What Why How Design:
A Community Initiative to Introduce Professional Design to the Public

What is design?

At it’s simplest, design is communicating an idea, providing an experience and evoking feeling in humans. We experience design in every element of our everyday lives, but most people don’t know it. It is the cross section of art and intention in the real world. (could we explain this simpler, as we would to a child?)

Every item you touch and see was designed — your phone, your clothes, the packaging of your food and personal products, your furniture, your car, your shoes, every website and app you use, the signs of every business you see on the street, the rooms you live in, the buildings we use everyday. The letters we use to type and share information. The ballots that elect our President. (include bigger impact world examples as well)

Design Industries (Should this be the items and things people interact with irl?)
Graphic Design
Art Direction
Brand Design
Product Design
Interior Design
Industrial Design
Architecture
Pattern Design
Illustration
Animation
Motion Design
Digital Design

Software Designer
User Interface Design
User Experience Design
Information & Data Design
Fashion Design
Engineering
Set & Production Design
Film Design
Color Design
Editorial Design
Typography

Why is design important?

Design has the power to change lives. It provides communication, connection, action. It shapes our everyday lives along with our world and culture.

How can you get into design?

A majority of design industries are predominantly white. Just 3% of designers self-identify as Black, according to the most recent AIGA Design Census.

One of the biggest challenges to creating a more diverse industry is accessiblity for all classes and cultures. We have to start with sharing the knowledge that it’s a path anyone can take.

It’s common that many designers didn’t learn what design was until college or later and privledge often lead to following it as a career. It’s encouraging to hear how designers realized this career was right for them, and we want to share that idea with more young creative people.

If you love to create, there is a good possibility design could be a great career path for you. You can make a great living as a designer.

So what steps can you take?
Think about the experiences you love and what you love to create.
Explore the possibilities.
Research industries that interest you.
Talk to designers in those industries — ask how they got there.
Follow Nashville Design Week.
Follow leaders. Read Books. Take a class.
Make up your own projects.
Work on your creative fitness - simply drawing or making for the sake of it.
Have real conversations about money in the industry.
Know you can do it.

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What’s the goal of this project?

To introduce the concept and power of design to the public, especially young people.

If you’re a designer, educator or community leader & want to join this initiative, please share project this with your followers and students.