U.S. Design Policy Initiative Video Campaign
By Erin Weber
I was happy to come across Allison Arieff’s New York Times article “Designs on Policy” just as our editorial staff began working on the content for the next Catalyst publication. In the article, Allison touches on various design opportunities related to the American economy. Her discussion parallels the theme of our upcoming issue: “Designing Climate Safe Economies.”
In the article, Allison tackles the importance of redesigning the current financial system and the convoluted documentation and information graphics that accompany our current tax, banking and lending procedures. For instance, the institution of a simple fact sheet for credit card applicants such as the one proposed here.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSczizV8Eqc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Edesignpolicy%2Eorg%2Fusdp%2F2009%2F03%2Fus%2Ddesign%2Dpolicys%2Dnecessity%2Dviral%2Dvideo%2Dcampaign%2Dlaunches%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded]
“Designs on Policy” even revisits the design of paper money through the mention of a recent design competition called “ReDe$ign.” The submissions make for visual and intellectual inspiration. My personal favorite, “Buying into Thin Air,” uses the visual design of money as a reminder of the true value of currency. The copy and illustrations could use some refinement, but the concept is a great one for our debt-laden society!
The article dives further into the discussion of developing a National Design Policy as a means of building economic competitiveness through the quality and legibility of information, volume of successful innovation and other values presented in the YouTube video above. The video’s speaker, Dori Turnstall, is the organizer of the U.S. National Design Policy Initiative. If you haven’t seen them already, I suggest taking a look at the policy proposals the U.S. National Design Policy Initiative is promoting in Washington.
Unfortunately, some of the comments in response to Allison’s article were written by those who assume a design policy would stifle creativity instead of taking the time to read the proposals and understand them as being a means for giving design a voice and credibility toward the development of our economic future.
The next edition of Catalyst, Designing Climate Safe Economies, will tackle many of these issues through the lens of the global community in the hopes of learning from countries that have had design formally woven into the fabric of their culture for decades. Look out for it this December.
