Welcome to the blog of an ordinary 25-year old, PhD student, whose carricatured literary take of all things media and social would drive you up the wall and hopefully...just hopefully, drive you back for more...
A “Bystander’s Perspective” on the Design Community
Apart from my weekly musings about design, I’ve been rather engaged in a side-activity of my own. Over the past 3 months, I’ve been religiously chronicling my opinions about the design community on a weekly basis, in the form of an unpublished written journal. Most of these “scribbles” were meant to provide me with a better idea of how the web design community operates as a social entity.
Contained in these notes, are specific observations and idiosyncrasies of the design community together with proposed ways in which we as its loyal members, can further enhance its status as an effervescent and creative hub. Today, I’ve decided to share some of them publically on this space.
Point 1: “Failure” is part of Design
Apologies for starting on a rather dour note, but ‘failure’ is not a hideous social condition/state/plague. Failure is an unavoidable phase, which, we as designers (or “creative enthusiasts”) must confront directly in one form or another. Failure is a prime “necessity” of design.
As, industrial designer David Pye quite succinctly mentioned in his seminal book, “The Nature of Design”, nothing we design ever works the way we want it to, but rather it is through people’s improvisation and adaptation that design achieves that certain level of “success”. Put simply/bluntly, design begins as a type of “failure”. No matter how precise our calculations or how profound our aesthetic sensibilities, no design concept will work entirely as planned, as such is the ambiguous nature of reality.
A week ago, I received an email from a design blog editor who expressed his immense disappointment at not being able to “design”. He claimed to be facing a dearth of inspiration that was largely responsible for his dwindling morale and depressive state of mind. Despite receiving extensive formal training in the field of design, he often feels that his work falls short of receiving the professional acclaim it “should” receive. To me however, the problem does not lie with the designer but in how he/she defines “failure” in the design field.
Design is, as I mentioned in my previous post, a “conceptualization of aesthetics”. These conceptualizations however, may not necessarily manifest in the exact ways which we pan them out to be. The beauty of design lies in its unpredictable reception – how will it be interpreted and utilised by the wider public or target audience? But the truth of the matter is, nothing we make ever works as it should.
Never be fooled into thinking that good design is without failure, as such a perception, in my humble opinion, does not speak of perfection but of ignorance.
Point 2: When Popularity becomes the Sole Purpose for Writing
For those who run design based websites, it is common to “write for the masses”. “Lists” and “round-ups” are popular (and proven) methods to garner a steady stream of readership. However, when “traffic” rates become the sole determinant of how your website operates, then it is time to analyse your primary objectives. What is your sole purpose in running a design website? If it is to provide a repository of good inspirational resources, then are you really providing YOUR perspective or simply re-hashing “lists of pretty looking websites” that you have in your “favourite’s folder”?
To me, writing about design involves a willingness to stand outside the comfort zone of regularity, and embrace ideas/concepts which do not necessarily guarantee high readership rates or visitor popularity. It is through treading on unchartered waters, that we gain the confidence to be boldly and uniquely creative.
Point 3: Practice Mental Gymnastics
This point relates to the one above. I do often find that several designers (me included) are constrained in specific “moulds” of thinking. We have ingrained definitions of certain elements of design and when those viewpoints are somewhat challenged by rather unorthodox practices which defy common laws, we are quick to defend the “integrity” of the design field as a structured code of practice. There is no denying the artistic institution of design is bounded by “sacred” design principles, but we should always be open to possible challenges and alternative perspectives.
I’ll provide you with a real case example.
A couple of days ago, I received a 1000-word message from a reader who was “deeply enraged” with how I defined User Experience Design (UX) as a type of “narrative” or “story” (see previous post). The person in question quoted a textbook definition of “User Experience (UX) Design”, which, lo and behold, contained nothing about “narratives”. He then concluded that the article lacked “research” (the attached image is a snippet of the email). Needless to say, I was bemused.
Design is about “mental gymnastics”. It is about knowing when to stick to principles and also knowing when to “bend the rules”. To truly “experience design” we must first and foremost understand the fluidity of design; the idea that concept and theory are never cast in stone.
