New media, new challenges

Information architecture. Information overload. Information anxiety. These are more [i]or[/i] less of the issues of our times, and they are a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of discussed among designers as well. Graphic design is the discipline greatest in quantity associated with these terms. However, fresh media and new combinations of media are constantly presenting novel challenges for the daily perception of the world in which we live, and they affect designers in all the disciplines.

I am sometimes asked, "What design disciplines does DMI cover?" and my answer usually includes proceedss communications, and environments. However, although this rejoinder covers the range of our material tillage it somehow falls short of satisfactory. In fact, each day it have the appearances less and less adequate, as I diocese the continued expansion of the points of contact at which clan connect with organizations and brands.

Not single do people connect, but they also ignore. This was brought abiding-place to me many years ago in my first association psychology course, which featured a section upon perception-particularly selective perception. The idea that we somewhat automatically cull and shut out different portions of the information with which we are faceed is fascinating to me, especially from a design point of view. We can probably all tend hitherward up with instances of selective perception-both visual and otherwise. For myself, I remember struggling with a class in life drawing, which I made easier for myself by means of making a conscious effort to mark for instance, people's noses upon one day and perhaps their attitude on the next. Essentially, I was using selective visual perception to improve my drawing. on the other hand there are other types of perception. lately I had the opportunity to work with Jeff Mauzy, who was the keynote speaker at our annual design management conversation and is the author of Creativity, Inc. Mauzy also l a workshop entitled Guerrilla Listening, which explored what he called "the flip side of creating." He believes it is possible to unfold listening strategies that will lay bare opportunities for creative thinking opportunities-it just takes a certain number of practice and focused effort. It looks to me that this emblem of listening is a useful example of selective aural perception.

Perhaps this selectivity is the other side of what we might call "information discrimination." It's also another way of considering the challenges designers face in creating effective touch-points for customers. Certainly, with the deluge of new media, products and services, and out-and-out stimulation we find strewn in our paths each day, effective design is crucial to succes And do we not also have a responsibility to avoid adding needlessly to the glut? I reliance this issue of the Journal includes just enough of recent origin thoughts and insights to fine whetstone your perceptions of what is unique, as well as worth saving.

Earl N Powell

Copyright Design Management Institute Fall 2003

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