Comments on: The erosion of design education

By: B:)

B:) — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 18:51:34 +0000

Hi all, hope you're still plugged into this blog...just found it after doing some research on multimedia.

Just thought I would throw this at you. I grew up in a small, northern, sheltered town. But, oddly as it may sound, I was raised keeping world history, art and culture in mind, largely through a western lense, admittedly, but aware of the greater world beyond none the less.

I've travelled. Degree History in Art. Degree Interior Design. and lately added Multimedia.

Lets just say I understand the language of Art & Design. I know how different schools approach the "curriculum" dire-lemma from first hand experience. All of you have made valid points. But let's face it. The market is a hungry beast and it loves to feast on Pop culture. And it's a narrow genre. Think about it. There is already sooo much of it out there. How narrow is the gap to come up with something original, that still fits the pop need?

If you are a student going into the arts/design...you better know that you can produce & be comfortable with popular culture. That's what the market wants.

Curriculums don't shape students towards what the market wants. They don't tell you what it's actually like out there, what the demand is. That's for each individual student to figure out on their own. The earlier they figure that out the better. If you've got that sorted before you enter the program...GREAT! But let's be realistic...who does? Probably just those students who ease their way through, not needing any particular guidance to begin with. (as mentioned above)

If you grew up in the city, have a relative in the field, or just happened to love MTV since you could walk, I think you may have a chance...if you really work hard, have the passion & can think critically & creatively, well then you might have a chance...but it's a narrow one at best.

You can have all the passion in the world. You can go to the "right" school. But at the end of the day, if the preliminary formation years & having the right connections...not to forget being in the "pop culture" loop aren't there...well then, "working hard" and "having passion" take on a whole new meaning! And the pitty is, employers aren't ever going to know about it, because they can't see it in your portfolio. Investing in a person, shapping them on pure desire? Not likely. Today, the expectation is, we don't want to have to teach you much, because to be honest, we don't have the time & the bottom line is what counts, so we won't be investing in you. You better have what it takes when we hire you.

So there in lies the gap. I feel for young people today. Getting stuck in the gap. No one there really to help them out of it. We've had discussions in school how come today, there is no Michelangelo or Leonardo equivalent? My guess is this discussion has got something to do with it!

I've read a few books on the great designers of the world. They're personal take on what the path to success looks like? You know what most of them said? Failure and never really getting comfortable with it. Ya! And most of us fail a lot of the time...eventually you're going to have to pay some bills.

But if I were to lay all the cards out on the table? I think it has more to do with a lost sense of the greater good & contributing to that vision...teacher, student, employer...no matter who you are. $$ is a lousy substitution.

How do you like them apples??

By: clare

clare — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 13:24:02 +0000

but of course, i am speaking from a product design point of view.

now that i want to study for a BA, i am facing a difficult choice -

choose a school that focuses more on thinking skills, or technical skills?

because it is important that i communicate my design well, visually and verbally.

granted, i like to put a lot of thought into my projects, but will it matter if i can't communicate them effectively enough to sell my product/ idea?

so now i am trying to decide whether do do a more visual communications, skills oriented course or one that involves more industrial design and thinking skills.

any input will be greatly appreciated.

:)

By: clare

clare — Wed, 29 Mar 2006 12:59:50 +0000

hi, i got to your site because i was searching for information about the Emily Carr Institute ... thanks for the post and to all those who replied, very helpful...)

i don't think the schools set out to mislead people, maybe it's just that they cater to different needs?
eg. some people need to focus more on thinking skills, some need to brush up on the technical...(although, perhaps, a crash couse on design software would serve this purpose)

i think part of htis is due to the marketplace, some people just want to get a job, so if they have style and can master a software it is enough to get them a well-paying job.

because after all, in consumer culture most design is for disposable products with very short life-cycles, so as long as you can make it look good, it's considered enough.

much of design now is from the outside in, not the inside out, because of $$. fierce & fast competition, so maybe technical skills-oriented schools are catering to ppl who want to enter this line of work.

that said, perhaps those aspiring to do design seriously should be a bit more motivated to develop his/her own sort of thinking skills?
but i agree that having classes that push you to think is very helpful & important.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 02:22:45 +0000

sorry, I meant, it is really unfair to exclude schools.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 02:22:02 +0000

Thanks for your link on the gdc blog. I appreciate your point-of-view. In the GDC case we have two stakeholders we need to adequately address - schools, and students. Currently we don't have the resources to assess schools thoroughly and objectively, so is it unfair to exclude a school based on our current length of program criteria. Not really. At the same time, is it responsible to afford a student membership (condoning the education by association) to students that take programs that offer them little hope in the marketplace. Not really. Its more complicated even than this, but ulimately, I have to side with the ethics of not misleading people over unfairly excluding a capable short program.

