Designing the Next Paradigm

Alysha Naples; Adjunct Professor, California College of the Arts; Design Director, Blurb

In the last twenty years, designers have witnessed multiple paradigm shifts – in the '80s, we produced tangible products (posters, packaging, books); in the '90s, user experiences (web sites, motion graphics, interfaces). Today, we’re designing the tools that allow people to create their own products and experiences. People-powered companies like Etsy, Threadless, and Blurb allow designers to create products that go directly to the consumer… without a client. Not only will our students be designing these new tools, they will be using them. How can we prepare our students to create the next generation of tools? What are the skills needed to be successful in this new field? How will these tools impact the evolution of design? And how can we leverage them to enrich the classroom experience?

The rise of innovation in on-demand manufacturing, coupled with the viral marketing capabilities of online communities, has led to an explosion of business models that allow people to create their own product lines. Blogs, zines, books, social networks, and photo sites have changed the ways that student work can be seen, promoted, and evaluated. When virtually anyone can produce a professional-quality product, what is the designer's role? And more importantly, what new entrepreneurial possibilities become relevant to designers? How can we, as educators, prepare students to take advantage of these new opportunities?