I think in a classroom, we start to fall into the patterns that our teachers enjoy and teach. This is not a knock on the teachings, but more on our ability as designers to fit into a successful groove; We see that someone likes a way of doing something, and we do it that way. However, after reading “Visual Research: An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design” I became more aware of this than ever before, and think it is important to think differently as much as possible.
Blog posts seemed to me to be extra busy work that was forced upon us, but more recently then I care to admit the blog posts have been inspiring rather than a burden. Finding inspiration often is beneficial to creating, and reading and hearing different perspectives is a great way to do that. This reading was so much about starting to look at the same problems we get in different ways. For example, we all see maps often and know how to read them without a second thought. There is a section about this, and then it details other types of maps and different ways to map out information. Like this “map” of a city.
It is not exactly a map of a city like we know with streets and buildings, but it shows relationships of other things and signage found in a city.
The reading also hits on a point that emphasizes that design comes from the designer’s “personal tastes, cultural understandings, social and political beliefs, and deeply held personal aesthetic preferences.” This is very evident in the ideas of Sarah Fathallah, a Moroccan designer. She designs for social change and for good, through human centered design. She is a multidiscipline person that is affected by her many areas of knowledge, which all influence her design. She has traveled throughout her life, and has had experiences with all kinds of people all over the world. This helps a persons outlook on things, and helps aim towards helping people through knowing their struggle intimately.
*********************************
SOURCES:
“Designing for Social Impact.” Communication Arts, 2 Feb. 2019, http://www.commarts.com/columns/fathallah?utm_source=Communication%2BArts%2BDaily&utm_campaign=62dfcddf97-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_a6a0e887e3-62dfcddf97-36043273.
Noble, Ian, and Russell Bestley. Visual Research: An Introduction to Research Methodologies in Graphic Design. Lausanne: AVA, 2005. Print.
ART4899 