Blog #6

• In an interconnected world, what are the limitations of design when cultural, political, economic biological and environmental systems are increasingly open?

Well, it seems more so than not the limitations have to do with that of getting across to the end user. As the reading stated is it the fault of the designer or the reader or does it even matter when coming to terms if that user gets "it". I think the biggest limitation is the same one no matter what medium you would work with whether it be web, print, video, that the limitation comes to finding the audience of which your work is catered around, in order to communicate to them. Otherwise if the designer tries to cater to the larger scale in which on the web (where you can virtually find anything, ranging from a wide array of cultural, political, etc systems) I believe they won't communicate effectively and will limit themselves from anything but a bland design.

• Does new media present the “new” direction for design? Describe how new media does or does not present “new “ directions in design and provide an examples (links or screen grabs) to support your assertion.

I don't know if new media really puts a "new" direction on deign but it just changes the playing field a bit. I think that in actual design we still do crave a lot of the older ideals we have with design on how things should look and feel, although with the web we put more of a spin on it through connectivity and interaction. I think for designers a lot of the base principles of design are still being used although, we have things that aren't static and can interact with the user. I think we still try to adhere to the grid because it is a nice way to organize our information and an easier way to navigate. Although on top of that I believe we are at a point in which we are trying to capture the user's attention especially since we have come to a point of such media bombardment, where if we don't come up with something that really captures the user it is tossed aside from the rest of the media. I think a good example of this is http://www.minusthebear.com/index2.html. This site utilizes a very simple design that has a grid, structure, although puts a nice twist to the navigation bar that I haven't seen used before. I think it captures the user with something that is different but doesn't take away from the actual navigation or the bands site.

• Is it time for designers to reintegrate disparate fields in order to consider new directions in design? Give examples (with links or screen grabs) of some new ways that design might be considered. These do not have to be existing ways, just ways that might yield some new and interesting results.

I think for the most part that this has happened. I think for the most part a lot of new media tries to imitate print and many other mediums. Just like all other design websites use hierarchy, grid, structure such with print but at the same way I think a lot of the design used is trying to imitate art in many ways and forms.

• What is the next “big thing in design”? Why do you think so and based on what criteria? Provide examples to support your assertion.

To be honest, I have no freakin clue. As we are going right now technology is developing much faster than most of us can keep up with, and we are coming to such a point of instant gradification with our society that I think it will come across to something of that sort. I think we'll start seeing a lot more designers self-taught, which might bring some more ideas from other fields, although I think the new big thing in design will come from some sort of new medium, rather than web, or video. As Avery and Jeff said it may come from a truer 3D, as it seems like we are working more towards that but I think as we go we are trying to make things come faster.