was at the two-day design conclave in Mumbai organised by FICCI where designers- mostly product and industrial, thrashed out ideas and thoughts on infusing design at strategy levels of organizations and how design can be a more organised catalyst for economic growth. By far, the most influential speaker, and I felt the most relevant, was the last- professor Anil Laul, of Anangpur Building Centre. Very outspoken and clearly anti-establishment, or should I say anti-stupidity, his main irritant was by far a stuck-up bureaucracy and largely- lack of basic common sense and sustainable methods in design applied to our environment. An unthinking, indifferent babudom can kill simple ideas that could have lead to more efficient living environments. Looking at the rate at which our infrastructure sector is growing, his thinking must find acceptance at planning levels, and I tell you he knows his business. Since he's an architect, he spoke of construction. This thinking needs to applied to more domains.
Now as a visual communications designer, what do I take back from it? In my case, more initiative needs to be taken at design and concept levels, in materials used to lessen the impact on the environment and resources- be it use of more recycled paper(which is expensive right now) lesser use of dark backgrounds, doing away with unnecessary lamination on covers and special colors. All these elements require additional use of chemicals and processes that spew out toxic wastes. What we need to sort out is, are these special effects doing anything more for our communication? If not, abstain. Keep the design clean. In terms of readability, nothing works like black text on a white background. More effort needs to be put into working on the written word and how design elements can bring that forth. This is the way to make design functional. Furthermore, do we really need to print all invitations? Already sms and email invites are more effective than the junk that comes in my snail mail- which I end up trashing without reading. Email a low-resolution pdf of the invite with an sms. It will surely reach the recipient quicker than the post. This is what FICCI did for the conclave, and the filled-out registration form from our side was a pdf as well.
We need to be more conscious designers- for the sake of our happiness in what we do. Smaller egos and larger visions is the way to go, not small visions and larger egos. Effective design solutions do not cost, they pay.
Now as a visual communications designer, what do I take back from it? In my case, more initiative needs to be taken at design and concept levels, in materials used to lessen the impact on the environment and resources- be it use of more recycled paper(which is expensive right now) lesser use of dark backgrounds, doing away with unnecessary lamination on covers and special colors. All these elements require additional use of chemicals and processes that spew out toxic wastes. What we need to sort out is, are these special effects doing anything more for our communication? If not, abstain. Keep the design clean. In terms of readability, nothing works like black text on a white background. More effort needs to be put into working on the written word and how design elements can bring that forth. This is the way to make design functional. Furthermore, do we really need to print all invitations? Already sms and email invites are more effective than the junk that comes in my snail mail- which I end up trashing without reading. Email a low-resolution pdf of the invite with an sms. It will surely reach the recipient quicker than the post. This is what FICCI did for the conclave, and the filled-out registration form from our side was a pdf as well.
We need to be more conscious designers- for the sake of our happiness in what we do. Smaller egos and larger visions is the way to go, not small visions and larger egos. Effective design solutions do not cost, they pay.
