Failure? Isn't it Time to Slay the Design-Dragon?

Abstract

There is a closed cycle of design education that replicates the most common design practice — and feeds into that practice that seeks awards based on incremental change supported by professional organization and trade journals — that feeds back to education forms for imitation. This is the educational failure this paper cites. It takes to task the stagnant, homeostatic educational institutions that fail to transcend the traditional guild system and sustains an anti-intellectual view of design and its future. Exposing historical roots of the situation, the author calls for design education to embrace preparation of students for the knowledge society and take a leadership position in design's future.