Communication Design Education: Could Nine Reflections be Sufficient?

Abstract

SITUATION Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional practice and higher education aggravate insecurities about the contents and structure of courses, assessment criteria, relations between practice, research and theory and teaching methods. ASSUMPTION Graphic design education (visual communication design education) needs to change to accommodate these changes. APPROACH There are many possible starting points to tackle the 'wicked problem' of visual communication design education. The starting point for this article is professional practice. Through the observation of practice, and interviews with practicing graphic designers, a set of common activities and approaches was distilled. These commonalities—the things that all graphic designers seem to have in common—are visualized in two diagrams. RESULTS The two diagrams can be used as a basis for a critical review of current education in visual communication design, and they indicate a motivated and testable development for the coming years.