During my time at Massey University I have worked hard to prepare myself for a job as a graphic designer. Friends and family have constantly asked me what I do when I go back to university and my answer to them has been the same for the last three years. I explain that I am able to design a range of things like posters, books, logos, magazines and I have just started looking into web design. When the conversation is over I always wonder if there is something that I have missed. However reflecting on my own abilities as a graphic designer these are the skills I currently have at my disposal. Coming into my final year at university I have realised that I have so much more to learn in a limited amount of time. To take advantage of this I decided to try and use this year to broaden my technical abilities through different design disciplines. This exegesis will look into the continuous development of my project as well as playful design, experience design, and how multimodal text expresses what is said visually. It also outlines precedents that I have explored and will use to inform my design implementation in semester two. It also describes my intentions of investigating typography through a multidisciplinary approach to display my versatility as a graphic designer in this new paradigm.
Through my journey I discovered a large debate has been taking place among the communication industry for years about the restrictions of graphic design and the changing attitude towards a holistic approach. Russell Kennedy (2006) explains that the boundaries between all design disciplines have become blurred and unfocused. This means that multidisciplinary practices are growing as the tradition role of the graphic designer has expanded beyond typography, image identity and publication design. This reflects the paradigm shift from graphic design to a focus on multidisciplinary design, where the only limitation is the technical ability to complete conceptual ideas. The debate on specialistion and generalisation is still being discussed today, each side with its pros and cons. Christopher Butler (2012), explains that specialisation is too limiting and could lead to a narrow mindset compared to generalists, who are able to see the problem from multiple angles. He goes on to say that given the shifting landscape of design, it makes sense to take in an assortment of ideas, experiences and technical skills so we can adapt to any problem or situation we as designers may face.
It was at this point that I decided to get in touch with fellow practitioners and ask them a couple of questions regarding what skills they look for in potential employees. The founder of Zing Design, Zheng Li was a useful source of information when thinking about my project. Her one rule is ‘If you are not adaptable, you are unemployable’, (Li, 2014), this mindset became my focus for my project. I decided to take her advice and create a mind map of the skills that I currently have and the skills that I want to learn. She encouraged me to explore as many design disciplines as I could in order to gain more technical abilities. Craig Christensen at Graphic Solutions then backed this idea of adaptability in order to stay relevant in the design industry. He stated that ‘Both conceptual and technical skills are important to the design process at different stages, but a great execution makes great work’, (survey, 2014). These opinions built the foundation for my project.
 Having identified my issue I decided to use auto-ethnography as a research method to examine my own abilities in graphic design and list the aspects of other design disciplines that I want to explore during this project. Narrowing it down further I realised I am interested in aspects of letterpress, industrial design and textile design. I understand that in this time I will not be able to learn everything there is to know about these other design disciplines, as this is not my aim. With my project I intend to show my versatility within graphic design and my ability to push the boundaries by using a multidisciplinary approach through an exploration of typography. I want to display my understanding of how letters work together as a mode of communication, however the output may not need to be two dimensional and printed out on paper.
 My first exploration (fig 1) of this idea manifested through designing my poster and using multimodal typography in the title as a way of mixing the different design disciplines together. This experimentation and creative freedom made me realise how rewarding the process was through making the letterforms physically rather than on the computer. It had a sense of accomplishment to it that I have not received from laying type out on the computer. From this I decided to research into playful design in order to use a multidisciplinary approach to typography to create a ludic experience.
 Playful design and play theory can show how as human beings it is in our nature to enjoy every experience while we can. Through the act of playing is how we ‘learn and teach ourselves’, (Heller and Ilic, 2012, p. 77).To most playing is a concept we grow out of at a young age, however Eric Zimmerman (2013) explains in his Ludic Manifesto that because of the rise in computer graphics the idea of playfulness is still transforming people of all ages. Kai Kuikkaniemi, Jussi Holopainen and Kai Huotari (2013) state that currently there is no framework for how something becomes playful. That means that the only way to see how something is playful is through constant trial and error during the stages of prototyping. This allows the designer to explore the critical touch points between what is playful and non-playful. Zimmerman (2013), describes being playful as the engine for creativity, through playing we are constantly thinking about strategy and because of this we learn to act in new ways. Playful design is an immersive experience because it requires active participation from the user. Playful design is made ‘to be seen, experienced and appreciated by others’, (Heller and Ilic, 2012, p. 77).I can take these ideas of playful design and apply it to my multimodal text, which will allow me to engage and inspire others to interact and participate during the development of my project.
 Experience design puts the customer at the center of the design sphere to create a meaningful experience from the individual’s perspective. Joseph Pine and James Gilmore (1999), explain that experience design is not about a product or a service, it is a yearning for memories and the experiences that we participate in can shape and change us. Pine and Gilmore (1999), state that experience design provides enjoyment, entertainment, knowledge and diversion. Even though memories can fade the transformation that has taken place within the individual will be sustained. By creating a customizable experience we have the potential to transform the individual and offer them an output appropriate to their needs. This will give me an opportunity to create a personalized outcome.
