Abstract
This is a call to refocus—as designers, as citizens, and as members of the human family. To one degree or another, we all recognize we have certain fundamental needs including food, water, safety, love, self-respect, and to accomplish the things for which we are uniquely made. We might assume, therefore, that this would constantly motivate us to help others to meet their needs. The truth, though, is that our limited human capacities make it difficult for us to keep this impulse at the forefront of our minds including when we assume the role of a designer. From the distant vantage point of our workplaces, it’s easy for us to lose sight of others’ needs and to solely focus on doing our clients’ bidding. This presentation seeks to bring awareness to this loophole and to entreat designers to close it by placing the fulfillment of fundamental human needs at the very center of their processes. This not only includes trying to ensure that the output for each of our projects is likely to be beneficial but also to make the very creative process itself a means to fulfilling human needs. This entails listening to, learning from, and collaborating with the people for whom our work is intended especially if their cultural experiences are different than ours. By cultivating these relationships, we can create meaningful connections that both enhance the potency of our work and engender profound feelings of safety, unity, respect, love, and accomplishment for designers and our creative partners alike.
Presenters
Gareth FryAssistant Professor, Department of Art & Design, Utah Valley University, Utah, United States Jason Fowler
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Communication Arts, Chowan University, North Carolina, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Collaboration, Creative process, Connections, Human needs, Relationships
