Hi MP,
Thank you for a great post.
You commented,
'This is a new. Development for me since technology schools have ignored design over the past 50 years (Terry will object strongly here) but the Ministry of Human Resources of the Government of India (MHRD) has released a Design Manifesto that calls on all the technology schools under their watch here in India to put design into all their programmes . . . '
I've watched this balance be problematic all over the world in all programs in which design activity is involved.
In essence the problem is obtaining good educational balance between two very different educational foundations:
a) the back ground knowledge and expertise that designers refer to undertake designing activity, but which is not specific to design
b) the knowledge and expertise that is specific to design activity
In engineering design, this difference has become very clear over the years.
For example, knowledge and expertise such as the ability to calculate the stress in a pressure vessel, draw and sketch using ISO 128 standard conventions, or plot the movement of a robotised packing machine linkage are clearly of type a). They are independent of design activity
In contrast, ability to know and use a variety of design processes (waterfall, agile, XP, scrum, CAM, CAE etc) and a variety of design methods (e.g. all the DfX methods, axiometric design, etc) are clearly of type b).
The ongoing argument that has surfaced many times in technical design fields is that too much knowledge and expertise of type a) is being taught and used relative to type b), AND that more of type b) activity (expertise in designing as distinct from the background knowledge) is needed across a wide variety of activities.
This seems to be a key part of what you and MHRD are referring to when you are looking for increased involvement of design in industry, business and government
The situation is some way behind the above in Art And Design design fields. The distinction between types a) and b) knowledge and expertise applies just as much. The understanding of the need to distinguish between type a) and type b), however, is not yet widely articulated yet in Art and Design.
The question then becomes, which knowledge and expertise taught in design schools is type a) and type b).
Taking graphic design as an example:
In type a) (background knowledge and skill rather than knowledge and skill specific to design activities) we would locate colour theory, gestalt theory, use of balance, information hierarchy, typography, theories of emotional design, drawing and sketching skills, perspective, use of rhetoric, web design, identity, symbols, design materials and manufacture, human perception, culture, photography, communication, representation, research skills, narrative, illustration and animation, game design principles, printing, media studies, internet studies and many other topics taught in design schools.
It leaves the question about the part of design education that is specifically about design activity, i.e. the type b) topics. 'What in design education should be included as type b) the knowledge and expertise that is specifically about the activity of designing?
This latter is a serious question.
The challenge you (and MHRD) raised about better inclusion of design activity in practical business and other activities is important and is one that has challenged the engineering and related design fields for more than 50 years. The Art and Design fields are just coming into that challenge.
A crucial part of addressing it in the Art and Design fields, likely will be understanding the differences between the type a) and type b) kinds of knowledge and expertise, AND ensuring they are not confused or conflated .
Best wishes,
Terry
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Dr Terence Love
PhD(UWA), BA(Hons) Engin. PGCEd, FDRS, AMIMechE, MISI
Director,
Love Services Pty Ltd
PO Box 226, Quinns Rocks
Western Australia 6030
Tel: +61 (0)4 3497 5848
Fax:+61 (0)8 9305 7629
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