Designing by the Numbers
Author of this post: Ken Hanson | About Blog Authors »
For my first guest post, I thought I would indulge myself with a topic that’s been haunting me for the last month or so – the nature of design and what I feel is its inherent (and necessary) idealism.
I’m sitting in an airport, having just dropped off my son, Harry, at Wesleyan University, where he’s about to start his first year of college. I can’t help but be mindful of beginnings and endings and
change.
Listening to the president of Wesleyan speak to new students and their parents this afternoon, I was energized by his idealism. He talked about the adventure that these fresh faces are embarking on. He said, “We want our students to look inside themselves and take joy in embracing the future.”
It was so forthright and idealistic. And so right. In essence, he told the freshmen to design their futures and to take joy in the challenge.
Look inside and find the joy.
Idealism, how quaint.
It sounded both familiar and foreign. Familiar because it’s why most designers get into the design business. And foreign because we don’t hear that kind of language as much as we once did.
Do idealism and optimism still have a place in the design business? When marketers are measuring return on investment, like vigilant weight watchers counting calories, has idealism become an indulgence?
What is a designer, really, without idealism and optimism? Aren’t we, by definition, believers in better futures?
I founded my firm 25 years ago with a straightforward promise: design that works. For 25 years I’ve found joy in the challenge. And for 25 years I’ve been a shameless true believer in the value of design.
So, why is it getting harder to believe? This has been a vexing question for me of late.
In a rapidly transforming world, I find the implications of most design work increasingly daunting and critical. Our clients are facing performance criteria that seem almost impossible to meet – spend less, increase impact, do everything faster and show me the numbers. Our instincts and a passion for getting things right, sharpened and beautiful seem to be met with increased suspicion in such concrete, objective equations.
So where do we find our joy in this pressure cooker?
The place to start, I’d suggest, is to simply name our values and hold onto them, then help our clients to do the same. Build trust with our clients by showing them that we respect their values, then ask them to reciprocate.
Ultimately, we, too, need to heed the advice, “Look inside and find the joy.” Our clients can’t do that for us.
I suggest that our instincts and values as designers matter more today than ever. There is no better time than now to rekindle our joy in designing things right.
Please share your thoughts. Are you having any trouble finding your mojo in a design-by-the-numbers environment? Is idealism a luxury we can no longer afford or an essential aspect of what we do? Let’s talk. Post a comment here or email me directly [khanson@hansondodge.com].