Till date, I find an innumerable number of parallels between design and other topics which bear little association to what we would traditionally regard as “design topics”. Design in many ways, is nothing and yet everything.
Point 4: Emerge as a Master of “Critical Analysis”
The design community is not critical enough. Contrary to popular belief, being critical does not equate to “fault-finding”. Critical analysis refers to the ability to extricate the essence of a particular argument or piece of art and then attempt to systematically question its logic and context of application. Critical thinking requires the self-discipline of restrain; the capacity to resist making premature judgements before dissecting the entire body of work at hand, in a methodical fashion. I’ve noticed that several blog posts in the design community lack that extra inquisitive edge, the implicit force that challenges established design concepts or ideas. There is one central reason for this.
As Scrives from Drawar fame mentioned in one of his articles, self-thought designers often struggle to fully grasp specific theoretical or technical concepts in design such as the grid system. Ignorance thus becomes a factor that prevents us from making unfounded assertions that can potentially ruin our professional reputation/credibility. Sitting on the fence remains an attractive, safe and non-committal option.
Instead of donning the hat of careful conservatism, engage in research on design topics outside your area of expertise to bridge that knowledge deficit. There is no easy route towards mastering the art of critical analysis, than expanding ones theoretical and practical knowledge on different subjects.
Point 5: Network with the Right “Mentality”
It is important, for both professional and social reasons, to form strong networked allegiances with fellow designers and industry practitioners. More often than not, we are told by industry “gurus”, to network with the “right” people, individuals who can genuinely “provide us with something in return”. Let us look at a hypothetical example.
If you have an influential following on Twitter (let’s assume that you have garnered about 20,000 followers), would you follow a person with, say, 100 followers, whose blog you read for occasional inspiration? While most of you would probably reply with a resounding “YES”, the laws of productive networking (there are no actual laws, but this is what is commonly preached by certain industry professionals) imply that you should connect with individuals whom you think might bring “tangible” benefits to your business endeavours.
The problem however arises when we are so engrossed with advancing our own professional standing, that we ignore the core essence behind social networking and relationships – the ability to receive and give something back in return. Effective social networking is a multilateral process- it is about bringing out the best in yourself for others just as how you expect others to bring out their best for you. (I am being highly vague here, but by “best” I mean any form of explicit help/support/promotion/advertising etc that directly relates to your ventures in the design field).
Point 6: What does the “Design Community” Mean to You?
A community is more than an organized group of individuals collaborating and sharing information, ideas and other “good stuff”. The design community is an avenue for experimentation and challenge. We have to actively contribute content that not only reaffirms specific design trends/principles but creates new ideas from old ones. The content we regularly churn out as website authors must reflect a sense of imaginative experimentation and learning. An effective community is one that builds upon, modifies what is at first seemingly “ordinary”.
Concluding Remarks
So, I’ve come to the end of my observational streak. What are your own personal impressions of the online design community? What would you change about the design community, if presented with the opportunity?
Design Informer has published an article that I wrote on the concept of community discussion. If you haven’t already done so, please give that a read, as it serves as a nice complementary piece to the points raised here.
