Design Studies: I Propose To Look To The Future

Why

For the last leg, we had to combine our efforts throughout the year including the research itself, the methods learnt through the likes of service design tools, the science of ethnography and our investigation into semiotics as designers, and create a final research proposal; thus creating a miniature version of the journey taken when writing such papers as a dissertation. I have to say, it's not half as bad as I would of expected, and have actually enjoyed several aspects of it, particularly ethnography and semiotics. Both help develop your approach as a designer be it from any discipline, as the principle remains the same - thoughtful design makes good design, and these are the things that help you engage with the user. I have learnt so much from this perspective, and as silly as it sounds I had previously not considered the consumer and or user half as important as they are. This ironically lead me to understand that understanding in itself is absolute key when designing for anybody other than yourself.

So, throughout this academic year I have been looking at how to engage the user in terms of advertisement. As I have previously stated, I have been asked to derive a research proposal from this, with specific regards to our individual disciplines. Advertising however, is an across the board topic, so I shall take a more personal outlook on the following, rather than a generalised I&ED outlook. I have linked in my previous posting throughout, as well as at the end of each category (although renamed the postings to fit the context).

Related Posts:
Design Studies: Service Design Tools
Design Studies: Ethnography
Design Studies: Semiotics
Design Studies: Final on Viral Advertising

Who

I would seek to explore what exactly it is that gets a graduate into practise other than their qualification(s) - as due to our current economic climate, employment is becoming increasingly difficult for inexperienced designers to successfully pursue. It is common knowledge that it is extremely difficult to land an internship during their academic years, and post-graduation it is becoming exponentially difficult to achieve employment with little or indeed no experience what so ever. Practices and companies are cutting back budgets, making already employed people redundant, let alone creating new positions for inexperienced yet professional designers. So my question is, how can you combine viral advertisement and innovative marketing strategies with the lengthly task of seeking graduate employment?

During one of our lectures this year, Lauren Currie (known in the realms of the internet as @RedJotter) suggested something that has stuck in my mind. She suggested that those seeking internships should not call a practise they were interested in, but rather actively go in and ask. She proposed we ask one of the members of staff out for coffee, and be that person who goes and enthusiastically requests experience. Her outlook was to be forward about these things, and not to back down if you were shown the door.

Related Posts:

Design Studies: What is Viral Advertisement 

Design Studies: Lauren Currie

What

But what else can be done? Surely there is more to this than hopelessly doing the rounds of companies in a lottery type fashion, hoping one day your numbers might just come up. Starting off small with things such as a "blog flyer" is all very well, but I would like to investigate into what makes a person memorable, what you can do to create a stir, and how can you become your own viral advert "epidemic"? I recently did a post on innovative CV ideas, which could be an aspect incorporated into your very own guerrilla marketing technique. How do you sell yourself as a new brand that everyone needs? Similar to as described in Gladwell's The Tipping Point, how do you make yourself sticky?

The BBC reported that only 13% of creative arts graduates found employment within the first six months of graduation.  The Guardian also reports on employment statistics for 2010. How do you ensure you fall into the right category within those statistics? In order to tackle such a never ending issue for graduates around the world from multiple industries, but more specifically those within the design sector, how would I propose I investigate this?

This is a real issue and unfortunately has real consequences, with The BBC unfortunately also reporting that design has one of the lowest employment rates, showing graduate unemployment at a 17 year "high".

Related Posts:
Design Studies: Blog Flyer
Design Studies: What Makes A Person Memorable
Design Studies: Creating A Stir
Design Studies: Creating Your Own Viral Ads
Design Studies: Innovative CVs

How

How do you extract the reasons one graduate is employed, while a similarly qualified, aged, and experienced graduate may not quite cut it? What is it that propels yourself from run of the mill nobody, into sought after fresh meat on the market? I propose that in order to find this out, studies would have to be created to analyse successful candidates qualities versus all applicants qualities, along with sought after free lance designers that provoke employers to come to them. Further to my previous research that suggests irrelevant stunt like attention seeking marketing strategies may work well, I would like to examine wether or not this would be appropriate for self supported viral marketing strategies, or if a strong brand ethic is required prior to tackling the irrelevant viral advert market. I propose that a ethnographic based survey be taken, paying particular attention to the trends seen on the likes of such social networks as Twitter.

