Author: Design Incubation

How Much is Too Much?

Mark Zurolo
Associate Professor Graphic Design, UConn Storrs
Liz DeLuna
Associate Professor Graphic Design, St. John’s University

Motion design has evolved into a discipline that requires a complex skill set including, but not limited to, an expert command of typography and illustration, technical ability including expertise in software, understanding of narrative structures, an animator’s sense of motion, timing and sound, and formal design acumen. Whew! That’s a lot. Motion graphics emerged from graphic design with pioneers like Saul Bass, trained as a traditional graphic designers who saw graphic design not as static compositions, but kinetic orchestrations captured in a moment of stasis. New technologies have created not only the potential for new visual languages, but entirely new skill sets. Who is best equipped to wield these languages? What should they learn and how should they learn it? Taste or Technology? Software or gestalt? Is the horizon endless or ending? This presentation will explore techniques and briefs that investigate strategies for creating thoughtful and articulate skill sets driven by the principles of graphic design in the context of motion.

 

This research was presented at the Design Incubation Colloquium 3.0: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on Saturday, Sept 24, 2016.

Visualizing Pesticide Use in Controlling Zika

Courtney Marchese
Assistant Professor of Interactive Media + Design
Quinnipiac University

Information graphics help condense large amounts of data into comprehensive visuals. One of the most critical topics for the general public to understand is issues of public health. Zika virus has come to the forefront as one of the most threatening mosquito-transmitted diseases in the Americas, with proven complications that include microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Although there is currently no cure for Zika, there are a number of pesticides used in the affected areas in hopes of controlling the spread of the virus. In collaboration with scientists and other experts in the field, I will harvest and deliver the most important data to the general public. Through data visualization, we can track which pesticides are being used where, and how efficiently they are controlling the spread of the virus-carrying mosquitos.

My methodology in creating the information graphics is to research both data visualization techniques as well as pesticide use in the Americas as it related to controlling Zika transmission. I will also interview and collaborate with experts as I collect and analyze the necessary layers of data. From there, many iterations of potential visualizations will be created and critiqued until the best possible solutions have been created. My hope is that these graphics will help provide a comprehensive overview of the relationship between various pesticide use and the spread of Zika virus.

This research was presented at the Design Incubation Colloquium 3.0: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on Saturday, Sept 24, 2016.

The Rise of the Design Entrepreneur

Denise Anderson
Assistant Professor
Michael Graves College
Kean University

Graphic designers who aspire to become entrepreneurs can achieve their ambition by tapping into their well-cultivated ability to think creatively, generate ideas, and help clients bring their concepts to market through the creation and execution of commercialized branding programs.

In many cases, however, both students and professionals simply lack the fundamental knowledge or experience to translate original ideas into viable and actionable business opportunities. Graphic designers who want to bring their ideas to market need to know what to do, how to do it, and where to find the network and resources necessary for launching and building a sustainable enterprise. They need to think and act more like traditional entrepreneurs, and to accomplish this, they need supplemental business education that fully considers the life cycle of a product or service as it makes its way from idea to market. They must learn how to evaluate risk and the impact it may have on their business. Additionally, they should understand the traits common to entrepreneurs, as well as how to draw upon or develop similar qualities in the context of their role as graphic designers.

The Rise of the Design Entrepreneur will feature yet-to-be-launched business projects, survey results that reveal the business fundamentals that design practitioners say are essential bringing ideas to market, and recommendations for resources that will help graphic designers achieve their aspirations.

This research was presented at the Design Incubation Colloquium 3.1: Kean University on Saturday, Oct 22, 2016.

Robin Landa Joins Design Incubation

Design Incubation is pleased to announce that Robin Landa, Distinguished Professor and author will join the governance team as Chair.

Design Incubation is pleased to announce that Robin Landa, Distinguished Professor in the Michael Graves College at Kean University and author of more than 20 books, will join the governance team as Chair. We are excited to enlist Ms. Landa’s creative energy, enthusiasm, professional experience and design expertise in the organization.

Ms Landa has received high praise as one of the “Great Teachers of Our Time” by The Carnegie Foundation, as well as being honored by The National Society of Arts and Letters. In 2013, Ms. Landa received Kean University’s Professor of the Year Award.

