What is Design Mind?

#Illustration #Print Design #Layout Design #Design Theory

In the Design Minds course at CMU School of Design, we were tasked with designing and producing a zine showcasing our perspective on the design mind, how we think it works, and why we believe it’s worth thinking about.

Timeline

Nov. 2022 - Dec. 2022

Tool Used

Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop

Overview

A highly visual zine that illustrates and embodies my personal perspective of the design mind: Reflective, Circular, Active, and Cumulative.

Synthesis

To properly showcase my perspective on the design mind, I first reviewed my notes and the reading materials from the past semester, marking down ideas of interest and re-visiting connections that had been documented previously. Through the synthesis process, I found. four adjective perfectly describe my personal conception of the design mind: Reflective, Circular, Active, and Cumulative.

Design Concept

I wanted to design a zine that not only combines the four adjectives but also invites readers to interact with it.
I came up with the idea to create four layers for my zine, which represent the four elements.

The color of the first and third layers are is the same, and the color of the second and fourth layers are the same, which represents the concept of Reflective.

In addition, the zine is printed and folded in a specific way, such that the reader is required to spend time with it, unfolding each layer to reveal the whole content, which connects to the idea of Cumulative.

And when unfolding, readers need to turn the paper a little bit so as to successfully open the zine, which contains an Active and Circular movement.

Prototyping

I started with sketching on the paper and made several prototyping to make sure I can nest three layers of paper in the biggest one. I also tried sketching on my prototype to see the illustration that best fits my concept.

Illustration

I think the image of water fits perfectly with the four adjectives. I thus choose different forms of water to illustrate each perspective of the design mind.  

Each illustration was planned carefully to align and flow with its adjacent section, taking into consideration any areas that would be folded and hidden.

Original illustrations were done by hand in Adobe Photoshop and then transferred to Adobe Illustrator for post-processing and final compositions.

Text Content

Reflective

The design mind is reflective. It carries the experiences we have been through and constructs the story we are going to tell. We convey experiences that are shaped by the messages we receive every day, our interactions with different people, and the concepts we believe in. All of these build our worldview which reflects in our design. When we are more open to different ideas, information, and experiences, our worldviews become more complicated and abundant. In this way, we can avoid the danger of a single story that leads to bias and stereotypes. 
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Circular

The design mind is circular. It doesn’t just perform specific functions — a plane transports you from A to B, an oven heats your pasta, a poster displays information, etc. The interrelated totality of designs constructs the world through which we are brought into being and come to be defined through. We, in turn, design the world, which, in turn, designs us…and so on. The process is circular, like an infinite feedback loop. In this endless loop, design is not only fundamental to being human but also something far more pervasive and profound in our lives.

Active

The design mind is active. It allows us to be the architects, the composers of our future. Everything we create has involved the active engagement of the natural world and our own minds. To create change, we are required to understand the various aspects of the whole system through observation and interaction. Instead of passively receiving the messages, we input our ideas, attitude, and beliefs which actively affected the world we live in. 

Cumulative

The design mind is cumulative. For example, the journey behind a message from a voice assistant includes finding materials to build the device, extracting data on a cloud-based service, and training the data to improve accuracy. Every decision we make is like a piece of puzzle. Seemingly independent puzzle pieces serve to accumulate the collective growth that makes a successful product, and further shape a better world. From every design iteration, we also embrace failure and learn to improve and update the current situation.

Takeaways

It is my first time making a zine and I am really proud of the final outcome of this project! I enjoy synthesizing my learning into an actionable design, brainstorming a creative form of the zine for readers to interact with, and delivering different concepts with visually-appealing illustrations.