[ Design - Design Community - Social Networking ] Subscribe to the Goodness >>
-
44
- Content-Driven Design – Let’s Throw out Tradition
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 2nd Feb 10 -
11
- Redesigning Personal Projects – A Critical Analysis
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 21st Jan 10 -
14
- The Concept of “Intelligent Design” – Form vs. Function
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 16th Jan 10 -
44
- The Death of Originality in Design- Coming to Terms
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 12th Jan 10 -
22
- Designing an Idea - How to Beautify your Inspiration
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 7th Jan 10 -
40
- The Risk of Being Unique – The Logic of Design Styles
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 3rd Jan 10 -
25
- A “Bystander’s Perspective” on the Design Community
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 29th Dec 09 -
18
- Designing Beautiful User-Experiences for the Web
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 23rd Dec 09 -
33
- What is Design? A Thorough Analysis of Definitions
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 18th Dec 09 -
18
- A Guide to Writing Killer Content for Your Design Blog
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 14th Dec 09 -
12
- Transform Creative Ideas into Stunning Designs
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 10th Dec 09 -
5
- Branding On the Web: The Identity Dilemma
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 8th Dec 09 -
14
- A Primer on Keeping the Creative Flame Alive
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 6th Dec 09 -
17
- A Guide to Writing Effectively about Design
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 3rd Dec 09 -
10
- Designers & Vampires – The Creative Mind
PUBLISHED BY: Josh on 2nd Dec 09
-
- DESIGN INFORMER
THE LATEST IN WEB DESIGN -
- DESIGNER'S COUCH
CREATIVE HUMANS, DESIGNER'S GROUP -
- THE DESIGN MAG
THE DESIGN MAGAZINE FOR WEB AND GRAPHIC DESIGNERS -
- CHRIS WALLACE
USER INTERFACE DESIGNER AND DEVELOPER -
- COLORBURNED
GRAPHIC DESIGN RESOURCES, TUTORIALS -
- AEXT.NET
PROGRAMMING,DESIGN,BLOGGING -
- DESIGNER DAILY
DESIGN INSPIRATION AND RESOURCES -
- SIX REVISIONS
WEB DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN INFORMATION -
- LITTLE BOX OF IDEAS
DESIGN INSPIRATION -
- SPYRE STUDIOS
WEB DESIGN AND INSPIRATION BLOG -
- YOUTHEDESIGNER
GRAPHIC DESIGN BLOG, TIPS AND JOBS -
- INSTANT SHIFT
WEB DESIGNERS AND DEVELOPERS DAILY RESOURCE -
- THE DESIGN SUPERHERO
JUST ANOTHER DESIGN BLOG
Tripping Words runs on a customized version of Expression Engine. This whole website is dynamically randered through multiple EE templates. 
Nice Article Mate!! I have also come across some designers who have rigid linear thoughts about design. To quote in terms of Physics, some designers are still living in the Newtonian era where they consider everything as absolute. I totally agree with your point that one should know when to stick to principles and when to bend the rules. In all, a great article. Must get some good response from the design community.
Great post. I agree with pretty much everything written here.
One more thing I would want to add, being someone not directly involved in the design community at present, is the age old discussion of form vs function.
If you look at many websites, a lot of them will look aethetically amazing, but will navigation will be confusing and may not even be accessible by people with certain disabilities. I think part of *good* design is to constantly push the line of visually appealing forms at the same time making it usefull and functional.
Also, regarding the first point you made: I actually made a sort-of rule a few years ago about this - “You can never be absolutely certain how and in what way poeple on the internet will use your product”. I guess this is applicable to realms outside of the web as well, but especially with regards to people on the internet.
For example, some people using Wordpress (a blogging plattform) as a CMS; People using twitter to post what their grandmother wrote in her diary decades ago, and probably the biggest example: the world wide web. I doubt the founders of these imagined at the time of launch how exactly their creations would be used.
In other words, the moment people start to do something new and unexpected with your product, thats the moment you should realize that you might be on to something. I don’t see it as a failure of design at all. A failure of design would be if virtually no one is using it in a way you expected. But if most poeple are using it in the way you expect it, and some are going beyond that, then to me, its actually a good thing.
@Adit Gupta
Thanks for the very interesting response Adit. Yes, that seems to be the problem these days with quite a few “designers”. I’ve always preferred adopting a flexible approach when defining design concepts. Theory is there for a reason, but it also should provoke us to think outside its boundaries. In my conversations with fellow designers, I’ve come to realise that there is a higher tendency for those who are formally trained in design to be less inclined towards embracing “out-of-the-box” concepts, although this might simply be a sweeping generalization. There are good reasons to follow design theory but there is also an equally sound rationale in expanding ones knowledge base.
@Shwetank Dixit
Welcome to Tripping Words Shewetank! Love the response you posted.
Form vs Function has been a longstanding issue within design circles. Finding that right balance can be difficult, but it should definitely be something designers should aspire to achieve. With regards to your second point, the advancement of technology and the burgeoning open-source community has led to a rather interesting social effect: most people design without ever realising its true potentialities.
Perhaps, “failure” might be a strong word, but I wanted to capture that element of “chaos” in design; the irony that something so precise and methodical (design) can develop in unexpected ways, with unanticipated results.
