Design. Research. Technology. Experience. Life.

I was thinking that I must have been far behind in the design world, when I began to step into a tutorial classes that I will take this semester at Swinburne University. It was my intimate relationship reading cultural studies, media and communication theory wrapping up my final PhD submission. I have not been much involved such industry practice but have been stuck years redoing reading and rewriting. Having said that, I am not completely far away, as it was the discussion that began its spark 5 years ago, rethinking design.

It was the question asked by my lecture in my first week of Master’s class. The question was ‘what is design?’ We came up with our own understanding of design coming from different design practices, and so the conversation about design began. Today, the conversation is still going and growing. I can see that the ‘talking’ years ago in about design, is growing and that much of the conversation has been taken up to ‘doing’. Action, making, doing, researching about design is the process of re-thinking about design, re-defining its roles, strengthening its boundaries and re-involving the action with humanity again has now are part of not only limited to design firm, but also in design education. And it is not only here in Australia, America, Europe but also in Asia. Basically it is the conversation about design around the world. It has been emphasized design conference, design dialogue and also industry practices. A talk by Rick Poynor in his visit to Melbourne June 2009, questioned ‘can graphic design save the world?” engaged in this conversation about rethinking design. This scenario does not happen in a small scale, in fact everywhere around the world designers from different cultural background stood up and make a pledge that design is more than just making everybody happy but also can be part of the action in saving the world (join design can change the world).

This video presentation in AIGA conference by David Butler, a vice president of global design at The Coca-Cola Company provide view about rethinking design. Also another discussion focus on typography design can be read from Rick Poynor’s blog about Rethinking Conceptual Type Design.

This semester I am looking forward to explore how design student view and go through the process of rethinking about design.

Re-thinking design is design in action (Nurul Rahman 2011)

We ask that you help us find solutions to climate change.

Dear designers,

I am a graphic designer. Those in my profession are involved in the design and marketing of almost every product and service you can imagine. We work with all levels of business, industry and government and shape how organizations communicate and present themselves.

I recently signed the Design Can Change pledge. This effort represents the collective efforts of a number of graphic designers around the world, who feel that climate change is a serious issue in need of immediate action. As a group, we are working to reduce the amount of waste generated by our industry, while building awareness around the issue, with our clients, suppliers and communities.

Im contacting you today with two requests. Firstly, I ask that you visit www.designcanchange.org and learn more about our efforts and how we are working to impact positive change. Additionally (and this is the most important part), Im asking you to make climate change a greater part of your mandate.

Although Im sure that you have many concerns to balance and consider, this one affects every single person on the planet; furthermore, I believe this topic will be key to the next election. In fact, climate change is one of the issues that I will be most sensitive to in considering who to vote for. I am urging my friends to vote similarly.

I trust in your ability to help us make positive change for the electorate, and all of our global neighbours. I also appeal to your moral sensibility at this critical time to make this issue key to our governments mandate.

Thank you,

Yours Sincerely,
Nurul Rahman

Visual Communication Consultant
NR Design Consultancy, Melbourne.

I was thinking that I must have been far behind in the design world, when I began to step into a tutorial classes that I will take this semester at Swinburne University. It was my intimate relationship reading cultural studies, media and communication theory wrapping up my final PhD submission. I have not been much involved such industry practice but have been stuck years redoing reading and rewriting. Having said that, I am not completely far away, as it was the discussion that began its spark 5 years ago, rethinking design.

It was the question asked by my lecture in my first week of Master’s class. The question was ‘what is design?’ We came up with our own understanding of design coming from different design practices, and so the conversation about design began. Today, the conversation is still going and growing. I can see that the ‘talking’ years ago in about design, is growing and that much of the conversation has been taken up to ‘doing’. Action, making, doing, researching about design is the process of re-thinking about design, re-defining its roles, strengthening its boundaries and re-involving the action with humanity again has now are part of not only limited to design firm, but also in design education. And it is not only here in Australia, America, Europe but also in Asia. Basically it is the conversation about design around the world. It has been emphasized design conference, design dialogue and also industry practices. A talk by Rick Poynor in his visit to Melbourne June 2009, questioned ‘can graphic design save the world?” engaged in this conversation about rethinking design. This scenario does not happen in a small scale, in fact everywhere around the world designers from different cultural background stood up and make a pledge that design is more than just making everybody happy but also can be part of the action in saving the world (join design can change the world).

This video presentation in AIGA conference by David Butler, a vice president of global design at The Coca-Cola Company provide view about rethinking design. Also another discussion focus on typography design can be read from Rick Poynor’s blog about Rethinking Conceptual Type Design.

