thing, right?). He kept saying “Anyone can do it, right? It just takes time, learning by moving things around”. What he meant of course is that anyone can learn how to use the software and in that moment be christened a designer.
This irked me. Again. Yes, as you may have guessed, this is not the first time this type of conversation has come up and yet I’m endlessly baffled by the resilience of the attitude that portends that technical proficiency can be equated with strategic thinking, creativity, craft and even attention to detail. Having the ability to carry a tray doesn’t make one a waiter. Wielding a hammer without maiming yourself doesn’t make you a framer. I could go on but you see where I’m headed.
So let’s take a quick look at what design and design thinking require:
Distilling and organizing complex information
Whether designing an annual report with financials or an identity for a bakery, designers must have the ability to introduce hierarchy and get to the essence of the message, whether it is expressed in visual or verbal form, or both.
Understanding social, economic, environmental and political contexts
Understanding people is not optional when you’re designing for them. A grasp of current events, evolving attitudes and mores must be a part of every designer’s arsenal.
Redefining the problem
Two of the most important steps in the design process are: defining the right problem to solve and the ability to divide it into smaller, manageable chunks. Eliminating homelessness in Vancouver is not feasible today; giving 10 or 20 more people a hot meal and a place to sleep for the night could be.
Mastering your tools
The courier was right that the mastery of software in the final production of printed and electronic design is key and can be learned over time by almost anyone. But software is a tool, like a pen or a brush or a camera. The end result depends as much on the designer’s aptitude at understanding the problem and generating solutions as the skill required to realise those solutions using visual and verbal means. Incidentally, understanding language (words and letters) doesn’t hurt, nor does grasping the concepts of composition, contrast, repetition and alignment; and although these can all be achieved using software, learning the principles behind them is not included in the tutorials.
Not everyone is gifted with the same skill set, depending on their experiences, their education and even their background. So although apparently anyone can do it, whether or not this meets a client’s needs has a lot to do on what that client’s expectation of the it may be, don’t you think?
Great rant! One we’re all too familiar with, be it communication design, photography, film production, or anything else.
I was referred to as a writer for the first time the other day. I am not a writer. I can write, just like I believe anyone can design but I am not a writer. As you point out, being a designer takes a lot more than software, hardware and even knowledge (those 4-6 years in school can also be meaningless). It is a combination of things, mixed with a heavy dose of natural talent. When it comes to meeting needs, my writing does the job for my blogs but I would never claim I was a writer. I am a designer and I write. The courier’s buddy can design but is he a designer? Probably not.
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