If a selection of newly graduated design students were to be followed for the crucial first 6 months after graduation, would those who actively use their Twitter to make new connections be the first to be employed?

If all current fourth year I&ED students were to be followed for the initial period after graduation, who would be employed first and by what means?

I would also propose to contact design practises and actively seek the answers as to how they tackle the process of selecting a new employee, and the ways they instantly cut down applications from everything to the "select few". For example, Think Vitamin explains why they hired a new designer.

Design Studies: Summer Reading Material & Other Plans

Part of our last assignment for the year with regards to Design Studies is to identify 5 books I will read as a result of this module, 5 things I want to do to my blog etc. and 5 people I will make contact with.

These include (and have already purchased some):

- Blink - a book by Malcolm Gladwell, the author of first semesters read "The Tipping Point".

- Semiotics: A Graphic Guide by Paul Cobley, as I found semiotics very interesting.

- Designing Infographics by Eric Meyer, I have become increasingly interested in infographics and data visualisations as a result of several paths during Design Studies and would like to learn how to incorporate this clean presentation style into my future projects.

- I plan on investing in several of the books in the series for my course anyway, however Basics Design offer one called Design Thinking, which is something I need to consider more deeply, namely the user and the effect a design can have on it's surroundings as often we get caught up on the aesthetics only (stemming from reading about ethnography).

- Wordpress for Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson. This sort of leads me into my next top 5 catagory of what I plan to do over summer, and as you tell, regards moving over to Wordpress very slowly but surely.

All of these are available on www.amazon.co.uk.

The 5 things I plan to do over summer are:

As I am already an avid blogger and tweeter, I have not added these to my list as it is something I already regularly do.

- I do plan however, to move from Blogger to Wordpress over summer, and archive my posts.

- Finances permitting, I'd also like to take a short trip to The Netherlands to visit, along with visiting Norway (which is already booked), allowing me to visit their Architecture & Design Museum, as well as possibly visiting a Jewellery exhibition as I plan to travel with JMD student(s).

- Complete my LinkedIn profile and begin to use this more thoroughly.

- Organise my Flickr account into a more manageable system, along with updating it with recent albums.

- And finally, StumbleUpon more things every day - and as a result try to blog about a new find at least once weekly.

Finally, 5 people I would like to make contact with:

- HKU Utrecht if I am lucky enough to be invited to apply directly to them for an exchange opportunity.

- Continue to follow people on Twitter, while always looking for new companies and designers to follow. (I currently already follow most guest lecturers from this year's lectures etc.)

- Although it would not be a new connection, I plan on staying in contact with our current 4th years, keeping up to date with their job prospects and life as IED graduates, hopefully giving me an insight into life after DJCAD.

- Aim to get published by finding an amateur online design magazine, and make contact about perhaps submitting an article.

- Get, and start using Skype - as suggested by Lauren Currie (@RedJotter) some weeks ago.

The Curriculum Vitae & Semiotics

I was surfing the abyss that is the interwebs when I came across a few sites that listed interesting resume ideas. This got me thinking - what will I chose to do to attract attention when it comes to looking for a job that doesn't involve serving drinks to drunk students?

Here are a few of my favourites:

The Origami CV

I like this one because it is simple and unusual. Imagine receiving something like this via post - it would certainly make me smile, especially if it was in a more interesting shape that you have to unfold. Takes folding paper to fit envelopes to a whole new level!

The T-Shirt CV

This is a cool idea as again it makes for an interesting delivery, but the only problem I can see with this is if you have never met who would be reading it - you may insult them by sending a size far too small or vice versa.

That aside though - I like this idea of printing on something other than paper, which leads me to what else could you print on?

The Infographic CV

For those of you who have read some of my recent postings - this one excites me a lot!

It's simple, efficient, and interesting without being cluttered up with a lot of writing. The initial impact of seeing it makes it a very successful way to display your stats and traits.

 The Compact CV

This one is similar in a way to the origami one shown above, although is very compact. If you were to send this in a very very small box then it would be surprising to get in your in tray.

