GDE730 W4 | Lecture Review

Business / Project Plans and Communication

This week’s lecture included two case studies: 1. a conversation with Stuart Tolley, Emma Harveston, and Lucy Warburton of White Lion Publishing and Quarto Knows; and 2. a conversation between Stuart Tolley and Hamish Makgill of Studio Makgill

WHITE LION PUBLISHING

Stuart Tolley, creative director of Transmission, the agency hired to help create a series of books for Quarto and White Lion Publishing. He walks us through a conversation with editors, Emma Harveston and Lucy Warburton on the premise, planning, and production of such a series.

Lucy Warburton pitched the series to publisher, Quarto. She worked to secure the authors, the design agency, and publishing company staff to bring the series to live. One of the big take aways from the discussion was to be sure to manage expectations, and to ensure careful planning as to the key milestones and targets to ensure the success of the series. This requires serious project management and organization. There are many pieces to tend to whether it is commissioning designers, authors, proofreaders, and editors, or scheduling the distribution and consideration of how the series will appear and stand out in the crowded book marketplace. The books needed to have distinct branding, a continuity of style — given it was a series after all — and to attend to subject matter that would interest a wide-variety of readers.

Emma Harveston has stepped in to continue the series and spoke of the importance of focus-group testing, ensuring the subjects align to market viability, adn test-marketing in the field to aid in the success of an ongoing book series.

STUDIO MAKGILL

Stuart Tolley interviewed the creative director behind Studio Makgill, Hamish Makgill. They discussed Makgill’s beginning wherein he partnered with design school mate and best friend to form Red Design right out of college. Makgill spoke of not having much of a business plan or sense of compass in managaing the business. While Red Design experienced some successes, it was ultimately dissolved. Makgill regrouped and established his namesake Studio Makgill. This time, he was sure to spend time establishing a clear vision for his studio and the business plan. Now a studio of about six people (designers, studio manager, and himself as creative director), each position has a clear charge and purpose. He emphasizes the importance of knowing who you are and what you want your studio to represent as well as the type of clients you want to serve.

THE CLIENT IS NOT YOUR ENEMY

Additional resources point to a presentation given by Chris Do of The Futur design and strategy agency, Do points out key considerations to redefine your relationships with clients.

• Have a purpose. Beyond money, why do you exist?

• Have a big goal. Consider a quantum leap forward and who you become along the way.

• Let go of the “artist persona.” Unless you are creating art for yourself, you are in service to your clients. You work for them.

• Become more valuable = Get referrals >> Be happier.

• Be empathetic. Consider what it is like to be a client. Listen. Ask questions. Manage and set expectations.

• Clearly define goals. Take the time to understand what the client needs, not just what you want them to have.

• Use human language. Forgo the design-speak.

• Really, actively listen. Look out for “happy ears” i.e. hearing only what you want to hear. This will serve you in serving the client.

• Each question you ask should filter more as you progress, driving you closer to the solution.

• Keep an open mind.

• When appropriate: embrace and pivot.

• Ask the “3 whys” when faced with negative feedback.

• Once the client says, “yes",” SHUT UP.

• If they say, “no,” ask “why.”

• Provide solutions.

• Charge what you’re worth.

REFERENCE:

Falmouth University (2018). Business / Project Plans and Communication | Lecture. Studio and Entrepreneurship GDE730 19/20 Part-Time Study Block S2 (Falmouth, UK: Falmouth University)

Kourdi, J. (2009), Business Strategy: A Guide to Taking Your Business Forward. London: John Wiley & Sons

The Futur, Chris Do (2015), The Client Is Not Your Enemy: Redefining Your Client Relationship (Links to an external site.), [online video]. [Accessed 28 March 2019

GDE730 W4 | Workshop Challenge

WORKSHOP CHALLANGE

Create a format and structure for a new business plan. You have considered company philosophy, leadership, budgeting, IP, and now we want you to create a 3,000-word business plan that presents your proposal to your client. This plan will be used to write a client facing project, or as an outline for a potential studio launch or entrepreneurial idea or artIfact. This is very much a speculative exercise that will grow and evolve as you move through the rest of the course.

