Category Archives: Article

Article

Tribute to Professor Emeritus Victor Margolin (1941-2019)

The passing of Victor Margolin in November 2019 is a loss to the World Design Community

Those who knew Victor Margolin, Professor Emeritus of Design History at University of Illinois, Chicago and a world renown Design Historian, understand he was truly a great figure in the field of design. Victor’s enormous contribution to defining American Design and the practice of design around the world cannot be overstated. He was simply the most knowledgeable and scholarly source for design in all of its manifestations. The contributors to the content of MarylandByDesign would like to recognize Professor Margolin’s supportive role in nurturing the seed for design policy, which began at a conference in Milan, Italy in 2000, to grow into what is now this rich and expanding dialogue among designers in Maryland and beyond.

We will miss Victor and his constant curiosity, inquisitiveness, humor, encouragement, boldness, vibrancy, and commitment to design throughout the World. Professor Margolin’s World History of Design is a testament to his lifelong dedication to the field of design.

Article

Fab Labs: Maryland Joins a World Wide Network

Maryland is now home to two Fab Labs open to the public, Fab Lab Baltimore in Catonsville, Maryland and Montgomery College Fab Lab. What is a Fab Lab? A Fab Lab or fabrication laboratory is a laboratory space set up for designers to realize their ideas in the form of prototypes by using technologies usually available only to large scale mass production projects. The Fab Lab makes it possible for designers to use specialized tools such as 3D printers, rapid protoypers, printed circuit board milling and etching machines, and various types of cutters for sheet metal: laser, plasma and wet jet. There are currently 107 Fab Labs in the U.S. and Canada. The Open Works Maker Space in Baltimore City is planning the next Maryland based Fab Lab to open in September 2016.

The Fab Lab at Haystack Mountain School for Craft in Deer Isle, Maine is a premier example of the interaction between designer’s ability to make things by hand and using technology, one of the key policy goals of the Maryland Design Excellence & Innovation Commission. The activity in the Fab Lab at Haystack is the basis for studying and identifying innovations in both manual creativity and technologies. A more in depth case study is being written to explain how this interaction takes place at Haystack. Please check back for the rest of this story.

Article, Blog

2016 Maryland General Assembly Considering Legislation for Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission

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The 2016 Maryland General Assembly is now considering legislation for establishing the Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission. This is the second year the General Assembly is discussing legislation to establish the Commission. Senate Bill 429 was introduced in the Senate Finance Committee on February 1, 2016, and House Bill 548 was introduced in the House of Delegates Economic Matters Committee on February 3, 2016.

The Senate Finance and House Economic Matters Committees are reviewing the legislation, and have heard evidence from the public about the mission, goals and efforts of Maryland Design Excellence and Innovation Commission. The Commission, which will meet several times a year under a five year design policy plan to be set by the members of the Commission, would implement design led innovation to improve the quality of life for all Marylanders. If established by legislation, the Commission would begin operating as of October 1, 2016.

 

Committee Bill Hearings
The Maryland General Assembly held public Committee bill hearings on February 16, 2016 in the Senate Finance Committee and February 17, 2016 in the House Economic Matters Committee to hear statements from the public about the legislation. The Committee hearing can be viewed on-line through these links to the Maryland General Assembly website:
Senate Finance Committee Public Hearing
House Economic Matters Committee Public Hearing

Submitting Written Statements 
Written statements are still being accepted by Maryland General Assembly legislators, and can be submitted to legislators until there is a vote held on the bills in the Senate and House Committees. If you are able to provide written support for the legislation, the guidelines are available here for the Senate Finance Committee and here for the House Economic Matters Committee. The same statements should be made to both Committees. Text of the Senate Finance legislation is available here, and for the House of Delegates legislation here.  A statement guide/template is available for the Senate Finance Committee here and for the House Economic Matters Committee here to use for composing a written statement. Anyone can submit a written statement by sending it to
MarylandbyDesign at [email protected].

Contact Legislators about the Maryland Design Excellence
Commission Legislation

If you are a resident of Maryland, contacting your State Senator and Delegates from your home district is one of the best ways to voice your views about establishing the Maryland Design Excellence  and Innovation Commission. To find out legislators who represents you, go to the search page here and enter your home address.

