Author: Research in Communication Design

Portfolio Success: Strategies for Professional Development

Saturday, September 22, 2018. 2pm–5pm. Type Directors Club, 347 W 36th St., #603, New York, NY 10018

Type Directors ClubJoin industry professionals and design educators for a panel discussion on creating effective design portfolios. We will explore the role portfolios play in a successful design career now and in the future and will ask, are traditional portfolios still relevant? If so, what does a successful portfolio look like and what kind of projects should be included? Panelist will discuss what clients and employers want to see and which abilities industry leaders consider most important? You are invited to join the discussion as we look at new ways of teaching and explore emerging trends in effective portfolio development.

Panelists

Christina Black 
Vice President, Creative Director
Showtime Networks Inc.

Holly Tienken
Assistant Professor
Communication Design
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Peter Lusch
Assistant Professor
Dept of Art, Architecture & Design
Lehigh University

(Typography credit: Escalator from XYZ.)

The Design Incubation Residency at Haddon Avenue Writing Institute

Rolling acceptances until Sept 30, 2018. Only 12 seats are available for this event.

Design Incubation is proud to be able to partner with the Haddon Avenue Writing Institute to offer a design-writing residency. This 2-3 day residency allows researchers and scholars time to work on existing writing projects or to start a new writing project. The residency is open to design faculty and to those working in related fields. It offers participants concentrated time to work on writing projects and the opportunity to take advantage of one-on-one consultations with event facilitators Maggie Taft and Aaris Sherin. Using the online registration system (see below), applicants should submit a CV and a 200-500-word synopsis of the project they intend to work on. The cost is $100 for 2 days and $150 for 3 days. Participants may choose to attend either 2 or 3 days. A total of 12 seats are available for this event.

Applications will be considered immediately upon submission and they can be submitted through September 30th, 2018. Official letters of acceptance will be provided to allow attendees to request funding from their institutions.

Location:

Haddon Avenue Writing Institute
2009 W. Haddon Ave, Chicago Illinois

Please note: Housing is not included as part of this residency. Participants are encouraged to stay in Ukrainian Village or a nearby neighborhood though if you choose to stay at a hotel you may have to stay in downtown Chicago as options in the immediate area are limited to Airbnb’s.

Dates:

October 26-28, 2018

The Haddon Avenue Design Writing Residency Schedule:

Friday, October 26th: 10-5

Facilitators: Maggie Taft and Aaris Sherin

10-12:30: Individual writing session

12:30-1:30: Lunch

1:30-5:00: Individual writing session

 

Saturday, October 27th: 9-5, 6-8 (optional reception)

Facilitator: Maggie Taft

9-9:30: Welcome; Goal setting

9:30-12:30: Individual writing session

12:30-1:30: Lunch (bring your own or in the neighborhood)

1:30-2:00: Techniques for overcoming writer’s block, the blinking cursor, and other writing obstacles

2:00-5:00: Individual writing session

5:00-6:00: Break

6:00-8:00: Reception (optional)

 

Sunday, October 28th: 9-4:30

Facilitators: Maggie Taft and Aaris Sherin

9-12: Individual writing session and optional one-on-one strategy sessions by appointment

12-1: Lunch (bring your own or in the neighborhood)

1-3:30: Individual writing session and optional one-on-one strategy sessions by appointment

3:30-4:30: Group wrap up

Contact information:

Questions can be sent to Aaris Sherin, Director of Fellowships at Design Incubation

Writing Residency Application Form

Complete the form below and submit online. Payment will be required upon acceptance to secure the seat.
  • 200–500 word description of the writing project.
  • Upload cv in one of the following formats: in txt, rtf, docx, or pdf format
    Drop files here or
    Accepted file types: txt, rtf, docx, doc, pdf.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
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The Fellowship Program at Design Incubation

Call for Participation: 3-day academic design research and writing workshop. Application deadline, September 1, 2018

Application deadline: Sept 1, 2018
Fellowship dates: January 10-12, 2019
Location: St. John’s University, Manhattan Campus, 51 Astor Place, New York, NY 10003

Target Audience: Design academics in one or more of the following areas: graphic design, information design, branding, marketing, advertising, typography, web, interaction, film and video, animation, illustration, game design. Full-time tenure track or tenured faculty are given preference but any academic may apply. Applicants who are tenure track or tenured faculty are given first priority but other faculty or independent researchers may apply.

