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Posted by Michael DiTullo | 11 May 2011
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Comments (6)
We've seen a rapid expansion of the title of designer in recent years, from interaction designers to social designers and beyond. A nice little conversation has popped up in the discussion boards around the modern definition of the term designer and what a baseline skill set that goes across our profession might be; including industrial/product, graphic, interior, landscape designers and even architects. Liking Venn diagrams as I do, I decided to make my answer a visual one.
Check out the full discussion and weigh in with your view point HERE
For those of you with less of a palette for diagrams and more of a taste for nostalgic 80's cartoons, I've formatted a version for you as well below.
Comments
shouldn't the black lion be a fifth component of Voltron as Designer? perhaps something about gumption?
While I appreciate your thoughtful description of the elements of a talented, well-rounded designer, your visual communication of the idea does a disservice to the people you portray. There is no additional meaning being conveyed in either of your diagrams, no underscoring of a message is taking place here. A venn diagram should contain relative information, otherwise it's the wrong tool for the job. For example, who is defined by visual communication skills + a knowledge of craft? An illustrator? Add that and a venn diagram becomes a useful tool.
Your second diagram is fun, but you could just as well replace the transformer with a Swiss army knife, to the same effect. What message does this diagram convey? Little more than that a designer plays many roles. The same diagram could be used to convey the varied attributes of a talented salesman, athlete, doctor, etc.
yeah... besides it is 5 lions..5 independent pilots that form Voltron.... so the correct "analogram" would be either the complete "voltron" or the "sword" he swings;) as the "designers" might...
or was that "green lantern's light?"
anyway.. we're all cartoons now. and most designers are borgs TM even if they dont realize it;)
Christen makes a great point.
To get even more nit picky: "implement" not "impliment."
Good thing "ability to take criticism" and "iteration" are key to being a designer as well.
It is an incorrect Venn that is intentionally vague, but what I'm trying to show that to be considered a designer (by me) you must all four of these traits, the way the black lion is able to manage all of the powers of the other four lions to form Voltron, in all his awesomeness.... far from a random selection, Voltron is a robot comprised of 5 robot lion. In the cartoon, each of the colored limb lions has a specific trait, and they all join with the black lion to form a being who has the ability to harness all of these traits to accomplish much more than they could individually.
With the expansion of the title of designer, I am seeing many design applicants without the basic traits above. When I review work, this it the bare minimum to be even considered a designer for my hiring purposes. Once that has been qualified, then the question is are you a great enough designer to work on the team.... maybe the harnessing of those traits are the black lion's power in this example. In any case, this is the start line, not the finish. That was the purpose, I should have made that more clear.
I feel like I need to read up on Voltron now ;-).
Nice illustration yo - I like considering myself as a bad-ass amalgamation, cobbled together from equally important and varied skills, thought I do think that the gumption (drive) comment is legitimate too.