Category: Design research

Stuff that fits into the wider discourse of design research, perhaps over and above (or in relation to) graphic and communication design

Graphic design and artificial intelligence

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 →

Some articles engaging with current graphic design issues

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 →

Researching the graphic design brief

“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 →

Yes, but what kind of design are we talking about?

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? →