It's a Process...

Like so many other trades, design is more a skill to be learned than a natural talent. Yes, of course there are those who are naturally talented in design, but it is also something that can be taught and practiced. There are principles and rules to follow, and those who are experienced in it can guide you on right and wrong and how to bend the rules to help you achieve a vision.

Graduate school for design was a hard road, but I learned more than I ever thought I could, and I would love the opportunity to share some of it with you.

Each Project is a Journey

In the University of Iowa's 3D Design program, it generally works the same way for every class once you pass through the prerequisite courses. You are given a prompt to fulfill a certain design challenge, and by the end of the semester you should have a working prototype. This prompt could be anything from "make a soft chair" to "design and 3D model a shopping mall". The prompt may have more or less rules in place regarding materials and methods depending upon the course, but typically it is left relatively open ended.

From there you set off on a journey to design a product that is both functional and attractive to your client - the instructor.

The class runs on a weekly basis. Rather than going to a lecture hall or a classroom where you sit at a desk, instead, you sit around a large table. Here, one by one, you share your ideas, plans and problems that need solving for your design. Once you are done sharing, the room is open to comments, conversation, and opinions about how to advance your design for the next week. Your fellow students help in finding creative solutions to your design problems and suggestions are made on aesthetics, materials, methods, colors and forms. Maybe the instructor has some techniques that need to be taught, or design rules that must be lectured, but typically the students are just as much a part of the conversation as the instructor is.

I loved this method of learning because often times the eldest and most experienced students would lead the conversation while the newer students sat and listened and learned. It fosters a cycle where the newer students eventually blossom into the most experienced individuals and it creates a beautiful dynamic that allows for experiential learning and leadership.

On top of that, in listening to other students' design problems and solutions, you quickly build an arsenal of tools that can then be used on your own designs in the future. You hear about what others have researched, uplifting and educating the entire class on a plethora of different materials and techniques. You learn and grow together.