Random thoughts and stylings

“AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.

AIGA, the professional association for design, is the place design professionals turn to first to exchange ideas and information, participate in critical analysis and research and advance education and ethical practice. AIGA sets the national agenda for the role of design in its economic, social, political, cultural and creative contexts. AIGA is the oldest and largest membership association for professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of designing. Founded as the American Institute of Graphic Arts in 1914 as a small, exclusive club, AIGA now represents more than 22,000 designers through national activities and local programs developed by 62 chapters and 240 student groups.” as quoted from the AIGA web site.

If this is what AIGA is truly all about why is there no focus on web (interaction) design? There is a huge opportunity for highly talented web designers be be able to participate and join there fellow design brethren in a unity of minds and ideas. The web has come a long way from the days of animated gifs, grey backgrounds and blue underlined links. It has be come a dynamic, mature environment that in many ways can talk to a person on the a better level than even print can. This thought did not originate with me, but I first read about it on Jeff Zelman’s blog and agree whole heartedly with his ideas and conclusions.

Print is designed, set, printed and done. Interaction design can change depending on the audiences location, preferences and way they want to interact with the piece. All while maintaining a high level of design. Don’t believe me check out css zen garden as just one example. Interaction design is mobile. It can be transported on a laptop, mobile phone, pocket pc or iphone and still have the same level of design and interaction. Can a print piece do that?
I am not trying to get into a print vs. interaction debate, but just show that interaction design is a valid design medium.

AIGA also claims to be environmentally and socially responsible. Promoting sustainable design and use of recycled/recyclable inks and papers. What better way to promote a design and campaign to literally millions of people without cutting down one tree? We can get into the discussion on the destructive nature of computers on the environment, but print designers are already using computers. I do not see many print people using keylines and stat cameras to create layouts anymore.

AIGA take a look around interaction design is here and here to stay. Think of the increased impact through design, the varied design ideas and the increased awareness of design as a change element if we came together as one unified design group.

I am not alone in my thinking either. There are other blogs from print and interaction designers that have thought as I do.