So “failure” here is used in a highly philosophical sense. But I do agree that “failure” in its traditional meaning would mean that a design product does not achieve any of its intended objectives; which in this context is not true.
Thanks again for the engaging discussion.
Another refreshing article! The design community is unique among online groups in that the presentation of ideas is a basis for judgement on the credibility of the content itself (The ultimate example of which is blogging about blogging). I think this dynamic is what leads to unneccesary stratification among contributing members of the community. I’m not sure that this can, or should, be avoided - but I know that I took a long time to convince myself that I didn’t need to have the perfect website to start creating content.
I really agree with you about the need to think critically (not necessarily negatively) about the value of round ups. I think some may be forgetting the value of original commentary and discussion - that is why I sought out the design community in the first place!
Thanks for a thought provoking article Josh
Another outstanding article Josh, Tripping Words is fast becoming one of my favorite blogs.
As for being rigid with design “rules”, if no one ever broke out of the mold and experimented with new things, our field would ever grow and evolve. I think it’s very important for designers (especially those of us who are self taught) to study as much about design theory that they can get their hands on. But once you have reached a great understanding of it, I think that breaking out and trying new things is a great idea. Remember that design theory is just that, theory. I think that design is too creative a field for us to achieve any true design laws. Web design especially is an ever evolving field and without those who push the boundaries, it would end up stagnate.
I fell into the list post trend for a while until I realized how useless those posts were. I still enjoy both doing and reading good list posts but now when I write them I make sure to try out everything I list and give my personal opinion of it. And instead of 150 of something, I think it would be more helpful for bloggers to focus on what they feel are the top 10 and give in depth reviews/analysis on their choices.
Overall the design community has been invaluable to me as a self taught designer. I’ve gotten so much support and help from my fellow designers, I can’t even begin to express my gratitude. That was my main motivation for starting Arbenting, I wanted to return the favor and give back to the community in whatever way I could. I wanted to give new designers the same kind of help others had given me.
Why are the articles so large type and big spacing on this site it’s hard to read god
Hey Josh! Wonderful article.
While I do agree that many self-taught designers lack knowledge in some of the most basic concepts of design, I don’t think this applies to all self-taught designers. I am a self-taught designer, and I work tireless to improve my craft. I read books, articles, blog posts, and ask advice from more experienced designers when I need help.
Back to point #4. A designer approached me about writing a guest post for his popular blog, and I shied away from the opportunity. Sometimes designers can be TOO critical, and this discourages newbies from fully engaging with the community (no one wants to be seen as an idiot).
All in all, great post! Once again, you’ve given me material chew on for a while!
@Alexa
Hi Alexa, the points you raise are very pertinent. It is definitely true in the online world, presentational methods and techniques are very much crucial in determining the credibility of content. I feel that this is an unavoidable facet of online visual culture. In my book, a website need not have stunning visuals to ‘justify’ the value of its content. If content is generally readable and the author has something interesting to say, that website gets my vote. Critical thinking is an often an understated element in the design community, or at least, that’s my personal opinion. Like you mentioned, the value of original and engaging discussion should never be overlooked as an integral component of the design community.
Thanks for the wonderful response!
@Angie Bowen
Thanks so much for the kind words Angie!
Design is very much about challenging existing theoretical boundaries and aspiring to reach greater creative heights. I know of some people who justify the use of lists simply because it suits the general online browsing style- a fleeting and superficial scanning of content. While I agree that intense reading is less common in the online world, it is not unheard of, and as members of the design fraternity, the earnest is on us to encourage independent critical thinking and thoughtful commentary on design. And yes, an effective community is all about the ability to break the otherwise monotonous trend of superficial “list-like” posts with hard hitting and compelling content. Thanks so much for the great response Angie.
@mastahchief
Thanks for your feedback. To be honest, I increased the type size deliberately. I wanted the site content to be readable for everyone and this website also serves as an “experimental playground” for me (I guess I can afford that “luxury” because this is first and foremost a blog, rather than a business entity). I’ll look into tinkering with the layout and style in the near future.
