Hands-On Interaction with Design
A Personal Design Philosophy
by Jocelin Flora
This presentation was given at Senior Symposia 2023 in the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University (SC) on November 30, 2023.
Presentation Transcription
All right. Hi, guys. My name is Jocelin, and I’m going to be digging deeper into my own personal design philosophy called a Hands-on Interaction with Design. So, embarking on the task of articulating my design philosophy was occasionally difficult and confusing. I had to take it slow, examine my surroundings and myself, and make my way through many unknowns.
During this investigation, I discovered that a significant portion of my personal design process–or like I like to say, “getting my hands dirty”–involves physical making, which has implications for my philosophy. So “getting my hands dirty” is crucial to being fully immersed in the design process, which is why my sculptures, if you didn’t already know, are reflections of my designs.
In order to express my ideas and explore new avenues, I yearned to incorporate physicality into my design process. It fuels the design process’s creative side, which I want to develop and continue to explore. So then through this journey, I was now capable of handling difficult challenges of evaluating my creative process because of enhanced comprehension of design and how it enables me to be a creator.
My first point regarding my personal design philosophy is that design is never perfect. So design, in my opinion, is the process of determining how to satisfy user needs in a beautiful way. The difficult part as a designer is the development of things for complex human beings. Humans have changing needs and desires over time. Occasionally, design drives the change, other times it adapts to these developments.
However, as a designer, my work is never fully finished. This is not to say that design has to be modern. It can be classic as well. But a great designer is one who appreciates iteration and is always on the cutting edge. So personally, I believe there are too many objectives, applications and users for every given subject or product, making it impossible to define perfection.
Every created thing has undergone an evolution and improvement at the hands of designers. So I am therefore adding my own distinct viewpoint to it through design. I came to this realization that I would never be able to achieve the ideal outcome while working on a project, which was the charcoal project during the activities that we went through. It would always be shifting and modifying, especially with my eraser, because I would never like how it would turn out. I’d always be shifting. But I learned that it was all right. That it is just never going to be perfect.
My second point is that there is art and design, but design is not art. Excellent design in my eyes is an art form that calls for practice. However, the result of the design process is not art. If you look at my art — which I couldn’t exhibit — you see that as a creative expression that aims to elicit reflection and individual interpretation. Despite being important, meaningful and inspirational, the art only satisfies the need for self-expression and does not address any other needs. On the other hand, my design is the result of a creative process that aims to meet a need or get past a barrier for people who are going to utilize it.
Rather than providing space for interpretation, my design layout outlines the intended use and guides the user through each step of the procedure. Overall, art raises questions and design produces solutions.
My third point is the revelation that design is not a set procedure, but rather a collection of tools. In my perspective, design is more of a tool kit than a predetermined process.
There is no one size fits all approach to choosing the best solution when I design because each problem has its own unique set of characteristics. I see my design as a kind of process in which one must know when to apply different tools and methods. So as the famous Maslow put it, it is tempting if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail. Therefore, always have a hammer, a screwdriver, pliers and a hex wrench on hand.
This concept occurred to me while making pants. Having a variety of tools in hand is essential when making pants or even in design, because they will be used in various stages of the process. There were setbacks, but I was able to get back them and achieve my goal, which was a pair of pants by using the toolkit that I had on hand.
My fourth point is to remember the larger picture, so I must keep in mind the bigger picture in my role as a designer. My attention can easily be drawn away by the insignificant details of daily life. When working in design, I realized that producing a large enough number of deliverables does not always translate into success. I occasionally have to take a step back in order to continue moving forward.
I recollect and recall that keeping an eye on the bigger picture is just as crucial as monitoring expectations. Mismanaged objectives can lead to problems in my own workspace and in personal relationships when attempting to fulfill them.
My fifth point is that design must evolve. I believe that design must evolve since design cannot exist in empty space and tend to grow in tandem with the industry as it does so.
Design is a living, breathing thing that is constantly shifting. So as a designer it is my responsibility to evaluate, improve and do so by considering input from people all around. I make it my mission to enhance anything that could be done more effectively or working as it should. It is through design that I can transform my ideas into tangible products and experiences that improve our quality of life. Design influences how we interact with the world around us. So I trust that the only thing that is constant in the world is change.
This came from the task of scanning a bunch of birthday cards that I’ve collected since I was little, and then assembling them into a book to be conceptually matching. This one on the left obviously you can see is money and the one on the right is actually a birthday card from my grandparents. And conceptually, I think of grandparents’ cards having money in them, sadly. I’m sorry about that. But so then they are matched up together. So then through this process, I came to understand that design must and will change. So in future years, when I get more cards, they’ll be added to the book as a result of this particular endeavor.
In its current state, the book is alive and has the potential to flourish and expand, opening up new avenues for growth in different forms, like if I did more volumes.
This is just another spread, since I also scan the inside of birthday cards and this was just one of my favorites.
My last point is that design thrives with the physical touch.
The physical world is still one of the few arenas in which we consider ourselves apart in this age of nonstop digital noise. Therefore, design shines when it incorporates a harmonious blend of digital and physical elements. Physicality and materialistic thinking are essential to the essence of my design because they enable me to translate my ideas into actual forms. In order to establish enduring relationships my goal is to provide a design that inspires emotions, makes a lasting impression, and makes viewers say, wow. My creative pursuits encompassing my designs and sculptures enable me to participate in creation and environmental transformation. I see my hands as an instrument, a weapon, and a symbol. Thank you.
Senior Symposia
Senior Symposia is an annual event for the Department of Art+Design in the South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University (SC) where BFA Graphic Design Seniors present personal Design Philosophies, synthesizing and summarizing their experiences and perspectives over the course the program. These presentations act as markers in their developmental journey, bringing to light what they believe to be true about design, what design can do, and what they hope to do through design.
