[Sigia-l] Putting the "Graphic" back with "Designer" (was:the lesser importance of home pages)

[Dave Heller]

I think it is tied to the whole innovation = design thing.

--dave

On 12/30/05, Christopher Fahey <chris.fahey at behaviordesign.com> wrote:
> > > Funny this would come up at the same time AIGA drops all
> > > reference to graphic...
> >
> > "AIGA, the professional association for design."
> > F.I.N.A.L.L.Y.
> > So what do you think about it?
>
> I frankly think it's a mistake for them to have made this change. By
> dropping "graphic", and repositioning themselves as a professional
> association for "design", they've both (a) diluted their own ability to
> focus on their core membership's needs and (b) weakened the development of
> the specific and noble profession of graphic design. These days "design", as
> we on this list particularly know, means pretty much whatever anyone wants
> it to mean: Tthe statement that "design is a good idea" sounds great as a
> slogan, but "designer" without a qualifier is not a real job or profession
> unless you're Steve Jobs or some similar professionally transcendant being.
>
> Presumably they intended to open their doors a little bit to include
> interaction designers, information designers, exhibition designers, and
> other fields that graphic designers have a close affinity with. But do they
> also mean to include fashion designers, landscape architects, interior
> decorators, industrial designers? Software designers? Network designers?
> Business process designers?
>
> I know they mean well, but I just don't have a good feeling about it.
> Perhaps it's because, as I've noted, I feel like we have just emerged from a
> decade during which the term "graphic designer" was unjustly viewed as a
> perjorative term. Graphic designers are looking back at their history again,
> without shame. Must the AIGA buy into the unfair vilification of the term,
> especially now that the cloud is passing?
>
> I also see it as ultimately a superficial change, more trendy than
> substantive. (Note also that they've removed the terms "American" and "Arts"
> from their name, two other qualities that I imagine are still pretty
> integral to their mission.)
>
> Who knows, maybe in a few years they'll issue Retro-AIGA jerseys, or "AIGA
> Classic" membership plans.
>
> -Cf
>
> Christopher Fahey
> ____________________________
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> http://www.behaviordesign.com
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--
David Heller
E: dheller (at) gmail (dot) com
W: www (dot) synapticburn (dot) com