Dangerous Ideas About Design Education

A recent article in Print Magazine by James Victore made me think about the rigorous theory-based design program I went through at the Kansas City Art Institute and how it has shaped my perspective of the field as well as influenced my practice as a freelancer and an agency designer. The premise of the 2010 Graphic Design senior show was "Unusual Behavior." My classmates and I developed this theme based on the theories and practices drilled into us throughout our three years in the program:

"The human mind is prone to pre-determined linear thought. This kind of thinking is problematic in a designer's process to innovation and creative solutions. And so we have been taught otherwise, to push the limits of our notions about graphic design and how it works—to behave unusually."

Some highlights from Victore's article Dangerous Ideas About Design Education:

"Weird is good; it's an anomaly and it's unique. I teach on the simple premise that the things that made you weird as a kid make you great as an adult—but only if you pay attention to them."

"Design is not math. This is what makes the work hard. There are no right answers and very few wrong answers."

"Know that not all clients deserve your attention. Designers are not one-size-fits-all."

"Have boundaries. Be able to say NO and to never learn the taste of shit."

"Enjoy your work and the process. If you don't enjoy it, how can you expect anyone else to?" 

Though I'm usually not one to boast, KCAI was recently named one of the 2015 Top Design Schools by Graphic Design USA.