With the purpose of increasing the members of this design discussion group, I describe below my intentions and my relationship with this issue. Thus, I hope all those who don’t know me or have no idea of my thoughts can understand the points I present here.
So time ago, I put a phrase in my blog which I used to say to get me on the way: “If I do those things I always did, I just get those things I always got”. Using this phrase as motivation, I started asking to myself what I was doing to improve my profession, and consequently, my future. The answer was it wasn’t good enough.
However, I knew if I want the results of my actions be effective and last for a long time, I couldn’t take up this cup alone. The problems I’ve got with social works had shown me that. And as the market always requested a pro-active behavior from me, I found that could be worth try again once more.
Then, firstly I thought to help my friends and get something in turn: see the collective. And as soon as I exposed my intentions for them, I started a personal research work aiming to get prepared for the movement growth. After all, despite of my current job (it is not a kind of job you can see strictly as a designer job) I’ve never stop following what was happing with my colleagues. Thus, based on my research and my professional experience, bellow follows my own opinion about how to continue and maintain this movement.
The problems we encounter in our profession are the same in all places: lack of opportunities, competition from “fake designers”, etc. So, following the principle that says “together we stand, dived we fall”, I believe the best way to start a reaction would be organize periodic meetings composed of both professionals and students to discuss solutions instead of problems.
Meetings like these create ideas and opportunities, what in turn generate solutions, forming a productive cycle from which a new reality will rise. And the best way to carry out all this is in an organized fashion. But walking from conceptual and perfect world to the real world demands a lot of patience and compromise, especially when disagreements come up. And these are the moments we must continue discussing until everybody be convinced that the action chosen is the best one.
We must innovate and collect high quality information, adapting ourselves to environment transformations and being sensible to changes. We need use our creativity to seek new ideas without being bound by examples from the past.
Each single place has your own reality. We cannot get intimidated when facing lack of choices or possibilities. It is necessary to provide educational support to professionals and stimulate their enterprising capacity, and associations, like discussion groups, play a main role in this context.
Firstly, such associations help to promote and develop professionals. Secondly, associations have more credibility before the society, because they do not have, in general, lucrative ends and work in favor of the collective.
Associations may have a physical place as meeting point in which social-oriented works are conducted through workshops, combining the background from experienced professionals with the willingness of students and recently graduated professionals.
With regards of the inclusion of students in the market, special care must be taken. We had to direct them and intercede on the university programs, which sometimes do not match with the market requirements.
It is also important to build a data base with a set of relevant references from our area and to schedule periodic activities, such as courses, talks and workshops, all of those directed to students, designers and professionals from related fields.
The advertisement of the actions taken by the associations is fundamental is also important. The kinds and mediums of announcement can be simple (e.g. reports, bulletins, websites, etc.), but must be well-spread, periodic and up-to-date. Indeed, small actions are better then nothing.
The current situation forces us to ask for support from companies, supplies and final consumers. By this way, the quality and efficiency of the professional would be certificated. Here, the point is credibility, i.e., exceed client’s expectations, promoting tranquility and satisfaction.
In 1996 was created the Brazilian Design Program (Programa Brasileiro de Design, PBD), whose aim was to qualify the national exportation and by means of this become the national product more competitive. As a result, many local design programs arose, and discussions at several levels took place. This initiative, besides forming a group of professionals willing to work, changed the mind of the Brazilian market and authorities, making them to look at design as an economic and strategically vital activity.
Nowadays, even with the huge distortions and simplifications, design is an activity recognized as essential for those who want qualify and make their products more competitive.
Entrepreneurs and marking executives already know when to call a designer. They know the how far our services go. The market has already perceived the difference.
Is up to us do our job to keep this position and correct the distortions.
Author: Edson Ramos
English version: Marco Antonio Jonack.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário