IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

Several deep sighs are heard as faculty scan through the many pages of PDFs and consider the task before us. It is time to review our Graphic Design degree program, and we are gathered around a table looking at the surveys collected from students, alumni and industry members. The data in these surveys will inform the future direction of the curriculum. Industry members were asked what skills they expect from entry-level designers, and while they noted standards like typography, production, and, inevitably, AI literacy, what stands out most are all the mentions of proficiencies that fall under the category of ‘soft skills.’ What is needed from designers at this moment, as AI-created imagery becomes a viable option, are those very human abilities that aid in successful teamwork, leadership, effective communication and compelling presentation. The job of a graphic designer will not be filled by AI, but the role will shift in focus. Spending less energy wrangling pixels, the designer becomes primarily a decision-maker, the one who knows when something is good, when it is finished. So, how can we centre our curriculum around helping undergrad students—many of whom come to us straight from high school—gain the perspective and confidence they will need to become future tastemakers? This paper looks at efforts to structure a second-year writing-intensive course in the form of a narrative. Students are asked to imagine the semester as a story arc—one in which they are characters in an ensemble cast. We will start with character development, reflecting on current strengths and challenges, followed by a series of team-based quests. It will be an adventure where soft skills take center stage.