@Danielle
Thanks Danielle for the excellent take on the design community. I share your sentiments EXACTLY. As someone who is relatively new to the online design community (Tripping Words is just over 3 months old), I have in several circumstances received criticism of a bitingly harsh nature. While I appreciate those that have taken time to critically evaluate my work and articles (I usually send them personalised thank you messages), it does make me think if some designers are indeed too critical without proper rationale or logical justification. I’ve tried to overcome this “barrier” by guest posting on several blogs, and while not everyone agrees with my views, I did enjoy the general response from the community. I think certain (which happens to be a minority) designers need to banish their “hubris tendencies”.
I totally agree with your word…..boz this is what I do….happy to see like minded fellow…thanks
@ Selvam
Cheers for the comment and welcome to Tripping Words.
Interesting article Josh. Sometimes we forget that good design is about effectively communicating to the target audience-while balancing creative desires and customer expectations. Perfect -ha! Doesn’t exist.
You have a very cool blog here! It’s a strange design, never seen anything like it but I suppose the name stands for itself
I like the article Josh, I agree that many design sites being lists only instead of promoting & facilitating a discussion on a design topic. I am currently working on a design blog/site to post tutorials, inspiration, but mostly geared toward discussion about design, art & related topics. I also like what you pointed out about building networks & having them help us grow as designers. I am just getting into (learning) using twitter & facebook more to do this.
I agree we should bend the rules at times break them if it fits the client’s/design’s needs, but be creative in our thinking, when having to stay within the boundaries for a project. I love design & art, it is my passion aside from my family, so I am always striving to improve, learn & grow. Thanks, great article, I will pass it along, plus reread & maybe re-comment more.
@Jack M
Thanks for the comment Jack. Well said. Perfection is an “ideal” situation. In reality however, one must negotiate with with various factors before arriving at a “final product”.
@Inside the Webb
Thanks for the feedback. When designing this site, I tried experimenting with various types and colours/typography. The downside however is that it can at times hamper readability. But I’m happy with how it turned out. There will be aesthetic changes in the near future. So look out for that!
Don Rogers @creativelydone
Hi Don, truly appreciate your insights. I am certainly looking forward to the launch of your blog with much anticipation.
When I first launched Tripping Words, I was surprised at the intensity of opinionated discussion derived from social media alone. Twitter is till date the main “traffic generator” for Tripping Words.
I believe that for us to truly reap the interactive benefits of social media, we must encourage discussion and constructive debate. Challenging mainstream design concepts with well-supported arguments is perhaps the first way to go about establishing a truly productive design community.
Thanks again for the response and I look forward to seeing you in these parts.
Hi there. I really, really do love reading your blog, but your heavy overusage of “quotes” is really killing me and is ridiculously distracting. Any chance you could “tone them down”?
A very interesting post
@Sammy
Thanks for the feedback. I do have a natural tendency to “quote” specifc phrases. Haha…your’e very right, I have to tone that done. Thanks!
@ Web Design Maidstone
Thanks for the compliment.
Loved the article Josh, you’re an amazing writer. I also wanted to comment just so that I could use the most unique comment form that I’ve come across. Keep up the great work!
Hi,
Thanks for the compliment.
Haha…I was really experimenting with various styles for the comment form.
Thanks again and do stay tuned for future articles.
A delightful article with so much substance. Oh and I am loving your website design - it has character and a personality, which so much other websites lack these days.
Thanks Thomas.
Well it is funny that you mentioned that, because my next article (to be out in a few hours hopefully) deals exactly with that idea of character and personality.
Thanks for the comment.
An insightful and enriching article. I highly recommend the read to anyone closely involved in the design world, whether you’re a designer, or part of the production machine, offline or online.
Thanks so much for the feedback Aaron.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. This piece was meant to be a reflective survey of the design community.
Cheers
My take-away from this read?
Practicing mental gymnastics is where we thrive as designers. And it’s probably why people don’t get us.
Our job is to see things upside down and inside out. Yet, still make things work.
Being an East-coast American, I have tendencies that I lean towards. I talk a certain way. I drive a certain kind of car. I tend to frequent the same shops.
But when I step out of the line, I tend to come alive as a thinker…
Well said Joshua. “Mental gymnastics” is perhaps for me, the single most attractive quality of being a designer; having the licence to meander through various thought processes to arrive and something uniquely special that has a long-lasting appeal.