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LET’S MAKE A PLAN

The structure of the business plan document reflects the logical sequence of issues that need to be considered. It starts with a very broad-brush description of the company, gradually becomes more specific, and ends with detailed projections of financial activity.

The business planning process is an opportunity to evaluate your situation, think through every aspect of your operations in a thorough and systematic way, and bring everything into alignment. 

For my business plan, I built upon the previous challenge proposal document and elaborated to include the appropriate aspects of a proper business plan. Items included were:

• Executive summary

• Vision statement

• Mission statement

• Description of services

• Business environment and market trends

• Client case study

• Evaluation of your competition

• Sustainable advantage

• Marketing plan

• Operations plan

• Financial plan for the next three years

FINAL PIECE

The completed business plan for AttaGirl Design can be found here. You can see mockups of the final designed layout below:

REFERENCE:

Falmouth University (2018). Business / Project Plans and Communication | Lecture. History and Futures GDE720 19/20 Part-Time Study Block S2 (Falmouth, UK: Falmouth University)

Kourdi, J. (2009), Business Strategy: A Guide to Taking Your Business Forward. London: John Wiley & Sons

The Futur, Chris Do (2015), The Client Is Not Your Enemy: Redefining Your Client Relationship (Links to an external site.), [online video]. [Accessed 28 March 2019

GDE720 W4 | Workshop Challenge

PROJECTING A NEW PERSPECTIVE

How can data visualization help communicate issues about science, culture, or the environment?

This week we learned a variety of ways to tell stories using data visualization. I chose to leverage the 2019 San Francisco Point In Time Homeless Count and Survey Report for my data source. It is an annual report and summary that documents and details the state of homelessness in the city of San Francisco at a single point in time. This information is sourced through hundreds of interviews taking place all across the city. Over 600 community volunteers, City and County employees, and local community-based organizations assisted with all aspects of the count, from the initial planning meetings to the night of the count. 

It is then compiled into an 70+-page report.

The homelessness in San Francisco is often national news. Each of the city’s mayors has attempted to resolve this issue unsuccessfully, and not for the lack of trying. Each year over 300 million dollars are spent on the homeless crisis in San Francisco, yet the numbers of homeless continue to grow.

 The 2019 San Francisco Point In Time Homeless Count and Survey Report provides nearly eighty pages of data, which was more than enough for me to draw out some insights.

Looking at the last three years, it appears that the demographics of homelessness are shifting, yet the stigma or stereotypes are not. How many think of the homeless as addicted to drugs, criminals, or mentally unstable? I know I have.

When you read this report you can see that many of those that are without regular, self-made or supported ongoing shelter are actually just like you and me. They work, they pay bills, they have kids that go to school. They just don’t have a place to live.

Looking at five data points in particular, you can see how the stigma is off-base. The key insights I gathered are as follows (1-5, left-to-right):

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1. 70% of reported homeless are natives of San Francisco

2. 30% are homeless due to a loss in employment

3. 66% were living in their own home or with family or friends prior to becoming homeless

4. Most remain homeless because they cannot afford the sky-high cost of living in San Francisco

5. From 2017 to 2019, there has been a dramatic shift in where people are finding shelter. Fewer are living outdoors and nearly three times as many homeless are living in their cars as they were in 2017 compared to 2019

What does all of this mean? To me, I read this as we are leaving a large portion of our city’s own behind. There is now a tale of two San Franciscos: The “Haves” and the “Have Nots”.

I chose to illustrate my data visualization largely by hand and adding in texture and watercolor to connect the viewer to the very human issue that homelessness is. I also chose to leave the illustration of the city of San Francisco in black and white while coloring the data points in a subdued palette. This was to illustrate that these are living, breathing human beings that are left out. My visualizations were largely inspired by David McCandless via two of his books on data visualization: The Visual Miscellaneum, and Knowledge is Beautiful. Below is my final piece:

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A Tale of Two Cities: 2019 San Francisco Point in Time Homelessness Report

REFERENCE:

2019 San Francisco Point In Time Homeless Count and Survey Report. (2020). Retrieved from http://hsh.sfgov.org/research-reports/san-francisco-homeless-point-in-time-count-reports/

DiSalvo, Carl (2012), ‘Chapter 2: Revealing Hegemony: Agonistic Information Design’ in Adversarial Design,(Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press).

