Armstrong, Helen. “Introduction: Revisiting the Avant-Garde” Graphic Design Theory: Readings From the Field, Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Pages 9-15. 

  • According to this author, what role should design play in society?
  • What distinguishes the field, or fields, of design from other creative occupations?
  • Why should designers concern themselves with unsolvable theoretical questions?
  • What role does technology play in shaping design?
  • What are the most urgent problems facing designers today?
  • How, and why, is a designer responsible for solving these problems?

The role that design should play in society should be that designers should challenge their societies. More so that they are able to come up with possible solutions to questions and digging deep into theoretical discussions from the past and present. Designers should engage in social issues, not just corporate businesses. 

What makes the fields of design distinguishable from other creative occupations would be that it is supposed to be objective and neutral. It is straightforward, it’s not abstract, nor it’s subjective. It’s about clarity.

Designers should concern themselves with unsolvable theoretical questions because it helps put a designer in a frame of mind whether this is the right way or not. If something were to happen how would they react? Being involved in things like societal problems and global affairs can create a sense of universality on how they approach and present their works to people of different cultural aspects.  

The role technology plays in shaping design would be that designers are using software applications to protocols for creating their work, which slowly gains universality in their own works. That it’s not going back in the past, instead it goes for a mass of people, culturally and globally. Also designers engage in social politics and culture. Not just that but designers who work on creating their own designs, which gives them an artistic presence. It changes the dynamic of the producer-consumer relationship.

Problems that designers are facing today is the rapid change of technology. Since there are tools and softwares that are easy and accessible to use just for anyone. Being unique, It can become harder on the designer to get an offer because they can be at risk to be sidelined if they don’t position themselves in the prosumer culture. Which authorship hinders the use of being able to create an idea off of someone else’s work. 

A designer is responsible for solving these problems because not only that they studied to be in this profession but they are professionals at doing their work. A client would want someone who can make their ideas come true. A designer’s expertise in designing the work would do more than a client doing it themselves.