CAA Conference Invites Design Topics

The CAA Conference 2017 in New York City has an open call for participation. The deadline for proposals of papers and presentations is August 30, 2016.

College Art Association (CAA) has recently created the Committee on Design, to address the needs and scholarly efforts of design academics.

The CAA Conference 2017 in New York City has an open call for participation. The deadline for proposals of papers and presentations is August 30, 2016.

For session topics and details, check out the listing of session descriptions.

Design Incubation Colloquium 3.0: MCLA

Design Incubation Colloquia 3.0 (#DI2016sep) at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Massachusetts on Saturday, Sept 24, 2016.

Hosted by Josh Ostraff

Saturday, Sept 24, 2016
Time: 12:30pm–4pm
Feigenbaum Center for Science & Innovation, Room 121
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
71 Blackinton St
North Adams, MA 01247

Design Incubation Colloquia 3.0 (#DI2016sep) will be held at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Massachusetts. This event is open to all interested in Communication Design research. RSVP with name and affiliations if you plan on attending.

Parking: There is a lot across the street from the Feigenbaum Center for Science & Innovation on Blackinton Street or the lot behind the Church Street Center between Elmwood & Porter Streets.

Abstract submission for presentations deadline Sept 3, 2016.  For details visit the Call for Submissions, and Submission Process description.

Guest Presentation

Making Small Things: Robots, Cracks, and Hamburgers
Chris St.Cyr
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
The College of Saint Rose

Presentations

How Much is Too Much?
Mark Zurolo
Associate Professor Graphic Design, UConn Storrs
Liz DeLuna
Associate Professor Graphic Design, St. John’s University

Visualizing Pesticide Use in Controlling Zika
Courtney Marchese
Assistant Professor of Interactive Media + Design
Quinnipiac University

Would You Take This Course? A Case Study in Instructional Design
Gerol C. Petruzella Ph.D.
Associate Director, Academic Technology
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Major and Life Design for a Wild New World
Karen M. Cardozo, M.Ed., PhD
Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Thinking Through The Pencil: The Primacy Of Drawing In The Design Thinking Process
Pattie Belle Hastings
Chair of Interactive Media + Design
School of Communications
Quinnipiac University

Developing Agency in Art and Design
Mitch Goldstein
Assistant Professor, School of Design 
Rochester Institute of Technology

The City of You

Robert J. Thompson
Assistant Professor
Graphic & Interactive Design
Department of Art
College of Creative Arts & Communications
Youngstown State University

Youngstown State University in partnership with the City of Youngstown was approved for a two year federal grant from the Economic Development Administration supporting the development of an economic development and marketing/advertising strategy. Putting this purpose into action, an interdisciplinary team of economic strategists, researchers, community organizers, and graphic designers was developed to finalize an economic development strategy and marketing/advertising campaign.

The collaborative, multi-disciplinary strategy offers a new future-focused narrative for Youngstown, visually portrayed through a multi-point advertising campaign that offers intelligent and meaningful expressions across all print and digital media channels. This campaign, titled “The City of You”, was developed by RJ Thompson, Assistant Professor of Graphic & Interactive Design and his Youngstown Design Works students at Youngstown State University. Youngstown Design Works is an elite-level, student-run graphic & interactive design agency that provides affordable, high quality design services to Youngstown-area civic and business organizations.

All advertising and design concepts created by Thompson and his students were subjected to extensive stakeholder critique, public presentation, critical observation and in-depth analysis through the use of target-specific focus groups, user testing scenarios, and experimental, in-person data collection techniques. Campaign deliverables include, but are not limited to, a completely new brand identity, advertising, printed and digital billboards, a newly redesigned City of Youngstown government website, and a centralized “City of You” campaign website that highlights crowdsourced stories of Youngstown citizens.

Launching in late April 2016, it is expected that the conceptual potential and significant financial investment supporting the campaign will permit it to run for a minimum of 5 years with local, regional, and national exposure.

This research was presented at the Design Incubation Colloquium 3.1: Kean University on Saturday, Oct 22, 2016.