Falmouth University (2018). Projecting a New Perspective | Lecture. History and Futures GDE720 19/20 Part-Time Study Block S2 (Falmouth, UK: Falmouth University)

Forensic Architecture research agency at Goldsmiths, University of London (2018), What is Forensic Architecture?  17 July. (Accessed: 7th December 2018)

It’s Nice That (2018), Nicer Tuesdays: Offshore Studio  12 June, (Accessed: 7th December 2018)

McCandless, D. (2014). Knowledge is beautiful. New York, NY: Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers.

McCandless, D. (2012). The visual miscellaneum: a colorful guide to the worlds most consequential trivia. New York: Harper Design.

GDE720 W4 | Lecture Review

PROJECTING A NEW PERSPECTIVE

This week’s lecture finds us diving deeper into the significance and impact of information design including the relevant ethical responsibility and potential for manipulation and misuse of data.

CENSUS

Dating back to 1086AD with the Doomsday book that outlines detailed resources of residences within Britain, census data has been informing governments, organizations, and populations as to who, what, where, and how we are as a people, groups and subgroups, ideologies, demographics, migration, political and sexual orientations and our overall identity.

With the introduction of data behemoths such as Google and Facebook, when combined with the suspect abuse of power among current global leaders, it would be an understatement to say that people are afraid of Big Data, moreover, what is done or not done with our data. Data is used to tell stories of advantage and disadvantage, to influence, to persuade, and to create movements. All of which could be seen as potential misuse given context.

That said, data is also important for us to see the often unseen, serve the underserved, and shed light onto the darkness.

Banu Cennetoglu uses data to simply display and acknowledge the lives lost through migration.

SURVEY

In addition to the straightforward geospatial relationships between latitudes and longitudes, mapping and using survey as a way to express data can be used to inform public welfare, animal migration, military force and impact, crime, potential forest fires, space, and more. I worked for National Geographic in the Publishing Division, specifically for National Geographic Maps from 2005 until 2011. It was a truly expansive and impressive part of my career. I worked along cartographers to help National Geographic audiences learn across a myriad of subject matter. Some of my favorites include a bird migration map and a map of the universe (both shown below).

ANALYSIS

Forensic Architecture is an agency that specializes in using data for social justice. Data scientists, architects, filmmakers, sound engineers, and designers collaborate across discipline to recreate, theorize, or detect injustices in the world. They have helped victims to tell their stories, as well as shed light on the “why” of tragedies. For example, they are using crowdsources smartphone videos recorded during the Grenfell Tower fire to plot a 3D experience with the hopes of providing greater insight into how such a horrible tragedy could have occurred as well as provide a place for people to connect and share their experiences. With the call for new material, which can be submitted on a special website, the Grenfell Media Archive, Forensic Architecture aims to collect around 500 videos, as well as the testimonies of survivors and other eyewitnesses, which can help to create a coherent narrative of the events.

FORECASTING

Christopher Sanderson, Martin Raymond, co-founders and the team at The Future Laboratory, use data to forecast trends across a myriad of industry, subjects, and audiences. Their aim is to help brands and organizations find their way through a competitive landscape by being adequately informed, empowered, and inspired by the relevant data. Using a technique called “cultural triangulation,” the convergence of interrogation, observation, and intuition, The Future Laboratory helps people to find out what’s next and identify future needs.

ENGAGE

By experimenting and exploring the different ways and means to understand and digest data, there is a greater opportunity for engagement, context, and clarity. Finding new expressions that reveal a bigger, more robust picture can bring people together, as well has provide a wider perspective and sense of understanding. For example, the We Are Here project, by artist Jeremy Deller uses actors in era-appropriate costumes to reenact and remind audiences of the World War II soldier experience and sacrifice. This creates an interactivity and engagement that reading a text or reviewing an infographic outlining death tolls across a population. This creates a sensory experience, one that is dimensional, living, and breathing.

REFERENCE:

DiSalvo, Carl (2012), ‘Chapter 2: Revealing Hegemony: Agonistic Information Design’ in Adversarial Design ,(Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press).