Format: All Fellows accepted into the program participate in the Fellowship Workshop as part of the overall experience. The Fellowship workshops offers participants the opportunity to share and develop ideas for research and individual writing projects while receiving constructive feedback from faculty mentors and peers in their field.

Fellows arrive with a draft of their writing and work on this specific project throughout the various sessions of the Fellowship Workshop. Each meeting includes a number of short informational sessions and a session devoted to analyzing and editing written work. The remainder of the 3-day workshop will be focused on activities which allow participants to share their projects with peers and receive structured feedback. Between sessions, Fellows will have time to execute revisions, review others participants work, and engage in discussions. Initiation of and work on collaborative projects is encouraged.

For more further details visit:
The Fellowship Program at Design Incubation

To apply visit the application details and online form:
Fellowship Program format and online application process

For Frequently Asked Questions visit the FAQ page:
Fellowship Program frequently asked questions

Colloquium 5.2: CAA Conference 2019 Call for Submissions

Deadline for abstract submissions: August 6, 2018.

Session Chairs:

Liz DeLuna
Associate Professor
St John’s University		 Robin Landa
Distinguished Professor
Michael Graves College
Kean University

Hosted by CAA Affiliated Society, Design Incubation.

We invite designers—practitioners and educators—to submit abstracts of design research.  Presentations are limited to 6 minutes, preferably Pecha Kucha style. A moderated discussion of the research will follow.

Design Incubation Colloquium 5.2: CAA 2019 New York City
February 13–16, 2019
Hilton Hotel, Midtown Manhattan

Date, time, and location to be determined.

We are accepting abstracts for presentations now until August 6, 2018.
For details visit the Colloquium Overview description, and online Colloquium Abstract Submission form.

Questions can be directed to info@designincubation.com.

Colloquium 5.1: DePaul University, Call for Submissions

DePaul University, the School of Design Talks, and Heather Quinn will be hosting a Design Incubation Colloquium. Abstract submission deadline Saturday, August 25, 2018.

DePaul University, the School of Design Talks, and Heather Quinn will be hosting a Design Incubation Colloquium on Saturday, October 27, 2018, 10:30am-4:30pm. All are welcome to attend. Details and agenda can be found on the Colloquium 5.1: DePaul University.

We are accepting abstract submissions for presentations. Abstract submission Saturday, August 25, 2018.

We invite designers—practitioners and educators—to submit abstracts of design research. Presentations format is Pecha Kucha.

For more details, see the colloquia details and description. Abstracts can be submitted online for peer review.

Colloquium 5.1: DePaul University

Design Incubation Colloquium 5.1 (#DI2018oct) will be held at DePaul University, College of Computing and Digital Media on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

Design Incubation Colloquium 5.1 (#DI2018oct) will be held at DePaul University, College of Computing and Digital Media on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

Hosted by Heather Quinn and the School of Design Talks. This event is open to all interested in Communication Design research.

DePaul University
Richard M. and Maggie C. Daley Building
14 E Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
Lower Level Theatre

For details visit the Colloquia Overview and  Online Submission Form. Submission deadline: Saturday, August 25, 2018.

Featured Presentation

Kelly Bishop
VP, Product & Design
The Onion
Fusion Media Group

Colloquium 6.1: Quinnipiac University

Design Incubation Colloquium 6.1 (#DI2019oct) will be held at the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University on Saturday, October 5, 2019.