It's simple and clean, and a way of sprucing up a simple text based CV, but keeping a traditional format inside.

Probably good for those who are will to try a more ambitious CV style but not willing to risk a crazy graphic design style.

 The Whole Package CV

This one is good, although it is a lot of work.

Receiving a well thought out pack with miniature flyers, brochure of work, contact detail cards and a poster is a nice thought, and reminds me of a pull out in The Guardian or The National Geographic etc.

It's a nice idea, but as I say - it's a job in itself to make it all. I guess it depends how long you have been out of work, and how much time you have to make all of this!

The Comic Book CV

This one has a lot of impact. I like the simplicity, and the fact that you can get text on it without it being irritating - although how much text you need I guess is something I could tell you if I read more into semiotics.

The limited colours also mean it doesn't get cluttered as easily - something I'm sure employers like. Surely there is nothing worse than trawling through hundreds (and in this climate probably thousands) of applications for a single position, and being bombarded with busy sheets and a lot of pointless text. Although as these are all for creative positions and I myself hope to also be applying to something in the creative industry - you'd hope applicants would have a sense about this given their field. You never know though - they might just be the ones without a job.



I think I would write my website address on 50 bananas and send them in a basket to whoever I wanted a job with. Overwhelm them with fruity madness!

If that didn't work, I think I would perhaps make a box of teabags - but replace all the information on the box with my information - but fill it with some nice fruity tea bags and send them to an employer. Who doesn't like tea, right?

EcoBuild: One week until LDN

Well, I have had my confirmation email, assuring me my pass for EcoBuild 2011 is on it's way!

To those who are reading this and are not in the sustainable industry, I am not surprised if you are moving your cursor to exit this post now - but don't.

Everybody is in the sustainable industry. Do you eat? Do you heat your home? Do you travel by any means other than walking or cycling? I'm going to put all my money on your answer being yes.

Without sounding like a Green Peace volunteer that chases you down the street asking for phone numbers and email addresses - protecting and reviving the environment is something we should all concern ourselves with. People seem to think (or tell themselves to ease the guilt) that it won't affect them in their life time, so why bother. It's too much of an irritation to their daily life to consider recycling that sandwich carton, or not take the plastic carrier bag for their meal deal at lunch.

Well, without harping on - it will. I try never to use plastic bags, either just using that age old technique of carrying the one item you have purchased by hand, or using reusable jute bags. It's so easy to incorporate into your lives, and, if everyone was to do this also - would make a difference. I posted a video a few weeks ago about turning off computers - something that seems to trivial and tiny, but, on mass makes an astounding difference.

EcoBuild 2010

Well, why am I going on about saving the rain forests and being green? Aside from it being a personal interest - next week is EcoBuild in London - an annual conference in which thousands of people from various industries gather to educate and promote sustainable products. It's a fantastic opportunity for us young student designers to gain knowledge about products covering a vast array of topics, including contraction materials, surface finishes, techniques, and services that are all from a sustainable background - and the best part is, it's free to attend!

There are also various speeches given throughout the 3 day event (Tues 1st March - 3rd March 2011) including several familiar names - one household name this year being Kevin McCloud - although I personally am not a fan.

This will be the second time I myself will be attending, although hopefully this year without the mix up of passes there was during 2010's event - to which we waiting in a line longer than the average street.

I will post my findings after my visit - along with any other worth while things I encounter during my visit to London.

Lecture: Tweeting, blogging, and getting yourself known!

Lauren Currie (@Redjotter), a former MDes student here at DJCAD gave us an inspiring lecture today with regards to service design.

Although she came from a Product Design bachelors background, I can see that every aspect of design is related. It's like one big pot of design, swirling in a vortex with all of our different disciplines competing in an olympic fashion - although I don't fancy the image of me in a swimming cap, sporting the I&ED team colours.

Service design is something that's been simmering in the back of my noggin since last years lecture on the same topic. I have since opened up a folder that I store all my ideas for fourth year, masters or future projects - wherever the wind takes me, with a hind of service design cropping up regularly. Something I'm very interested in developing is flat-packed care. Not just for the elderly, but for people suffering disability (short and long term), and those suffering injury. The environmental aspect of I&ED is getting to me quite a bit too, and have become very aware of my footprint. This is something I would also like to incorporate. Green DIY care. Flat-packed eco hugs. Making people feel better, and making the environment feel better at the same time - it's a nice thought anyway.