Falmouth University (2018). Projecting a New Perspective | Lecture. History and Futures GDE720 19/20 Part-Time Study Block S2 (Falmouth, UK: Falmouth University)

Forensic Architecture research agency at Goldsmiths, University of London (2018), What is Forensic Architecture?  17 July. (Accessed: 7th December 2018)

Kafka, G. (2018, March 27). Forensic Architecture Is Investigating the Grenfell Tower Fire. Retrieved from https://www.metropolismag.com/ideas/forensic-architecture-grenfell-tower-fire/

It’s Nice That (2018), Nicer Tuesdays: Offshore Studio , 12 June, (Accessed: 7th December 2018)

Website Services & Coordination Staff, & US Census Bureau. (1994, March 1). Metro Area Density Moving Outward From City Hall. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/dataviz/visualizations/054/

GDE740 W4 | Workshop Challenge

THE CHALLENGE

1. Choose one of the four preselected ‘Industry Set’ project briefs that you would like to develop and deliver over the next eight weeks.

2. Research and discover three creative studios, agencies or practitioners who have created competing projects in a similar field to your chosen brief.

3. Write a 200 word synopsis for each of the three competing projects, to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.

I’ve chosen to pursue the Competition Live Brief: Creative Conscience. It really resonated with me from a social justice perspective. 

THREE AGENCIES

The DandAD Golden Pencil awards was where I chose to start my research. I felt that in many ways the agencies I’ve identified are competing in 1. the same space: brand recognition through advocacy, 2. the same cause: equality, and lastly, in the same award competition and competition category: the 2019 DandAD Golden Pencil Awards’ “Creativity for Good” | Advertising: Brand category

What each of these agencies and their clients had was success through the strengths of their combined efforts. I’ve summarized exactly how for each below.

“Walking the Talk” Quotient

The challenge was to find a weakness. I had to look beyond the campaigns themselves and to those creating the work and doing the hiring in terms of their inherent commitment to the causes by which brought them together to establish a rating of weakness.

Do these companies (the agencies or the brands they work for) walk the talk? I evaluated this by two markers: 1. Does their website offer any information about their own commitment to diversity and inclusion, and 2. Do they inspire or direct those visiting their site a way to get involved? For each, I’ve denoted this as “More Information” and “Take Action” in the “Weakness” sections under each agency.

Agency One: McCann New York
Client: MGM Resorts
“Universal Love”

The MGM Resorts partnered with McCann New York to rewrite six iconic love songs with six iconic artists to express a commitment to diversity and inclusion for one of the most iconic places in America committed to the commitment of love: Las Vegas, Nevada. Artists including Bob Dylan, St. Vincent, and Kesha rewrote the lyrics to six historically cis-gendered love songs to be performed in a way that emulates inclusivity for all love --  especially the LGBTQ community -- to reimagine wedding songs. The album was also beautifully design with vibrant iconography and symbology.

Strength word: REIMAGINING

This campaign is authentic: real issue, real people, real change. It is approachable and highly accessible given the chosen platform: music. It successfully rewrites a legacy exclusivity to romantic song using iconic mega stars of the music industry: both young and old to break a stigma that love songs are just for the cisgendered. The promotional video for the project used real subjects facing exclusivity to love songs and spoke from their own experiences. Further, the line-up of artists are either members of the LGBTQ community themselves, or notable advocates. What makes it exceptionally successful is the ripple effect it had on the music industry wherein other notable artists like She & Him took up the charge to evaluate lyrics and inclusivity to publish and perform modified songs themselves. 

Strength Grade: 5

Weakness:

AGENCY: McCann

I could not find much from McCann on diversity and inclusion on their New York or Global website. Further, I found very few people of color on their New York or Global leadership roster. They do participate and publish various studies stemming from truth, called the “Truth About Research,” many of which touch on the issues within the diversity and inclusion context. If you drilled down far enough you could find ways to get involved or learn more. That said, there was no call to action or way to learn more on the topic of diversity and inclusion at a top-level. 

Once you take off your archeology gloves and take a rest from the deep excavation on their site, it’s clear that they are interested in doing great work for important causes. They need to do far better making it clear where they stand as an organization and how visitors to their site can take action on topics they believe in. 

Weakness Level: 2.75.

CLIENT: MGM Resorts

It is clear how committed the MGM Resort corporation is to diversity and inclusion. You can easily find to what degree in their ABOUT section on their website with multiple ways to learn more and get involved. 

