Today, in class, we began our discussion about what graphic designers bring to the table. Even though it was pretty difficult to get a word in with all the eager people in our class, I still had a lot of thoughts on this topic.
I think graphic designers are entirely taken advantage of and somewhat forgotten in credibility. Graphic design is everywhere…it’s in the box of silverware you chose over the generic brand, the cool pack of gum you paid twice the money for, the bed set you just HAD to have for your new apartment, and that dank poster you just couldn’t live without…the list goes on and it leaves no product behind. And yet, graphic designers are still taken for chumps that only hang on their computer all day and draw pictures. I can’t even BEGIN to count the number of times people I know would assume I took the easy way out with all of my art classes.
“Graphic Design? So you like…design pretty things, right?”
“Um. A little bit more than that. Actually, A LOT more than that. But thanks for the credit, anyways.”
We…
Design, find problems, create business, collaborate, discuss, build, think, make user-friendly problems, find the tangible from the intangible, etc etc etc…We kinda do it all. And it’s a shame we don’t get more credit for it.
First off,
Graphic designers have to always have a few mindsets on at all times when approaching an issue. They have to have the mind of the consumer (aka the main people this product/problem is going to or is affecting…ex, How can I make whatever solution personalized to them or user-friendly?), the mind of an engineer (How am I going to put this thing together logically?), and a designer (How am I going to create something aesthetically pleasing with all of the above and change people’s impressions about this product/issue?). Designers have to CONSTANTLY be thinking of all of these aspects…if not, then there might always be something missing in the final creation or idea. They bring whole-rounded thinking to the table, with many perspectives in mind at once.
On the other hand, Designers realize that there’s not always a complete solutions to a problem. Instead, Designers bring the task of “finding the actual problem” to the table. Sure, with hindsight bias, everyone thinks they could’ve come up with a lot of products that designers have created before: but it’s not always that simple. Designers, with EXTREME research, get to the bottom of the issue and try their best to pin point the real problem for the situation…summed up in class by Keon as a “problem-finding” execution. Once the real problem is found, designers can once again use all of those previously mentioned perspectives to brainstorm newer ideas.
Graphic designers also take on the huge task of creating something tangible from the intangible.. Every day, graphic designers have to dig deeper into concepts that are completely abstract and brainstorm ideas for its creation for the real world. It’s almost like representing the entirety of “math” with just one graphic. Doesn’t seem so easy, right? With detailed research, design thinking, many perspectives, brainstorming, thumbnails, and aesthetic ideas…graphic designers are able to get a lot closer than any other brainiac around.
I could keep going on and on…but as mentioned, graphic designers are responsible for a lot more behind the scenes than we’re given credit for. We’re constantly at work…”the brain of a designer never turns off.” We essentially use OUR time to solve problems and create solutions for the needy…therefore our time is thoroughly precious.
So, in fact, we DO bring a lot to the table. Take that, nonbelievers.
Production. 