Article

DESIGN v. STEM DEGREES: DESIGN CAN BE WORTH MORE

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There has been tremendous attention given to STEM education and the higher earning potential for degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math as compared to design. A recent survey conducted and published by the Washington Post reveals very little difference in earning potential during the first 5 to 10 years of a person’s career once they have earned a STEM degree versus a design degree, and in fact many degrees in the humanities (which would include design disciplines) earn more. The conclusions when making comparisons between a bachelor’s design degree as compared to a bachelor’s degree in science (biology), technology (information technology), engineering (electrical engineering) or math, shows an insignificant earning difference between a biological sciences degree and a design degree during the first 10 years of experience after earning these degrees. (Click on the graph to enlarge).

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Article, Blog

MarylandbyDesign and The Maryland Open Data Project

MarylandbyDesign is dedicated to improving the understanding of design’s impact throughout the State of Maryland. One way to measure this impact is through various data and index indicators. Since 2009, Maryland has used the General Progress Indicator (GPI) to measure various aspects of environmental sustainability which is a significant  aspect of all design practices. The General Progress Indicator measures a different set of factors as compared to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Open Data Project provides another resource for measurement of design as a factor in the States economic growth related to innovation. One of the goals for the soon to be established Maryland Design Excellence Commission is to develop an indicator for how design impacts the quality of life throughout the State of Maryland which would be included in the State’s GPI.

Article

Industrial Designers Society of America Supports Legislation for Maryland Design Excellence Commission

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In early April, 2015, Daniel Martinage, Executive Director of
the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) expressed
the full support of the legislation to establish the Maryland
Design Excellence Commission on behalf of the IDSA’s National Members.

The IDSA represents thousands of members around the world, across the United States and in the State of Maryland. The IDSA’s Executive Director stressed the importance of passing the legislation as an important investment in the current and future quality of life for all Maryland Citizens. He explained the extraordinary contribution of designers to innovations that in many instances are live saving, using the examples of medical equipment, child safety seats, computers, mobile phones and GPS.

See the IDSA’s website for the announcement.

Article

Design Policy in Context: Finding Ways to Action

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The Better World By Design Conference held in Providence, RI in September 2014 hosted a panel discussion about design policy in action. Three panelists from different design policy perspectives presented their most recent experiences of design policy development and outcomes: Moderated by Stephanie F. Yoffee, Design Policy Researcher; Carol Strochecker, Vice Provost, Rhode Island School of Design;  Jeff Davis, Principal Planner, Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program; and Lynne McCormack, Director, Rhode Island Department of Art, Culture and Tourism.

The panel demonstrated an example of how a design advisory council might function as a State sponsored organization. The panel showed the importance of collaboration between member representatives from a private educational institution encouraging public/private partnerships in design and innovation, State Planning programs providing data-driven design processes, and recognition of state-of-the-arts/film/tourism activity as an important driver of innovation and economic development for the State. Previously, in 2013, a Design Lab Panel was presented at the Better World By Design Conference featuring panelists from The State of Rhode Island and Massachusetts including State Senator Louis DiPalma, Co-Founder/Director Lisa Carnevale of RIXDesign, and VP of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Carlos Martinez-Vega of Design Industry Group of Massachusetts.

To view the full length video, go to YouTube and see “Design Policy in Context Panel-Better World By Design 2014”

Article, Blog

How Design Policy Benefits Public Policy

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What can a design policy approach bring to the table that doesn’t already exist?

Many design driven projects, including those combined with research and development, result in commercialization and technology transfer of innovative technologies, products and services. This transfer provides a longer arc of economic growth within the State. Examples of design driven tech transfer include…

Can you provide examples of design policy in other States?Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, California have recognized the value of design driven businesses to produce products and services in transportation, technology and the built environment in their State.

The European Union recently incorporated design as a key component of its EU innovation policy.

—Maren Maier, Design Strategist

Article

Accessible Design: 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

In 2015, Americans with and without disabilities will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act; noting its impact in creating accessible spaces and also noting its continued inability to shift public and private actors to be inclusive. While the past twenty-five years since the passage of the Act receives reflection, unifying design through a disability-based prism, such as is reflected in concepts like universal design, should be part of the dialogue. Leaders with disabilities should physically and virtually be able in equal measure to work and to play. Please join the interactive dialogue that may culminate in other activities next year.

Gary C. Norman, Esq. LLM

Mr. Norman is a Civil Rights Commissioner, is an attorney and mediator, and is a visible leader with a disability partnered with a guide dog.