#designsurvey

Take part in the Queer Design Count

Diversity and inclusion is one of the most important topics in design and tech right now, and we want to make sure queer voices are a part of that conversation. 

According to the most recent AIGA Design Census, 15% of people in design identify. That's more than three times the most recent estimate of LGBTQ+ people in the general population. Despite our outsized representation, responses suggest LGBTQ+ designers are more likely than their cisgender and heterosexual peers to earn less and stay in the industry for shorter periods of time. But we don’t know why. 

My name is Emilie, I have a German spelling, just like your last name. All five of my siblings have German names, with mine being the most basic. What led me to take this course, was the fact that I was required to take an Arts course. That being said, after reading the syllabus and having a little more of an understanding of what is to ensue throughout the course, I am excited to begin! In every walk of life, design and art combined, have a major influence in my decisions. Why art is pleasing, it is the design that is most important. When purchasing a couch, the color and texture are important, but ultimately it is the comfort and quality that will help me determine which couch to buy. I will admit that I feel both art and design are difficult to separate and that I am very new to the topic of both, so I am interested to learn! I was also enthusiastic to see we will be touching on the topic of architecture, I do not know anything other than what is pleasing to the eye, but learning the vocabulary and the reasons for why a certain style was popular at what time will be something I am looking forward to! 

What is Interactive Design? Interactive design is the design of products that can be interacted with. The designer has to go much further than just the visual focus. They have to think about the ways in which the user will interact with the item or use the item. The field of study focuses on the communication of media through a collaborative process. Those designs that are successful usually have a simple, well defined goal and purpose.

That being said, there are five “dimensions” that designers use to work around their product. Those five dimensions are words, visual representation, physical objects and/ or space, time, and behavior.

To start, words. Words help the guide the interaction of the individual and object. The information on the directions, labeled buttons and switches, and more. Next are the visual representations. These helps guide the user through images or icons. Next is the physical object, which is the object that is used. So, a smartphone, which allows you to access social media. Then there is time, which is how the media will change over time. Lastly, the behavior. This can see how individuals are operating while on their phones or maybe even feedback on a design.

This week, the reading referenced the Citizen Designer. The Citizen Designer is just that, they are designing something that is going to last, and citizens will want to take part in, by purchasing, reading, watching, etc.

When a consumer buys something, they hope it will be sustainable, meaning it will be a lasting, reliable product. You do not want to lie and say your product is unique when it is the same product. So, companies like Bounty will show how their paper towels are much more absorbable than a generic, cheaper brand, showing a side-by-side visual of the two in action.

Another aspect the Citizen Designer needs to be aware of is the artistic aspect. Usually, a brand will be recognized by the design, the way the colors and bold font are presented. This is where the play of brand name and generic names come in. I will be able to see a Coca-Cola bottle from down the aisle, but something like RC Cola, I will not pay any attention to.

This week we focused on typography. What exactly is typography? Why is it so important?

Those pretty letters and words we see on a daily basis in ads, on shampoo bottles, on food containers are all fonts and a form of typography. Typography, in a way, is a form of art. The techniques and arrangement of the words create hierarchies. The hierarchies can be formed from point sizes, line lengths, bolding, letter or line spacing, and more! Good typography should really set the tone for a product.

Something I found interesting was the font anatomy in lecture. I had no idea that there were so many terms within the lettering. For example, the little piece that sticks off the top of a lowercase “g” is called an “ear”. The “ear” is defined as a “decorative flourish”. Another term is the “x-height”, which is the height of the lowercase letters.

Universal Design: the design and composition of an environment so that it can be accessed and understood in a way that allows anyone, regardless of their age, size or disability.

Compared to the times of Le Corbusier, the term, Universal Design, has a slightly different meaning. While universal design aims to appeal and provide access to a wide variety of users, the focus is turning towards those that are disabled. Today, when something is considered “universally designed”, this means that anyone can make use of the building or object, without any obstacles.

While there are numerous principles of Universal Design, the most important aspects of Universal Design are the simple, yet intuitive, use and the flexibility of use.

Ease of use is important because you want the user to be able to simply understand the design and know exactly how to use it. An example of this would be the remote to your TV. The big red button is the power button. In the middle of the remote, the left side has the volume, while the right side has the channels. The device and design is wired in our brains and takes no extra power to understand how to use it.

Flexibility of use is another important aspect because, as a designer, you want to accommodate to a wide array of people. For example, on streaming services, such as Netflix, there is an option for captions. This accommodates those that cannot hear. Another example would be at museums and galleries where there are a few options to gather material: reading, listening, or brail letters. This accommodates the blind and seeing, the deaf and hearing.

Universal Design will be one of those things that is forever changing. With advancements in technology and new ideas, the world we know today could change, similarly to Le Corbusier’s time and ours.

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Milwaukee is one of the richest places filled with architecture. From the old German and Polish suburbs to the inner city skyscrapers. Learning about architecture in Milwaukee is a privilege because of the history it offers.