Comments for Northern Ireland Design Alliance http://www.nidesignalliance.com Good Design Practice Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on In support of the middle by Julie Oakley http://www.nidesignalliance.com/articles/practice/in-support-of-the-middle/#comment-4361 Julie Oakley Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:57:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=931#comment-4361 This is so well written and expresses something I've felt for many years. This is so well written and expresses something I’ve felt for many years.

]]> Comment on Interested in a career in design – where do you start? by net curtains http://www.nidesignalliance.com/articles/interested-in-a-career-in-design-where-do-you-start/#comment-4359 net curtains Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:13:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=103#comment-4359 Interior design and decorating careers conjure up beautiful colors, funky design stylings and reality based TV shows featuring perky hosts. Interior design and decorating careers conjure up beautiful colors, funky design stylings and reality based TV shows featuring perky hosts.

]]> Comment on In support of the middle by Andrea Austoni http://www.nidesignalliance.com/articles/practice/in-support-of-the-middle/#comment-4356 Andrea Austoni Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:15:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=931#comment-4356 Walter Gropius said of traditional art schools that they only concentrated on the top students. The Bauhaus concentrated on the average ones, making everybody better instead of only fostering the few chosen ones who happend to have a smite of advantage over their mates. Walter Gropius said of traditional art schools that they only concentrated on the top students. The Bauhaus concentrated on the average ones, making everybody better instead of only fostering the few chosen ones who happend to have a smite of advantage over their mates.

]]> Comment on In support of the middle by Darragh http://www.nidesignalliance.com/articles/practice/in-support-of-the-middle/#comment-4350 Darragh Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:41:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=931#comment-4350 What Mike said Richard, except, I've seen your work and - dammit - I look up to you. You are that talented. Completely agree with pretty much everything here but could never put it quite so succinctly. What Mike said Richard, except, I’ve seen your work and – dammit – I look up to you. You are that talented. Completely agree with pretty much everything here but could never put it quite so succinctly.

]]> Comment on In support of the middle by Mike http://www.nidesignalliance.com/articles/practice/in-support-of-the-middle/#comment-4349 Mike Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:01:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=931#comment-4349 Awesome post Richard. Eloquently written and beautifully argued. Love it. Awesome post Richard. Eloquently written and beautifully argued. Love it.

]]> Comment on Seminar: Sandra Scott, Digital Executive Producer/Head of Production at Walt Disney’s ImageMovers Digital (IMD) by Tony Woods http://www.nidesignalliance.com/events/seminar-sandra-scott-digital-executive-producerhead-of-production-at-walt-disneys-imagemovers-digital-imd/#comment-4346 Tony Woods Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:58:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=650#comment-4346 Another fantastic speaker and interesting debate. Another fantastic speaker and interesting debate.

]]> Comment on Martin Lambie-Nairn by Tony Woods http://www.nidesignalliance.com/events/martin-lambie-nairn/#comment-4345 Tony Woods Thu, 08 Sep 2011 14:55:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=123#comment-4345 This was a fantastic event. I have admired this man's work from afar for many years. His simplicity of approach and intelligence of thought should be an inspiration to us all. This was a fantastic event. I have admired this man’s work from afar for many years. His simplicity of approach and intelligence of thought should be an inspiration to us all.

]]> Comment on What will improve design in Northern Ireland? by Mark http://www.nidesignalliance.com/discuss/what-will-improve-design-in-northern-ireland/#comment-4344 Mark Thu, 05 May 2011 13:36:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=3#comment-4344 To me there are a range of factors that will ultimately improve design in this Country. I chose graphic design as a career path when I left school in 1995 because I thought it sounded like a cool job. Way Hey! Sounds stupid now but I had no idea what I was getting into. Career advisors and teachers alike had no idea what the job really entailed. I thought, what da hell and gave it a go! I didn't go to university. Instead I chose to work my way up through studios and agencies. I was ahead of a lot of my peers at the time who were on the same career path, this was due to real hands on experience. I was given a chance by certain people who seen potential in me. But I worked for it. I put in long hours, with a thirst to be the best, different and all of that. All I know is that no-one is going to hand you a design placement necessarily because you have a degree. I'm self taught. Lots of hours reading books and teaching myself. I'm still learning - new techniques, programs and skills. Relevant experience is crucial. However, In order to get the jobs I wanted I tried to show how creative I could be with CV's. Every major position that I got was through a well crafted CV. The Portfolio is another. My motto when I was training was… if you don't have the work - make it up! Show what you can do. Take a major brand and and re-invent it, If it's good enough, why not even send it to the brand and be pro-active. Self belief is a very powerful thing. I got every job I ever went for by showing my thirst for design. Education is also very important but I think there is too much emphasis on theory and not enough practicality. One way around this might be for universities to set up some sort of incubator for designers to get real hands on experience. Maybe by starting on their own advertising in house. Invest in attracting experienced designers to play a role as creative directors to train the kids. If the price is going up for education, maybe their is an argument for pupils to be able to earn it back through university ran studios/agencies that allow the kids the chance to pay back their loans and earn real money in the process. Just a thought. Northern Ireland to me, feels like the small enterprise capital of the world. Everyone is out for a bargain. This has a role in that it is inevitable that designers will lower costs to react to the market and demand of customers. This cheapens and de-values design. I should know I've been guilty of it myself. Investment of large companies might help, but only if they buy their services here. What might also help design would be to try and encourage more large international agencies back to this country who will attract the big spenders in advertising and so on. This will allow local talent to show what it's really made of. If you're good… you're good and that's it. Somebody once told me that you're only limited by your own imagination - I think that's bang on. To me there are a range of factors that will ultimately improve design in this Country. I chose graphic design as a career path when I left school in 1995 because I thought it sounded like a cool job. Way Hey! Sounds stupid now but I had no idea what I was getting into. Career advisors and teachers alike had no idea what the job really entailed. I thought, what da hell and gave it a go! I didn’t go to university. Instead I chose to work my way up through studios and agencies. I was ahead of a lot of my peers at the time who were on the same career path, this was due to real hands on experience. I was given a chance by certain people who seen potential in me. But I worked for it. I put in long hours, with a thirst to be the best, different and all of that. All I know is that no-one is going to hand you a design placement necessarily because you have a degree. I’m self taught. Lots of hours reading books and teaching myself. I’m still learning – new techniques, programs and skills. Relevant experience is crucial. However, In order to get the jobs I wanted I tried to show how creative I could be with CV’s. Every major position that I got was through a well crafted CV. The Portfolio is another. My motto when I was training was… if you don’t have the work – make it up! Show what you can do. Take a major brand and and re-invent it, If it’s good enough, why not even send it to the brand and be pro-active. Self belief is a very powerful thing. I got every job I ever went for by showing my thirst for design.

