Summary
In spite of all the changes in graphic design, I believe that the essence of graphic design remains unchanged. Putting the content in a context is and will be the core of graphic design. The role of graphic design is organizing and creating access to information. Today’s mass of available information requires precise selection to gain access to the information we need. Every day we are overwhelmed by information, and it gets harder to extract necessary knowledge. Hence, in the future, the need for good graphic design will only increase.
The democratizing of design through computers does not mean that amateurs can design for the public. Design remains a very professional and specific discipline. Now, as we tailor information, professionalism will be of absolute necessity. We no longer need oversimplified solutions for the masses. We cannot address a message to an unknown crowd. We can only work with individuals that we have some information about. The profession of graphic designer involves orchestrating a vast amount of information, selecting it, and interpreting it, which leads eventually to a work of graphic design. Graphic design is about individualization, narrowing the specific target, going from a larger to smaller group, and ultimately to the individual. A graphic designer is an expert on people, an expert on us. A good graphic designer blends his knowledge of design with his knowledge of people.
In the future, the demand for expressive typography will increase, as the communication will be more personalized and the aim will be maximizing individual comprehension. Why should an automatic teller machine treat all customers the same? The letters could be larger when it serves older people. If I always withdraw the same amount of money, why does it not remember? Why should we learn from the computers and not the computers from us? Automatic teller machines, computers, newspapers and magazines should get closer to the public. This way we would consume the requested information instead of trashing tons of unread information.
Design is only one of the languages conceived by people. The art of communication is in choosing the right language and in using an appropriate tone of voice. A designer’s choice of language affects the efficiency of communication. An inadequate designer’s attitude towards the public results in a piece of work that is not communicative enough. Communication should be based on a dialogue, not a monologue. The designer should respect the public, and the public judges the work immediately by accepting or rejecting it.
Graphic design can play a more significant role in people’s lives. If used properly, graphic design can offer a more spontaneous experience of perceiving. The trends in communication show that graphic design will be more direct and precise. “Advertising will be so personalized that it will be indistinguishable from the news,” wrote Nicholas Negroponte in his book Being digital.
The future brings new possibilities as well as the new responsibilities. I hope that the possibilities will be used.