Design, what a word.
It’s had my head spinning for what, the last 5 years now? And man, if I knew back then what I know now, I’d probably already be in a whole different world. But I didn’t - and here I am - in a place which I refuse to believe is the wrong spot.
When I started studying design in school - I wasn’t giving it my all - I wasn’t paying attention to the little details of every project, and I was surrounded by professors (amazing ones, by the way) who stressed the human-centered side of design way more than the artistic. But back then, all I knew was that I wanted to make stuff that looked incredible. All the other stuff was, eh, just not where I was at at the time.
However, I have come to find out, that whether you approach design through the complex systems and human centered side, or whether you approach it from the side of beauty first “I just want to make awesome stuff” - the same holds true. Systems are powerful, as is the beauty behind them - whether that be purely visual or the array of complexity of the minds that make them up.
Human Centered Design (or HCD, as they would put it in my classes) is not absent of visual beauty, but rather about thinking where our visual beauty is impacting people and the environment. I was told that I was not creative as a kid - and this shaped environment for me - all throughout childhood and young adult life. I wasn’t an illustrator, I was a basketball player. I wasn’t a musician, but rather an average athlete dreaming of more.
But what does this have to do with the visual world, or HCD, or the environment?
Well, everything, and in every way that I was formed as I kid.
I didn’t grow up an artist, yet here I am, craving the artistry of those at studios such as Pentagram or Collins. I’m a little behind the prodigies due to background - perhaps years - and am not in the correct environment that would escalate my skills the fastest - but right now, there’s nothing I can do about it, except be patient and build away.
And build away I will. I will be a creator of complex systems, and of succinctly beautiful ones. I will shape culture, because design does that inherently - but I will shape it in an intentional direction, for the betterment of businesses, the environment, and humanity alike.
How do I know that I will do this?
Well, because it’s all already happened. My future is before me, has been foreseen, and has already been created. Everything is designed - and so is the story that will tell the future of culture - not just mine.
From my perspective, we have an unlimited number of beautiful futures and worlds to be revealed - yet all stories have already been told.
Be artistic. Be thoughtful. And lean in with brilliance.