David Sless here again. I have been preoccupied over the last week with
two events of my own: one a conference on 'information design
histories'; and the other a planning forum on 'health information
design'.
So, though separated from you, I have been engaged by many of the same
issues. But I have not been able to keep pace with all the posts in the
conference, so my apologies if what I'm about to say has been said.
I left the discussion on this list just after GK VanPatter entered with
his 'patter', as it were. A tour de force!
GK told us
> We [at NextD] work in the realm of enabling knowledge creation
> and innovation in the context of large global organizations.
This is impressive, if you are impressed by that sort of thing. I too
do some of my work with the big end of town 'enabling knowledge
creation and innovation', though I would not call it that.
As you may sense, I may not be impressed, indeed I'm concerned.
Let me put it in the form of a hypothetical. Suppose the big end of
town stops taking an interest in design? Is that the end of design?
Must our services be inextricably linked to the needs and interests of
the big end of town? Is what-is good-for-business, good-for-design?
UCI and its proposal—dependent as it is on business patronage—may not
be the best place to consider the alternative relationships that
designers may have to the world, organisations and individuals, but
alternative relationships exist and form a large part of the
intellectual preoccupation of designers. What are we: handmaidens,
midwifes, shaman, radicals, subversives,wreckers, jokers, tinkers? Who
do we serve and why? Do we have any purpose beyond our clients needs?
These are questions that I think have escaped our collective attention.
If they have not, and I have missed it, my apologies.
From my little garret in Stoke on Trent,
David
--
Professor David Sless
BA MSc FRSA
Co-Chair Information Design Association
Senior Research Fellow Coventry University
Director
Communication Research Institute of Australia
** helping people communicate with people **
PO Box 1008
Hawksburn, Melbourne
VIC 3142, Australia
UK phone: +44 (0)17 8284 8744
UK Mobile:+44 (0)79 9072 8465
fax: +61 (0)2 6259 8672
web: http://www.communication.org.au
--
Professor David Sless
BA MSc FRSA
Co-Chair Information Design Association
Senior Research Fellow Coventry University
Director
Communication Research Institute of Australia
** helping people communicate with people **
PO Box 1008
Hawksburn, Melbourne
VIC 3142, Australia
UK phone: +44 (0)17 8284 8744
UK Mobile:+44 (0)79 9072 8465
fax: +61 (0)2 6259 8672
web: http://www.communication.org.au
--
Professor David Sless
BA MSc FRSA
Co-Chair Information Design Association
Senior Research Fellow Coventry University
Director
Communication Research Institute of Australia
** helping people communicate with people **
PO Box 1008
Hawksburn, Melbourne
VIC 3142, Australia
UK phone: +44 (0)17 8284 8744
UK Mobile:+44 (0)79 9072 8465
fax: +61 (0)2 6259 8672
web: http://www.communication.org.au
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