AgIdeas Conference 2013

Hi all!
Last week that design went to the beautiful city of MELBOURNE for a creative conference called AgIdeas, and listened to some inspiring designers from different creative industries. Although it was only for a few days, there was so much to learn and soak up. I myself am still processing it all, and the knowledge that so many shared with us will be something I won’t forget.
So what did I learn? I wouldn’t even know yet how to put it all into words yet, However I have found 8 key points which were talked about which have left me with more to think about.
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No. 1
DESIGN IS CULTURE
In our world we are surrounded by design, where it is good or bad. In a message from German designer Herbert Birnbach he stated:

“It is designers who teach us our culture”.
This shows the importance in the work we do in communicating to the public. Culture is something that we learn from what we see, and it is important that as designers we remember this when we create for the general public. Soren Luckins also said:
“We guide the public… do something that is good and contributes”.
He also explains that it is our job to guide the public.
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No. 2
DESIGN SHOULD BE FUN
Although communicating culture is something which creates a level of seriousness in what we do as designers, we also need to make sure that our design process and the message we communicate is fun. This seemed to be something touched on by a few speakers. Herbert Birnbach emphasized that:

“design should be fun, for the client, and for the people who make it”.

If we do not make designs which are fun, how can we expect to engage with our audiences?

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No. 3
LEARN ON THE FLY

Soren Luckins began skeaking about this topic with a statement: “I’ll end my time on this earth still learning”. This process of learning needs to be embraced in order to gain from it. We will never know everything, but this is a good thing. When we are always learning we create new things and develop concepts.
“To create new you need to be soaking up new”.
Andy Stalman also stressed the importance of this learning process in his message. “You cannot discover a new world with an old map”. He also talked about our comfort zones and the need for us to step outside these in order to learn. You are never in your comfort zone, as designers we need to think of new things and push further. He then goes on to explain that in learning, it is also important that we learn together as a team. “We is the new Me”.

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No.4
TELL STORIES
When we tell stories, and believe in what we are saying, we are one step closer to making other people believe. Our job as designers is to make our client believe in the design and that it is what they need. Soren Luckins spoke further on this and explained that work needs to have a narrative and a story to give it strength. This Strength is what sells things.

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No. 5
NOT ALL CLIENTS WANT GREAT WORK
This is an ugly truth about the industry as stated by David Nobay. Great is something which is open for interpretation and what we think is great is not always what someone else thinks is great.

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No. 6
DESIGN WITH EMOTION
George Poonkhin Khut’s work in biofeedback encourages us to take something which is found inside and externalise it. In doing this we need to find an experience which is felt inside a person and express it in a way which can be communicated with others and understood.

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No. 7
BE EXCENTRIC ABOUT THE DESIGN YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT
This is something I learned from listening to the beautiful Gemma O’Brien who is a typographist and illustrator. Gemma’s love of typography is something which has inspired me to be excentric about the design which I’m passionate about. Her love of typography has lead her to think outside the square and create designs which people want. It even lead her to write over her entire body and walk down the streets of Sydney in a campaign to promote writing on designated graffiti spaces rather than someone elses property.
Youtube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz3lXu3VxVg
Be passionate in what you do!
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No. 8
GET GOOD AT BEING REJECTED
The Voice design studio, Scott and Anthony:
“Sometimes a great idea doesn’t work out intellectually and clients reject our ideas, leaving us on our arses”.
Rejection of designs is something we all have to deal with in our careers, this doesn’t mean we are bad designers, it just means that the client doesn’t want their ideas represented in this way. When our ideas are rejected, it is important not to give up and to pick ourselves up.
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So what do I take away from this experience?
That is something which I am still figuring out. But I hope that the inspiration I’ve gained and the things I’ve learned will help me in pushing my ideas further and becoming a stronger designer.
Blog written by Amy Sonter