'Writing to': Exploring the position, value and potential of design writing in the curriculum

Brief description of session and activities

The substantial weighting of the dissertation within the final year of an undergraduate degree can prove challenging for many art and design students, forcing them to engage in logocentric modes of research and production, contrary to their mainstream visual practices and methodologies (Wood, 1999). However, the large body of research conducted via the Writing PAD project (http://www.writing-pad.ac.uk) documents a growing shift away from the traditional Coldstream inherited dichotomy between studio and theory. Some art and design degrees are rejecting stand-alone written components, in favour of merging visual strategies and techniques with writing practice to create ‘hybrid forms of expressing knowledge and understanding’ (McCannon, 2011).

When designing the curriculum, the BA Design for Graphic Communication course team rejected the traditional third year dissertation model, opting instead for an alternative approach that would better fit the vocational philosophy and student profile of the course. The resulting ‘Industrial & Theoretical Contexts’ Design Report bears little resemblance to a dissertation in the way it is taught (through group workshop methodology, with focus on co-writing); who it is taught by (studio tutors); tone of voice (students consider target audience and design a narrative voice) and form (it often becomes a key design portfolio piece).

This paper will briefly share findings from a pedagogic evaluation of the unit, which involved in-depth interviews with students, graduates and staff. Examples of student work will be shared.

Current students will facilitate small-group discussions with participants, generating ideas for the following: - alternative modes of writing for participants own contexts  - exercises to be used in design writing workshops within participants’ own contexts   - strategies for dealing with inherited perceptions about writing (tutors, students, practitioners)  - insights into the challenges the writers/students/authors face first-hand. 

This session challenges the primacy of the dissertation in the curriculum; and invites discussion about what happens when design students write.

Will students be involved in the session? If so how?

We will invite 4-6 current BA Design for Graphic Communication students, one for each participant table. (Let us know how many participants and we will bring the requisite number of students!)

Students will facilitate the participant ideas generation section of the session for each group. They will be available to offer opinion and share their experiences.

What will participants take away from the session?

• Ideas for expanding the potential of design writing within their course context 
• Ideas for alternative writing exercises to use with their students 
• Insight into the position, value and potential of student design writing 
• Considerations which might be useful when reviewing the written elements of courses.