It was so good to see such a positive outcome from the simple things such as tweeting and blogging. I am quite an avid fan of both of these routes, as well as LinkedIn and Skype. I was astounded to find that when I started following the likes of The Guardian, BREEAM, and various magazines, people from the same industry began following me. Although I am somewhat of a small presence online, I can only imagine what I will be able to gain from persevering over the next few years as an undergraduate. I'd love to get even one of the many opportunities Lauren has got through these means. I've already taken on her advice about having a consistent image - although I change the hue for each network.

...and be controversial! (GFDA)

My only gripe is not with the lecture today (it was very good after all), but with the lectures in general. Us in Interiors get forgotten! Every time an example is given it's "if you are in jewellery", or "as a textile student", or "for example, if you graduate in graphics", and so on. We feel a little invisible. Will there be any future talks given from MDes students who are post grad I&ED? Or perhaps post grads in industry? Even a small specifically relevant part? Please!

But apart from that - another good week for Design Studies. All these people who moan and groan about having to do all these "chores" don't seem to get that it's all to aid their future.

They don't hire average joe, after all.

...And just to finish off, I thought I'd leave you all with a website I have been on recently: Good F*cking Design Advice. It's motivational yet light hearted - but perhaps NSFW. None the less it gets you back down to earth. Get fucking inspired!

Design Studies: The Tipping Point

As previously mentioned two posts ago (in My Tipping Point), there are some things I need to add in order to complete my tasks for Design Studies.

The tasks are as follows (all relating to Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point"):
Read the book
Mind map the book as a whole in small groups
Mind map an area of interest individually
Harvard Reference the end notes of your area of choice
Annotate your references
Highlight said references within your area of choice
Tie the references in to your mind maps
Post as a blog post

Jonathan had also warned us that merely ticking the above boxes would only gain us a pass at a D level. In order to increase our grade we must take things further, which I suppose is reasonable.

I have chosen to reference the entire book, as I don't like having just bit's of something like that done. I suppose normally it would annoy me but, since it will hopefully aid my final grade, I guess I don't mind so much.

As I have read the book, and posted my joint mind map previously, I will cut to my individual mind maps. I chose to map the whole chapter of "The Law of the Few". I subcategorised these into the subtitle of the chapter Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. The assignment had stated we do not need to do a whole chapter, just a selected area of interest, but as I couldn't decide I have done all 3. I have also chosen to map out the Airwalk case study and the Baltimore Syphilis outbreak.

Below are my mind maps of Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen respectively (including their references). Click to enlarge:

Connectors

Mavens

Salesmen

Above, in the Salesmen map, I have added in some well known salesmen that I have come up with, as I felt my map was not as full as the others.

My mind map of the Airwalk case study:

Airwalk Case Study

and finally, my Baltimore Syphilis outbreak map:

Baltimore Syphilis Outbreak

Below are my references by page they occur throughout the book. I have annotated the references used during "The Law of the Few" and the "Airwalk Case Study" in blue. References for the entire book can be found on my page entitled "Tipping Point Bibliography".

CHAPTER TWO: THE LAW OF THE FEW
Page 30:
Fischer, D. H. (1994). Paul Revere's Ride. New York: Oxford University Press.
This reference is used throughout the book to put Paul Revere into context as not only a Connector but also a Maven.

Page 34:
Milgram, S.(1967). The Small World Problem. Psychology Today. Vol. 1, p.60-67.
Relates to how are humans connected. Six degrees of separation test. 160 people from Omaha, NB to get their letter to a stockbroker in Sharon, MA. 24 made it, via the use of a Connector.

Kochen, M. (1989). The Small World Problem. New Jersey: Ablex Publishing Corp.
Six degrees of separation.

Page 35:
Werner, C. & Parmlee, P. (1979). Similarity of Activity Preferences Among Friends: Those Who Play Together Stay Together. Social Psychology Quarterly. Vol. 42 (1), p.62-66.
Study showed 88% of people living in the Dyckman projects in N. Manhattan have their closest friends in the same building. People chose similar ages and races to them as friends. Univ. of Utah found people say they make friends with people who have "similar attitudes" when really it is that they live in a close proximity. 

