Re: Interactive Design in the Grown in California competition

The second part of this suggestion (the part about judging criteria) 
may contain the key to the problem with the first part.

One (not undeserved) criticism of graphic designers (and, because of 
the way competitions and awards are organized, graphic design 
organizations) is that we tend to focus too much on the thing: I design 
publications. I design trademarks. I design posters. I design websites. 
I design Flash animations for websites. . . (I'm not claiming to have 
transcended that. Much of my website is organized around categories of 
things.)

Some websites (but not others) are very similar in conceptual structure 
to the design area that might be called "in-store branding." Some 
exhibit design (digital or not) has much in common with some book 
design (which, in turn, has little in common with some other book 
design). . .

I'm wondering whether there would be a way of looking at design 
categories by the sorts of problems (I know that word is, er, 
problematic but I can't think of a better one right now) addressed and 
the sort of thinking inherent in the answer that would transcend craft 
or traditional business descriptions and in the process break down a 
bit of the RGB/CMYK divide.

Of course the more complex the project, the less neatly it might fit 
into such groupings but the same thing can be said of craft and 
business categories: Is that product (i.e., hardware) design, interface 
design, graphic design, typographic design, software systems design, or 
brand and marketing design we're looking at in this device? Yes. And 
more.

Gunnar

> Here's a few possible categories:
>
> - Interactive media and entertainment (games, entertainment-oriented
> CD-ROMs, interactive
>   animations, kiosks)
> - Digital product design (appliances, handhelds, consumer electronics,
> scientific equipment)
> - Software and information systems design (desktop and networked
> applications software)
> - Web site and web application design (web sites and web applications)
> - Interactive environment design (amusement park rides, museum 
> exhibits,
> interactive spaces)
> - Experimental UX design (interactive art projects, UX research 
> projects)
>
> Each would need to have somewhat different judging criteria. Software 
> and
> info systems designs
> might, for example, be judged largely on their ability to effectively 
> meet
> the needs of
> individual end users and organizations.  Interactive media and 
> entertainment
> designs might be
> judged on ability to engage an audience, etc.
----------
Gunnar Swanson Design Office
536 South Catalina Street
Ventura California 93001-3625 USA

+1 805 667-2200
[email protected]



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