Colloquium 3.1: Kean University Call for Submissions

Kean University, in the Union County region of New Jersey will be hosting a Design Incubation Colloquium on Saturday, October 22, 2016.

Kean University, in the Union County region of New Jersey will be hosting a Design Incubation Colloquium on Saturday, October 22, 2016. All are welcome to attend. Details and agenda can be found on the Colloquium 3.1: Kean University page.

We are accepting abstract submissions for presentations. Abstract submission deadline: October 1, 2016.

We invite designers—practitioners and educators—to submit abstracts of design research. Remote presentations are also acceptable.  Presentations are limited to 6 minutes + 4 minutes for questions. (Skype or Google Hangouts.)

For more details, see the Submission Process description. Email 300 word abstract to submissions@designincubation.com.  Questions can be directed to info@designincubation.com.

Please RSVP@designincubation.com if you plan on attending. Space is limited.

Would You Take This Course? A Case Study in Instructional Design

Gerol C. Petruzella Ph.D.
Associate Director
Academic Technology
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

One of the contexts in which design can have a vital and immediate impact in education is in the design of the online course space. As higher education expands to more meaningfully accommodate the role of instructional design in developing pedagogy and curricula, there is an increasing opportunity for such work to be put into practice, not only in specifically design-focused curricula, but across majors and programs generally. Longstanding research points toward a significant correlation between well-designed environments and improved educational experiences and effectiveness. As digital environments, not just physical ones, have become a mainstream part of the student experience, we have compelling reason to mindfully and intentionally apply design principles to those spaces as a matter of course, rather than as a specialized or ‘add-on’ practice.

This presentation offers a comparative case study in the effectiveness of applying basic considerations of design to an online course space, and offers some preliminary analysis. The same 200-level philosophy course, taught first in 2012 with no explicit attention paid to issues of design, and then taught again in 2015, with intentional consideration of visual, accessibility, web, and mobile design issues, will form the basis of the investigation. Analytics data and trends collected by the learning management system, including direct and proxy measurements of participation, engagement, and assessments, will undergird some conclusions about the efficacy of including intentional and explicit design work as a standard element of course creation.

This research was presented at the Design Incubation Colloquium 3.0: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on Saturday, Sept 24, 2016.

Major and Life Design for a Wild New World

Karen M. Cardozo, M.Ed., PhD
Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Some undergraduate institutions offer an interdisciplinary or special major where students integrate their interests and passions to design their own programs of study. In Finding Your Way in a Wild New World (2013), this method is recommended to everyone by social scientist and life coach Martha Beck. Arguing that social structures (including those related to work) are changing faster than conventional education or strategic planning processes can keep pace, Beck suggests that we can best navigate this rapidly shifting landscape by following our instincts and using all five senses in a more fluid, situationally responsive way. This dovetails with Daniel Pink’s thesis in A Whole New Mind (2006) that we have entered a Conceptual Age in which the most successful enterprises will be “high touch” (providing face to face or interactive services that cannot be outsourced) and/or “high concept” (tapping the creative, visual capacities of the right brain in addition to the analytic, verbal capacities of the left brain that are most elicited by educational systems). Barbara Sher (2006) agrees, adding that integrative or interdisciplinary orientations of the polymath types she calls “scanners” will be particularly in demand. Design communication serves as an ideal nexus for all of these insights.

Inspired by Stanford’s Design your Stanford and Design Your Life courses, this presentation argues that 21st century pedagogy should relinquish an outmoded “information age” attachment to content coverage in favor of more self-reflexive learning in which students apply open-ended and iterative design principles to fully maximize their own curiosity, inclinations and opportunities—in college and beyond. As a concrete case study, we’ll look at MCLA’s Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) program as helpful “design your major” intervention, and present a scaled-up counterpart in life design from one IDST World of Work course, whose final research project requires students to design their lives in two alternate universes: one, the life they think they are planning and the other a path that might unfold from a different point of departure and in response to unpredicted setbacks, risks taken, or plain dumb chance. The resulting insights reveal that while the future is unpredictable, the value of design thinking as a method for navigating the unknown is quite clear.

This research was presented at the Design Incubation Colloquium 3.0: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) on Saturday, Sept 24, 2016.