By: Mike Huynh

Mike Huynh — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:07:33 +0000

I will be commencing University soon studying Visual Communication. I agree with many of what has said and I would particularly be focused on the foundation of design. However, I also think it is the industry's problem. I have seen many job offers by large or "reknowned" agencies who require people who know software programs. I think that isn't the point of working for someone like them. To be able to conceptualise and work out what should happen using simple paper and pencil should be embraced. What I dislike is individuals working in this field who have big egos, especially some on forums. Sure you can see they always design cool stuff to show but I would like to mention that talent isn't so important, but passion and the determination to work hard will prevail in your work. I would also like to say that the issue of design education should be looked geographically. Speaking from your school may not be applicable to a school somewhere overseas. I also agree in saying that you need to visit all the schools around your area to find out what they offer.

By: Tom Muller

Tom Muller — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 12:46:10 +0000

Very interesting topic, and I have to agree with some replies that its a situation forced upon schools from the "industry". I graduated at the Royal Academy for Fine Arts in Antwerp/Belgium in 1998 with a masters degree in graphic & advertising design. Now, when I started looking for a job, I quickly realised that I had very little technical know-how. Sure I could work with all the required applications one would expect to be used in a design agency, but back, if you asked me to separate colours or design a site I wouldn't have known. But I could design. I had the creative "experience" if you will, from life drawing, typography classes, painting, colour theory etc, complimented with computer classes (so I could work on a Mac). I got hired on my first job, not because I could handcode HTML, but because they saw I had a good foundation understood design and they said that "the rest" (i.e. the technical/production part of the job) will be learned through the job. You can learn that easily. Design insight is something that takes longer. What I see now in some instances is that schools/student place too much emphasis on the technical side. Its almost like it doesn't matter if you're a good designer, as long as you know Flash 8 Professional, you'll get a job asap! I think thats wrong. I (and I bet hundreds of others) learned stuff like Flash on the job. Those are technical things, and it doesn't take much to hire a great designer and give him or her a little push learning software. It takes a lot more time to teach an average designer who knows Flash inside and out to be a good designer.
/rant.

By: Clayton Misura

Clayton Misura — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 04:59:27 +0000

What truly matters is passion. Challenge yourself. Take artistic risks. Fail. Learn.

I do every day.

By: Robert Young

Robert Young — Sun, 19 Feb 2006 02:04:44 +0000

This is probably the best design school (HfG Schwäbisch Gmünd (All.)http://www.hfg-gmuenignd.de/index_en.html, but it in Germany .If you you want to stay in Canada, you should go to the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).UQAM is rated in one of the top design school in America. And I am not saying that because I want to that school.

Bonne nuit.
Je vous embrasse tous!!!

By: Maynard Winter

Maynard Winter — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 21:04:41 +0000

This post hits so close to home.

I went to a 'technical' design school in 1996. I was told that 15 months was all I needed to either enter the industry as a designer, or do freelance work. It wasn't until near graduation that I discovered that no firm or employer would touch any graduate from the school I was attending, but I would need a BFA to even get my foot in the door (I know, it's all about portfolio, but I know a lot of places won't take anyone who doesn't have a BFA.) To make matters worse, the credits I earned at this school would not transfer to a 4-year institution.

After graduation, I struggled. My portfolio was seriously lacking and tried going to community college to earn credits and did what I could to learn about graphic design in the true sense (process, cirtical thinking, etc.) ...I've also had to battle with self-esteem and confidence issues, but I worked hard, and have made a career for myself as a professional for five years. It's not a 'prime' design job, but it's full time, semi-creative, and I am learning.

It's still a struggle, though. There are times where I don't feel my work is up to par. I don't feel like my design friends highly regard me or my work. Although I read books written by Bob Gill, Pentagram (even had a tour of their NY offices a couple of years ago), Sagmeister... I still feel inadequate. I don't feel I could compete if I had to apply to a firm or company seeking a designer.

I can't help but think that I wouldn't have these problems had I gone to a school like Tyler, Parsons or RISD... if I had that BFA, and that solid, proper training.

Don't get me wrong. This is my fault. I chose that other school in 1996. I'm to blame. I'm reminded every month because I'm STILL paying student loans on that non-transferable degree.

Rest assured, this is a serious problem in the industry.

Thank you for your post.

M.