This semester I am looking forward to explore how design student view and go through the process of rethinking about design.

Re-thinking design is design in action (Nurul Rahman 2011)

Film clip for Gotye’s Thanks For Your Time, directed and animated by Lucy Dyson

Interesting reflection of Terry Gilliam graphic work animated by Lucy Dyson on Gotye’s video clips.

Storytime clips by Terry Gilliam published in 1968

It is interesting how we can easily be reminded by the past through artifact around us. Sometimes the things around us is not old or even more not from the past, it has been created to remind or represent the past. Why? Is it because we like to be reminded? Is it because people believe that the past is better then present? Perhaps it is just another circle of fashion trend? or may be the designers is out of ideas? Who knows.. In Melbourne, these collection of the past artifacts or artifacts that represent the past, has become a fashion statement in several shop’s interior or chic trend. It is common to see this kind of setting (like the photo above) in most popular cafe. The mix of old and new artifacts surround the environments.. mixed of kitsch and high class emerged.. and became a new type of design, trend and a life style -N

Published for the fifth reprint in 1952.
What does new year means to you? Was it the celebration,
the new coming years, the fireworks or the whole promotions that took place, and sales in the shopping complex?

Or is it about the new beginning, or continuing the new year that never ended.. moving forward or stay alive?

What is New Year to you?
What does new year means to you? Was it the celebration,
the new coming years,
the fireworks or the whole promotions that took place, and sales in the shopping complex?

Or is it about the new beginning, or continuing the new year that never ended.. moving forward or stay alive?

What is New Year to you
What does new year means to you? Was it the celebration,
the new coming years, the fireworks or the whole promotions, sales in the shopping complex?
There are several sites about how to write a research abstract online that you can search for. But here are some of my favourite that I foudn very useful throughout my writing abstract for a journal paper process.

A site organised by
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (online access 3rd Jan 2011) is one of the useful site that I use regularly in writing my abstracts for journal paper. I hope this site will stay online for awhile as the content and ways of working has been very useful for many research student.

LEO: Literacy Education Online is another alternative site about how to write an abstract (online accessed 3rd January 2011)

Published for the fifth reprint in 1952.
What does new year means to you? Was it the celebration,
the new coming years, the fireworks or the whole promotions that took place, and sales in the shopping complex?

Or is it about the new beginning, or continuing the new year that never ended.. moving forward or stay alive?

What is New Year to you?

Published for the fifth reprint in 1952,
The Story of Malaya provides details insight historical views of Malaya bringing descriptions of all the etnics in Malaya,
Indigenous, Malay, Chinese, Portugese, English and Indian. A must read book to understand the roots of Malaysian ethnicities and identity.

Call for Human Right designed by Shepard Fairey

Aung San Suu Kyi waited for 20 years for democracy in Burma.

It was my first time visiting Japan. I was trilled! Before the trips, every time I mentioned about the trip to Japan to the people I had a chance to spoke to, several iconic images of Japan were mentioned in our conversation. One of the most popular one, is the temple. It is a must visit places, said a friend of mine. I did not get much of the idea.. until I arrived there. In my mind, my childhood memories of Japan began to become clearer. When I was a teenager, I had a girl guide’s friend from Japan. If I am not mistaken her name is Mihoko. When she first arrived, we took her to taste Kelapa Muda (young coconut juice). She loves it. She brought me a little geisha doll, which I still kept nicely at my mom’s place. My image of Japan has always been the softness in the way they speak, and mostly the politeness of their attitude. I thought Mihoko is a very polite girl. Everything she said is layered with words that is carefully chosen not to upset anyone, especially her Malaysian foster family. Mihoko introduced me to Japan. She never said no to any food we suggested her to taste. If she didn’t like it, she will say it’s enough. Otherwise she will politely ask for more. There is no geisha, bento, temple, samurai or oshin images in my mind at that time.. because it was only the beginning of Japan for me..

In my research I am interested in stereotypical icons a country’s projected to others. I am always interested in how this idea transmitted into images in people’s mind. Is it the childhood memories we had when we were growing up? Or, is the the constant advertisement and promotion we received in our everyday’s life? I don’t know much about Japan, and I was hoping that my first trip will provides some answers to my questions.. or at least able to guide my curiosity…What makes Japanese identity? I talk about politeness and attitudes in Japanese everyday culture.. and through my trips, this is clearly happening.. my childhood’s friend memories reappear.. and yes there are other stereotypical icons that everybody talks about.. but these ‘services of politeness and welcoming’ image from Japan.. for me is much stronger then other images… this is Japan..

Photo by NurulRahman 2010 (Copyright by Creative Commons and the author)