Weakness Level: 0
Weakness Average: 1.375 

Overall grade (Strength - Weakness) = 3.625



Agency Two: 180Heartbeats + JUNG v MATT
Client: Ben & Jerry's
“Unbreakable Rainbow”

Agency collaborators, 180Heartbeats + JUNG v MATT, partnered with Ben & Jerry's to design an innovative response to ongoing hate crimes against the LGBTQ community in Warsaw, Poland via the destruction of a rainbow sculpture that had been built and then burned down -- seven times.

Strength word: INNOVATIVE

This campaign is so unbelievably impressive to me. The final piece, an environmental work of art, designed to use water and light to reflect an unbreakable, fireproof, rainbow arch in the same location that the previous sculptures had been built and destroyed. Ben & Jerry's was on the ground to serve non-branded ice cream to onlookers and participants which speaks to their longstanding commitment to social and civic equality in a way that is: memorable, inspiring, and resilient.

Strength Grade: 5

Weakness: 

AGENCY: 180heartbeat & JUNG + MATT

I found absolutely no information about diversity and inclusion on 180’s website. They don’t even express the overall culture of their organization in any way, just the work they’ve done and the awards they’ve one. Big missed opportunity here.

Weakness Level: 5

CLIENT: Ben & Jerry's

Ben & Jerry's has been a values-driven advocate for social justice and civil rights since its inception in 1978. They have advocated for LGBTQ equality, racial justice, peace, climate advocacy and much more. They do not hide or shy away from where they stand and are proud enough to name their products after causes that are dear to them and make it really easy to learn more and get involved. It’s a true shame the agency they work with isn’t more transparent or forthright in this area and especially odd given Ben & Jerry’s commitment to social justice across it’s mission and organization. I am guessing their unlikely parent company, Unilever, had a hand in agency selection.

Weakness Level: 0
Weakness Average: 2.5

Overall grade (Strength - Weakness) = 2.5

Agency Three: TBWA/Hakuhodo
Client: AIG Japan
“Pride Jersey”

AIG Japan, a globally recognized leader in insurance, partnered with TBWA/Hakuhodo to take on diversity and inclusion on two really challenging fronts: the culture of Japan, and the global sports industry. 

Strength word: BRAVE

TBWA/Hakuhod developed a revolutionary approach to fabric design in which the end result was an innovative black fabric that when stretched revealed all the colors of the rainbow -- the symbol of strength and unity in the LGBTQ community known worldwide. Further they cleverly partnered with one of the most “macho” of sports and teams within that sport, the All Blacks rugby team from New Zealand. Creating a “Diversity is Strength” message across a global industry that has struggled to fully realize true diversity and inclusion that is sports when paired with the socio-cultural legacy that continues to dog inclusivity in Japan, this campaign is bold, brave, creative, clever, and strong - in both end product design, campaign messaging and leveraging heroes in sport as influencers. 

Strength Grade: 5

Weakness: 

AGENCY: TBWA/Hakuhodo

TBWA’s global site provides a visiter pretty quick entry to their values system and opportunities to learn more about what they believe in as well as ways to get involved. It could be a bit easier to navigate to, but with minimal effort, you can get right to the good stuff.

Weakness Level: .5

CLIENT: AIG Japan

AIG Japan has a robust offering of insights into how the organization (both regionally and globally) values and respects diversity and inclusion. They are members of the Ikuboss Corporate Alliance, an initiative born out of the nonprofit, Fathering Japan that teaches counter cultural approaches to parenting for fathers in Japan as well as supporting women in the workplace and leadership among many others. They do not, however, offer a way to take action on any of their declared causes, which is a missed opportunity. 

Weakness Level: 1.5
Weakness Average: 1

Overall grade (Strength - Weakness) = 4 - THE WINNER!

IN SUMMARY

It matters not only who you are, how you represent yourself, but also what you believe in, how you support what you believe in and make that known as well as if not as important who you partner with to make that stand out.

REFERENCE

Design Indaba, (2015) Michael Bierut on how to think like a designer. https://youtu.be/eDXonHctFjM.
Design Indaba, (2013) Marian Bantjes & Jessica Hische on becoming (and staying) successful. https://youtu.be/jmOPjmJgOs4.