Communication & Graphic Design Research
Academic discussions about graphic and communication design
Stuff that fits into the wider discourse of design research, perhaps over and above (or in relation to) graphic and communication design
There is one narrative about graphic design's historical development that contextualises it in relation to the technological advancement of creative tools. This is often at odds with designers’ own focus on, for example, consumer aesthetics (Kuutti 2009). Nevertheless, it is inarguable that graphic designers have increasingly been forced to face the advance of disruptive technologies … Continue reading Graphic design and artificial intelligence
With the continuing dearth of academic articles that treat graphic/communication design as a specific research discipline, I'm always on the lookout for (and writing about) content that does address this. Indeed, a recent article that I read drew its conclusions about 'designers' from such a wide range of disciplines, that it may as well have … Continue reading Some articles engaging with current graphic design issues
“What's the brief?” is a fairly everyday question in graphic design studios. But there appears to be little research on design briefs and the briefing process, even when looking at wider design research discourse (Jones & Askland, 2012; Paton & Dorst, 2011). This is intriguing, considering how integral the brief is within so many design … Continue reading Researching the graphic design brief
Every industry from software engineering, to business, to professional services, consultancy and professional development, seemingly uses the word design in some form these days. And that’s aside from its more traditional artisanal and professional disciplinary use – fashion, graphic, product etc. – as well as within educational discourse. Indeed, within industry, asking ‘what do you … Continue reading Yes, but what kind of design are we talking about?
Graphic design has tended to be seen as the poor cousin of the various design disciplines, often being seen as a secondary supplement to wider design practices (Poynor, 2011; Triggs, 2011), or even being treated as simply an aesthetic practice (Jacobs, 2017; Walker, 2017) This seems to be especially the case within academia, where it … Continue reading Graphic design as a specific research discipline