Education is also very important but I think there is too much emphasis on theory and not enough practicality. One way around this might be for universities to set up some sort of incubator for designers to get real hands on experience. Maybe by starting on their own advertising in house. Invest in attracting experienced designers to play a role as creative directors to train the kids. If the price is going up for education, maybe their is an argument for pupils to be able to earn it back through university ran studios/agencies that allow the kids the chance to pay back their loans and earn real money in the process. Just a thought.

Northern Ireland to me, feels like the small enterprise capital of the world. Everyone is out for a bargain. This has a role in that it is inevitable that designers will lower costs to react to the market and demand of customers. This cheapens and de-values design. I should know I’ve been guilty of it myself.

Investment of large companies might help, but only if they buy their services here.
What might also help design would be to try and encourage more large international agencies back to this country who will attract the big spenders in advertising and so on. This will allow local talent to show what it’s really made of. If you’re good… you’re good and that’s it.

Somebody once told me that you’re only limited by your own imagination – I think that’s bang on.

]]> Comment on How can design in NI flourish in difficult economic times? by Chris Black http://www.nidesignalliance.com/discuss/how-can-design-in-northern-ireland-flourish-in-difficult-economic-times/#comment-4343 Chris Black Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:25:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=384#comment-4343 I agree with Stephen McCreight's comment, "NIDA I think should as it's number one priority, be focusing on educating not so much designers themselves but the wider industry and business community and the public at large on the value of design." From experience, designers in Northern Ireland suffer both in pocket and portfolio. Clients want exactly what they ask for, "because they're paying for it" instead of realising that they are really paying for the valuable input of an experienced designer. More business owners need to learn (or be taught) to have respect for the design industry. How this educational process is carried out is a difficult one and could potentially take generations. A step in the right direction would be an initiative from the design "authorities and organisations” to directly target and educate business owners on the topic of clear communication, added value and the inevitable increase in profit. I use the word target as requesting their attendance to an event focused on design, would be an instant turn off - but reaching into their office promoting good design could prove very successful for them, us and the design industry. I agree with Stephen McCreight’s comment, “NIDA I think should as it’s number one priority, be focusing on educating not so much designers themselves but the wider industry and business community and the public at large on the value of design.”

From experience, designers in Northern Ireland suffer both in pocket and portfolio. Clients want exactly what they ask for, “because they’re paying for it” instead of realising that they are really paying for the valuable input of an experienced designer. More business owners need to learn (or be taught) to have respect for the design industry.

How this educational process is carried out is a difficult one and could potentially take generations. A step in the right direction would be an initiative from the design “authorities and organisations” to directly target and educate business owners on the topic of clear communication, added value and the inevitable increase in profit.

I use the word target as requesting their attendance to an event focused on design, would be an instant turn off – but reaching into their office promoting good design could prove very successful for them, us and the design industry.

]]> Comment on What will improve design in Northern Ireland? by Sfeeney http://www.nidesignalliance.com/discuss/what-will-improve-design-in-northern-ireland/#comment-4341 Sfeeney Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:51:00 +0000 http://www.nidesignalliance.com/?p=3#comment-4341 Having studied design here in Ireland at the University of Ulster and in England at Northumbria University I would say the quality of education provided here is superior, our weak point is industrial connections. We are lacking innovative companies with too many promising designers forced to leave the country or constrain there creativity in an unsuitable role here in Ireland. Our designers seem to be going straight from college into factories rather than the more nurturing consultancies available to graduates across the sea. The problem doesnt lie with the universities but the professionals in this country unwilling/unable to provide graduates with RELEVANT experience. Having studied design here in Ireland at the University of Ulster and in England at Northumbria University I would say the quality of education provided here is superior, our weak point is industrial connections. We are lacking innovative companies with too many promising designers forced to leave the country or constrain there creativity in an unsuitable role here in Ireland. Our designers seem to be going straight from college into factories rather than the more nurturing consultancies available to graduates across the sea. The problem doesnt lie with the universities but the professionals in this country unwilling/unable to provide graduates with RELEVANT experience.

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