Manifesto of Design

A Personal Manifesto of Design

Design creates the future:  Along with the natural rhythm of society, design has the powerful ability to shape the world as we see it.  The fact that we study and practice design provides us with a highly competitive advantage.

Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. (The 5^th rule of the Dalai Llama):  Following rules can only get you so far.  When it comes to design, there are no rules; so why not push things to the point of being ludicrous?  There is always time for adjustment, so start big.

Promote your ideas:  Even if your cause is small, there must be someone out there who feels the same way.  If you can connect with a group of people regardless of size, the belief may catch on over time.

Dissect objects:  Taking things apart gives you an idea of what construction methods are commonly used.  This can also promote ones thinking of what could be improved.  Repetitively reconstructing objects allows you to understand the limitations of potential ideas, as well as stimulating the growth of new ones.

                                                                                                           

Build things: Making something useful is a self fulfilling task that can be completed by anyone. 

                                                                                                                   

Travel:  I think travelling is essential for anyone, designer or not.  Being immersed in a new place enables you to learn the ins and outs of an unfamiliar culture, and expands your global understanding.  You would be surprised at how different things are, even in a place like England.

Don’t clean as frequently as you should:  Let papers pile up, but not trash.  Having papers or drawings lying around gives you the ability to revisit ideas more frequently than if they were in a folder in some storage cabinet.

Don’t be perfectionists: Why try to be perfect in a world that is not?

Network: Connecting with the people around you serves as a lifetime pipeline of information.  Especially in college, with the variety of style and life aspirations, it is an absolute necessity to make friends to learn from.

Record Progress:  Keep a library of sketches.  It is fun to see the progress when you compare them to what you do today.  I’ve found myself learning from old sketches as well.