Designing the future
March 7th, 2010I consider myself a Simplified Musicologist. By that, I mean that I’m kind of a student of music having been a musician and having had a short stint in the music business but I’m not an expert by any means.
Not long ago, I theorized that most artists who have made a strong impact in their respective genres (for example, artists that make it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) are usually influenced by artists who obviously had impact but managed to stay on the down-low. Simply put: the underground tends to influence the mainstream. I say that because often times those artists who make that strong impact actually bring a fresh sound or style to the market and they were clearly influenced by something or someone.
The same holds true in the world of design….web, video, print…whatever. We, as designers, are often subject…and I think privileged at times, to seeing the next hot thing long before it becomes mainstream. Of course, by the time any specific style hits the mainstream, we designers are usually sick of seeing it anyway, not to mention, we’re working on the next hot thing. We’re like parents teaching our kids to ice skate and then proudly watching them take Olympic gold in Hockey.
I’m reminded of a quote by Alan Kay, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.”
We’re designers…unsung heroes inventing the future. No mainstream credit..but proud to watch our kids grow.