by Chia Sihan

As the design industry poises itself for inevitable world domination, more has to be done in terms of governmental support. An appropriate analogy might be broadband's invisible support for vast network servers: It's everywhere, it can't be seen and you expect it to be up and running already. 

Apart from the States and Europe which have steep design traditions, India, Australia and a growing number of Asian countries such as Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Japan have also recognized the importance of having adequate support for the design industry in the form of professional bodies and networks. The next step would be for governments to get a better grasp on their knowledge of design as cultural and commercial forces.

What's surprising is that even in the U.S. where there is a highly sophisticated design industry, government support seems to remain lukewarm at best. In a Businessweek.com article, columnist Niti Bhan lamented on the sad fact that the U.S. National Innovation Act 2005 introduced by Senators John Ensign and Joseph Lieberman, which was purported to promote the innovation sector, had left out design despite the phenomenal homegrown success of brands known for their design prowess, such as Apple and Proctor & Gamble, to name a few. 

Government support: A double-edged sword

As the industry develops, a better social infrastructure for the industry has to be in place before it can commit to fully exploring its potential. The best type of endorsement would be one by the government, whose support almost spells the success or doom of any initiative. This relationship is bears most significance where federal approval would result in less red tape to clear, significant media space and growth of market share. At the same time however, it is important to try to strike a balance between government support and control. 

Despite the fact that the design industry is generally profit-driven and therefore a healthy flow of finances paramount, governments should refrain from punching out iron fists in velvet gloves. Not only would imposing too much restrictions and political agendas through support for design endeavors be missing the point, it would also indicate to the rest of the world how a design industry would shape up under such claustrophobic conditions. 

Governments have to be prepared for the social and economic consequences of cultivating such anti-creative climates.

The $$$ and cents

The most tangible form of government support can be narrowed down to one word: Money. 

Money directed into clearly-outlined design initiatives, enrichment of design and public education, promoting the business of design and generally cultivating a rich and vibrant culture whereby discussion and implementation of creative ideas gets integrated into the mainstream and becomes second-nature, not the exclusive domain of the elite. 

The formation of national design policies and councils around the world and a growing emphasis on "design thinking" in the corporate world seem to signify a better future for the industry. Nevertheless, no matter how successful an industry grows, without the prominence of government endorsement and promotion, there will be a limit to how much the industry can do for itself. 

Another area for federal concern is the absence of a definitive wage award system for creative sectors. 

Like other creative industries, the design industry faces the perennial problem of "low-balling", an underhanded practice of charging outrageously cheaper prices than is acceptable standard practice. Not only is this an act of sabotage at the cost of the industry, it would also force designers in a catch-22 situation of either losing projects to cheaper outfits or resort to charging barely enough to cover overheads. 

At the end of the day, the onus is on companies to recognize the value of design and be willing to pay a good sum for it, and for governments to put their foot down where unscrupulous operators abound. 

Governments: Design's greatest fan

One way government support for designers can manifest itself successfully is to learn how to identify with the ideologies behind each proposal. The political nature of design ensures that a little imagination and flexibility would value-add to the ways communities usually function. An example would be Building Schools for the Future (BSF), the UK government's biggest single investment in improvement of school buildings for more than 50 years. 

In the revision for better educational surroundings, the traditional template for classroom and school design has been challenged. The BSF aims to "rebuild every secondary school in England over a 10-15 year period". As with any sizable investment, the potential for risk is omnipresent and a lesson that could be learnt is that governments have to be bold in charting untested territory.

Another laudable initiative has been taken by the Sapporo government in North Japan, which was to engage the expertise of multimedia doyen Tomato to assist in the structuring of creative activities in the region. This signals two things: Governments are starting to value designers for their tremendous flexibility and capability in problem-solving, and designers are finally being accorded some respect and taken seriously for their efforts. 

Design: For the good of mankind?

Another pull factor for governments to consider standing behind design is that it can bring not only commercial gain, where executed properly it can also serve effectively as a social reform tool. Criminal and juvenile delinquent rehabilitation have been known to produce unlikely heros of art and literature. Why not design?

In the case of the Comic Strip Project, a collaborative project by Singapore's National Youth Forum and Kaki Bukit Prison School, prison inmates will turn into comic artists to help explain government policies to the younger generation. It may seem an ironic twist of events but from another perspective, it also spells the beginning of a new chapter for people who want to learn and move on from their mistakes. 

The visceral quality of design is worth preserving and championing in that it transcends race, religion and social strata to address the root of the problem and set about resolving it. 



Chia Sihan
Writer
TAXI Design Network



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The above banner was kindly contributed by Wall Management:

“Artistry, passion, an idea. A vision. Wall is an approach dividing the phenomenal from the undistinguished convection. Erecting an architecture within a simple idea begins its journey through conception, fabrication into stunning realism.

Wall.”

And before you begin the journey of visual tease, you will be greeted by William Shakespeare from Richard II. Comprise of Singapore’s most sought-after photographers, fashion and hair stylists, and make-up artists, Wall Management is a bombastic visual lexical play of:

W - Whimsical
A – Autonomous
L – Lithe
L – Luscious

Wall was awarded as Web Sites of The Day by us on 21st June 2006.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


© 2003-2008 by TAXI Design Network. All rights reserved.