Design Incubation Colloquium 6.1 (#DI2019oct) will be held at the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University on Saturday, October 5, 2019.

Hosted by Courtney Marchese and the School of Communications. This event is open to all interested in Communication Design research.

Details and attendee registration to follow.

Abstract submission of presentations deadline: Saturday, August 3, 2019.  For details visit the Colloquia Overview and  Online Submission Form. 

UXCamp NYC

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/uxcamp-nyc-2018-registration-43266185325?discount=DI#tickets

UXCamp NYC is a one-day event with 24 45-minute sessions and workshops presented by thinkers and doers from all levels of experience. It is a day of gathering for people who are passionate about creating great experiences for people.

Sat, June 9, 2018
9:00 AM – 5:30 PM EDT

General Assembly
902 Broadway
New York, NY 10010

 

PERSONALIZE. COMMUNICATE. SOCIALIZE. LISTEN. PREPARE: Teaching Professional Practices for Designers

“Professional Practices” is designed to help bridge the gap from being a student to becoming a working professional.

Holly Tienken
Assistant Professor
Communication Design
Kutztown University

When completing my BFA in Communication Design in the late 90’s, I felt 100% prepared to enter the professional world. Armed with a meticulously designed portfolio and ample technical skills, I hit the job market eager and willing to do whatever it took to land a job. Unfortunately, I found myself unprepared with necessary practical skill including interview techniques, contract reviews and salary negotiations.

My 20+ years in the industry working in a variety of settings including in-house, at small- and mid- sized agencies, and full-time freelancing have taught me numerous valuable lessons unrelated to pixels and printing. I believe experiencing both success and “failure” are necessary for healthy personal and professional growth—but with insight, many bumps and bruises can be avoided.

The course “Professional Practices” is designed to help bridge the gap from being a student to becoming a working professional. Course structure is varied and diverse including guest lectures from industry professionals; class exercises such as peer-to-peer interview prep and “Battle of the Elevator Pitch”; group discussions on topics such as salary negotiation, and understanding value and worth as a designer; and lectures on topics related to freelancing basics, cost of living, and job hunting strategies.

As the students embark on their career path the tools and knowledge gained will aid in navigating unfamiliar and sometime indimidating situation with more confidence and a defined direction. The objective is not only to help the students secure a job, but ultimately lead to an environment where they will thrive.

Thoughtful Social Impact Through Scaffolded Design Methods and Well-Time Fieldwork

A spring 2018 design studio, case study—how to attain that balance of a good quality course and meaningful social design.

Cynthia Lawson
Associate Professor of Integrated Design
Parsons, The New School

Alik Mikaelian
MFA Transdisciplinary Design Candidate
DEED Lab Research Fellow
Parsons, The New School

Devanshi Sihare
Design Strategist

Megan Willy
MFA Transdisciplinary Design Candidate
Parsons, The New School

The past decade has seen an explosion of interest from the design academy in running projects and courses on design and social impact. The challenge remains, however, to have students get enough exposure on relevant competencies in the 15-week semester.

This presentation discusses a spring 2018 design studio as a case study in how to attain that balance of a good quality course and meaningful social design. Specific methods of both course development and delivery as well as conducting design research are discussed. The ultimate stakeholders of this course’s projects were in a different country and not easily accessible, adding a particular complexity.

The first part of the semester included exercises such as an Ecosystem Map and the Business Model Canvas. Students developed a Theory of Change placing special emphasis on the assumptions they were making about their stakeholders, which were clarified during the fieldwork research which took place in Guatemala over Spring Break.

The second part of the semester included expert interviews and guest visits, to support each project in becoming  as realistic as possible.

We argue that while the design process is often used as the central point of discussion for studios, there are, in fact, other variables such as the weekly structure, the timing of fieldwork, and the explicit scaffolding of learning, which can yield more effective social impact design. The key is getting enough exposure on relevant competencies dealing with social impact design into the 15 week semester.