Page 47:
Tjaden, B. Brett Tjaden Project. Available: www.cs.virginia.edu/oracle/.
"Six degrees of Kevin Bacon" game. Tjaden created calculations to work out most connected actor, at the Univ. of Virginia. 

Page 53:
Granovetter, M (1995). Getting a Job. Chicago, USA: University of Chicago.
Sociologist found that 56% of technical and professional workers found their job via a connection. Only 20% applied directly.

Page 60:
Inman, J. J., McAlister, L. & Hoyer, W. D. (1990). Promotion Signal: Proxy for a Price Cut? Journal of Consumer Research. 17, p74-81.
Examples of things Mavens take note of. Signage in shops advertising low prices, but not actually cutting the price. Mavens would notice that this appears as false advertising. 

Page 61:
Feick, L. F. & Price, L. L. (1987). The Market Maven: A diffuser of Marketplace Information. Journal of Marketing. Vol. 51, p83-97.
Linda Price of Univ. of Nebraska pioneered in Maven research. Videotaped interviews with several Mavens. 

Higie, R. A., Feick, L.F. &  (1987). Types and Amounts of Word-of-Mouth Communications About Retailers. Journal of Retailing. Vol.63 (no.2), p260-278.
Research into what how Mavens shop.
Price, L.L., Feick, L.F. & Guskey, A. (1995). Everyday Market Helping Behaviour. Journal of Public Policy and Marketing. Vol.14 (2), p225-266.

Maven personality research, backing up the above.

Page 74:
Mullen et al, B. (1986). Newscasters' facial expressions and voting behaviour of viewers: Can a smile elect a President? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol.51, p291-295.
1984 Presidential election. Pro Reagan ABC anchorman Peter Jennings persuasive news casting. Survey conducted between ABC, NBC and CBS viewers showed ABC viewers voted more towards Reagan. Salesmen example. 

Page 77:
Wells, G. L; Petty, R. E. (1980). The Effects of Overt Head Movements on Persuasion. Basic and Applied Social Psychology. Vol.1 (3), p219-230.
How persuasion can be subtle. Headphone test - students told to nod/shake their heads while "testing" headphones that played messages about rising education fee's. Nodders were pro edu. fee rise, shakers were against. 

Page 84:
Hatfield, E., Cocioppo, J. T. & Rapson, R. L. (1994). Emotional Contagion. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Mimicry is how this book claims humans infect one and other with their emotions. Emotions are not inside to out, they can be "caught" from outside and work inwards.

Page 85:
Friedman, H. (1980). Understanding and Assessing Nonverbal Expressiveness: The Affective Communication Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol.39 (2), p333-351.
Univ. of California developed the "Affective Communication Test" which aims to measure ones emotional "contagiousness'. Also related to persuasiveness. Highest mark is 117. Tom Gau, example salesmen scored 116.

Friedman, H. & Riggio, R. (1981). Effect of Individual Differences in Nonverbal Expressiveness on Transmission of Emotion. Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour. Vol.6, p96-104.
Further research into the above by Gladwell.

CHAPTER SIX: AIRWALK CASE STUDY
Page 196:
Ryan, B. & Gross, N. (1943). The Diffusion of Hybrid Seed Corn in Two Iowa Communities . Rural Sociology. Vol. 8, p.15-24.
Few famers were willing to take the risk with a new hybrid seed, however the when the risk paid off, the majority of famers followed suit. Example of "Early Adopters".

Rogers, E. (1995). Diffusion on Innovations. New York: Free Press.

Continued research into the survey above.

Page 197:
Moore, G. (1991). Crossing the Chasm. New York: HarperCollins. p.9-14.
Further research into the workings of the "Early Adopters" and their incompatibility with the "Early Majority". High end technology is used here an an example of products that have not "taken off" yet.

Page 201:
Allport, G. & Postman, L. (1947). The Psychology of Rumor . New York: Henry Holt. p.135-158.
Explores the rumour surrounding the Chinese tourist in 1945 Maine who was soon mistaken as a Japanese Spy during World War II. Three aspects - levelled, sharpened and assimilated.

