I review the book Design and the Creation of Value by John Heskett and edited by Clive Dilnot and Susan Boztepe in the second issue of the academic journal Dialectic—for which I also serve on the editorial board. I say of the book, “Because it focuses on design’s core rationale, my impulse is to pronounce this short, posthumously assembled volume as one of the most important texts ever offered on design. I argue that this is one of the field’s essential books.”
My latest writing, “Learn by Numbers: Eleven Lessons Taught Only in Design School,” has been posted at the Design Observer blog. The essay turns the table on the perennial listicles authored by design practitioners offering low-downs on the profession that are allegedly essential and that design education supposedly doesn’t supply. The published article is a condensation of a slightly longer piece (with the title heading this post) that may end up here some day.
My short feature on Laura Rossi Garcia was posted at the AIGA Design Educators Community website. Rossi was selected to be the first designer for Dialectic, the new academic journal produced by the AIGA Design Educators Community. I also serve on the founding Editorial Board of the journal, and proposed Rossi for the position after meeting her and reviewing her thesis work at Vermont College of the Fine Arts this past spring.
My latest article, “Yourselves: Declaring Ourselves,” is posted on the Design Observer blog in the “Observatory” section. The piece looks at the history and mission of the AIGA Design Educators Community—I serve on the organization’s steering committee. Particular focus in the article is given to the DEC’s current initiatives.