Hi, I’m Max. I have completed a Certificate IV In Design at Shillington College and am interning at Driven. I’m passionate about Photoshop and all things design. During my time at Driven, I’ve been able to see the process that goes into design, from the communication with clients to researching for inspiration.
The Design Conference (TDC) is a three-day event hosted at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Speakers from all over the world come together to explore their love of design and all things creative, including brand strategy and motion.
My top three takeaways from TDC
- AI is a tool to elevate design, not a a threat to the industry.
- The process and story behind design is just as important as the design itself.
- Looking outside of the screen to nature can be a great source of inspiration.
The first talk I attended was by Christina and Anita from R/GA studios on the topic of designing for inclusivity. With 40 years collective experience, they have worked for companies such as Disney and Nike. They shared the surprising statistic that 97% of all websites aren’t accessible for disabled people. They spoke about the concept of designing for accessibility rather than adding it as an afterthought.
Following, was Nu Goteh from the US, who founded the creative studio Room For Magic. Goteh worked for a few multinational companies such as Sonos and Red Bull but grew tired, instead wanting to explore how he could make a difference on a more impactful and wider scale. Soon after, he launched his seasonal publication, Deem Journal, as a a platform to showcase and empower creatives from marginalised communities.
Up first on Day 3 was Emmi Salonen, covering the topic of creative burnout. Emmi focused on the idea of recharging yourself by taking down time and using nature to inspire and inform your ideas. She created the concept of the creative ecosystem to parallel a natural ecosystem that comprises of the inputs of connection, wonder, pause, movement and joy.
Taking a detour to the world of motion—Carmen and Guido from Niceshit spoke about their creative processes, sharing a campaign to empower NHS first responders and frontline workers to openly address mental health throughout the pandemic. Their emotion-fuelled campaign was an example of how design can be used to make a difference and impact peoples lives, the response they received from the campaign was overwhelmingly positive. They emphasised the importance of never feeling rushed in their creative process and walking in the shoes of the people we’re addressing.
Pennybridge duo, Paul and Kiel spoke about their partnership and going from freelancing to joining forces to build something bigger. They formed five core values for their studio; chaos to clarity, nurture growth, outcome over output, have fun and stay true. Emphasising just having a crack at something just because you want to, Kiel shared a story about creating merchandise designs for Wu-Tang Clan on his own volition. In a twist of fate and sheer luck by sharing the art on Twitter, he was given the opportunity to design all of Wu-Tang’s merchandise for their AU/NZ tour.
What I got out of TDC was the opportunity to discuss and listen to conversations around the many facets of design. The idea that design doesn’t stop and start at the designing, it involves many layers to delve into a brand and understand their story and how it can best be told beyond the brief. The hot topic that every speaker mentioned was AI, as expected, however everyone was surprisingly optimistic in its use as a tool that could advance design rather than detract from their careers.
Being able to connect with so many designers to talk about the future of design was inspiring. A common theme across many talks was the need for connection and TDC provided a platform for just that. The variation in the talks kept the sessions engaging, from storytelling, to packaging to brand development there was something for every part of the process and every kind of creative.
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