Page 204:
Valente, T., Foreman, R. K. & Junge, B. Satellite Exchange in the Baltimore Needle Exchange Program. Public Health Reports.
The needle exchange program provided drug addicts with a clean way to use. "Super-exchangers" of drug Mavens used their connections around town to sell clean needles 24/7, when the van was unavailable. Dual outcome: addicts made money (employment), and the service also benefitted as it was more readily available. 

Design Studies: My Tipping Point

Epidemics.

When most of us hear that word we think disease. Media induced mayhem. Catch it, bin it, kill it. Quick, you might catch something. Keep your children indoors and immediately phone round all your elderly relatives to make sure they aren't feeling a little "off".

Swine flu. Foot and mouth. Sars. Even in my relatively short life I have been exposed to several epidemics.

But, after reading Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" I have come to understand epidemics in another fashion. Not only disease, but society's behaviour is also susceptible to epidemics, epidemics of trend. Human nature after all, is imitation.

Contagious. There is another disease ridden word. Again though, after reading The Tipping Point I have come to understand that epidemics of trends are contagious. Not unlike a virus. It takes over, spreading through the population, working it's way through vast distances.

The kid wearing the shoes you don't think are "cool" anymore. What are they thinking? Well, 5 months later those same so called "uncool" shoes are on your feet. Trends start by special people, rare people. People who don't mind being out there, different. The thing is, these trends may drift by, unnoticed in the business world. A huge opportunity missed, as not only did they miss a chance of propelling their own product onto the stage under the beaming lights of mainstream, but they of course, and perhaps more importantly to them, missed out on profit.

Airwalk did not miss out. They spotted it. Trendy Southern Californian teens were wearing their brand. They were making a reasonable profit out of this but they were hungry for more. But how to catapult you're brand into the mainstream, yet keep it's underground original cool-ness? Mainstream after all, it not where trends are set. Mainstream is where the lingering dregs of trends hang out. By the time it's in you're local mall, it's not the newest, coolest thing out there.

This was Airwalk's issue.

So they hired a marketing company to create innovative adverts. Not unlike the viral adverts seen today, they created odd, off the wall adverts, that were highly contagious. But this took a lot of behind the scenes leg work to make sure the right topics were brought up via the adverts. They needed the topics that the underground hipsters were interested in, before it hit the fan of mainstream. This is where DeeDee Gordon comes into the picture, as she was another special type of person. Infact doubly special as she was two types out of the three types that The Tipping Point splits people into. Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen. These are the three categories rare people fit into, and the types of people who are required in order to tip a trend over the edge and into an epidemic. She is both a Connector - somebody who collects acquaintances and knows many more people than the average person - and a Maven. A Maven is someone who knows a lot. She is somewhat of a fashion Maven. Somebody who has the power of knowledge and has the ability to know when something is going to take off. Due to these traits, she was able to keep tabs on underground trends and use them through Airwalks adverts, early enough that it was new to Joe Public, but cool to the underground scene.

Thanks to the series of ad campaigns, Airwalk seen their peak profit tip $175 Million a year.

Pretty clever really. All by expoiting certain personality traits. This line of attack is seen every day in todays marketing world, although done subtly enough, you probably are blissfully unaware. Yet I'll bet you trudge as I do like a robot and buy whatever has been made into a fashion must have. Be it technology, fashion or a number of other things. Some epidemics are a matter of fate, such as the Baltimore Syphilis outbreak, yet others are constructed to happen with the benefits for the tippers themselves exponential.

Airwalk is only one of several topics brought up throughout Gladwell's "The Tipping Point".  It puts several example epidemics into the context of Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen, and explains why some trends take off, while others sink. The drop of crime in New York City during the 1990's. The Syphilis outbreak of Baltimore. The Hush Puppy trend. The Suicide epidemic of Micronesia. Paul Revere during the American Revolution, the examples are endless.

For Design Studies - part of our task was to mind-map the book and then select an area in which to mind-map further. Below is my joint one with Ross, with my own one to follow shortly. I have selected Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen as I find that the most fascinating area.