‘First Things First’ original manifesto from 1964

Overview

For this week’s reading and discussion be sure to review the section on Authorship & the Social Responsibility Movement of the New Millennium in the Week 12 Agenda.

Let’s take a look at Rick Poynor’s 2021 Eye on Design essay The Evolving Legacy of Ken Garland’s First Things First Manifesto from 1960, examine the later versions in 2000, 2014, and 2020, and consider how technology and graphic authorship have influenced social responsibility in design.

Instructions

Following the instructions below, read and annotate the text with your classmates in our Hypothesis group. We will not be writing reading responses this week, but rather adding comments and peer feedback to this post.

1. Open the readings

In a new tab open the essay The Evolving Legacy of Ken Garland’s First Things First Manifesto. For reference, open the original ‘First Things First’ from 1964 and the later versions in 2000, 2014, and 2020.

2. Enable Hypothesis

The reading links above will automatically open Hypothesis. Login to your account and select our group (IMPORTANT!) from the dropdown to make sure your annotations and highlights will be recorded in the group. See Using Hypothesis for details.

3. Consider these questions.

Here are the questions to which you should respond in this reading discussion:

  • When you compare the original version of FTF from 1964 with the later versions in 2000, 2014, and 2020, is there a central message/call to designers that hasn’t changed?
  • What are the authors of the manifesto rejecting in the design field?
  • What stood out to you in the newest version of the First Things First manifesto, FTF 2020?
  • How did technology affect the authorship of the ‘First Things First’ manifesto over the decades?

4. Read & Annotate.

Consider the questions/prompts listed above. Start to formulate the answers to these prompts while you practice close reading of the essay with annotations. This will be part of your grade. Share at least 3 annotations in the Hypothesis group, including your questions, definitions, and ideas with your classmates. Add the tags: Social Responsibility and Discussion Week 12 to your annotations.

When you annotate, be sure to define or break down any words or concepts that you do not understand.

5. Draft your Comments.

In your Research Journal, add the links to The Evolving Legacy of Ken Garland’s First Things First Manifesto by Rick Poynor in Eye on Design, the original ‘First Things First’ from 1964 by Ken Garland, and the later versions in 2000, 2014, and 2020.

Compose your thoughts about the questions/prompts above.

6. Comment and provide feedback

Add your response to the reading and prompts in a comment to this Discussion post.

Respond to other comments at least twice. Avoid comments like, “Yes, I agree.” Provide details on what specifically you agree with and add value to this Discussion with a follow-up question or additional observations.

Due Date(s)

Your comments and follow-up feedback on the reading discussion are due Wednesday, 11:59 pm before our next Thursday class.

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