 Multimodality is the mixture of the visual mode that the text is set in and how it reflects what it says to create meaning. All communication design ‘is and always has been multimodal although discussions of multimodality, which involves medium and mode these two terms are not identical’ (Gunther, 2010). Multimodality is continually evolving from print to the computer screen and from the speaker to the audience. Muriel Harris (2011), explains that every choice is considered when laying out text and images on a page because of the meaning that is made. Through using different typographic strategies the designer is able to guide readers to experience the narrative by expressing what the words mean visually as well as what it says.
I will take this idea of multimodal text and go beyond this to explore multimodal design. I want to create meaning with typography to show what meanings can be made through a multidisciplinary approach to three-dimensional type.
 Celeste Holmes along with a team from the Massey in house design studio, Open Lab created an immersive experience in collaboration with Te Papa. (fig 2) The purpose of this was to ‘reconnect Wellington’s youth with the Museum of Te Papa’ (Holmes, 2014). To do this they used the upcoming Andy Warhol exhibition and they designed an event called POP, which allowed visitors to immerse themselves in the world of the Warhol factory. Through this process the team of students created hype about the event, through a series of installations and projections around different universities. This enabled them to capture their target audience through a number of ways. This was an effective technique because it created curiosity, and the only way to find out more about it was to buy a ticket and participate in the event. In the lead up to the event they released a teaser video, balloon installations, projection installations along with graphic design through the image and identity of POP and the campaign posters. The event was successful because the audience was the center of the design, right down to the food and beverages served to reflect Andy Warhol and what he surrounded himself with in his factory. From this project I can understand how design thinking was combined with multidisciplinary design practices to shape it into an immersive experience.
 Sagmeister and Walsh are advocates for creative exploration, which transcends into all of the work they produce. As a team they are never afraid to push the boundaries of design, which results in provocative breathtaking results. Sagmeister and Walsh refuse to work on projects that have too many limitations as they believe in experimentation. Jessica Walsh (2013), explains that the computer is a revolutionary tool in the creative industry, but it doesn’t have to be used for every project. She has a firm belief that working with your hands can result in the unexpected, which allows interesting things to happen in the design process. This can be seen through the teaser trailer of Sagmeister’s documentary titled ‘The Happy Film’ soon to be finished later on this year. He has used edible objects to create environmental typography, (fig 3) which is then videoed as animals eat it. He used playful typefaces to express humor through where they are situated and how they are destroyed. From this mindset of creative exploration I want to take their values about exploring the creative freedom through not relying on the computer as the dominant mode of design. While understanding that it will be still a part of the design process, however the focus will be on the tactile artifacts that are made.
 James Hunter’s ‘Unlocking the Old School’ (fig 4) looks into his personal hobby of restoring vintage cars. He understood that there was a lot of information online, however this sub-culture of the old school car enthusiast was not represented offline. His project manifested into ‘an experience design piece in the form of a toolbox’, (Hunter, 2013). He created an exhibition piece that can be experienced, which provides an insight into what it is like to be that one person interested in what vintage cars mean through sight, smell and touch. This project has been handcrafted through a wide range of multidisciplinary design practices. I want to take these ideas of the tactile experience created through a multidisciplinary approach that educates and inspires others and apply it to my project.
 As part of a Massey University paper, students were teamed up to provide the end of the year Exposure exhibition with an image and identity. (fig 5) The campaign that was put into production emphasizes ‘how art and design subtly play a part in our everyday lives’ (Pickett, 2013). As part of their teaser video they collaborated with different students from different design practices around the university to make a single letterform from the title EXPOSURE. Individually each letterform is beautiful and unique, but when they are put together they represent my intention for my project. As a group they display multidisciplinary practices each made to look completely different. They are playful and engaging, this is the idea that I want to apply to my project.
 John Caserta’s project called Letterboxes (fig 6) is an exploration of ‘how children play with wooden blocks to learn the alphabet’, (Caserta, 2008). This project has been slowly produced over the last five years using oversized kraft boxes to create geometric patterns that when combined form unexpected shapes as well as letter forms. He uses the idea of play and participation in a simple functional way. It is a tactile typographic experience made from recycled cardboard. This project uses strong elements of graphic design in a deconstructed way in order for the audience to have fun and explore the possibilities of the format. It is a ludic experience, which is an idea that I wish to experiment with next semester.
 As a result of this research and the precedents that I have explored I would like to find different way of expressing myself as a graphic designer through a multidisciplinary approach to playful design, through the vehicle of typography. From this I have come up with three stages of the project instead of 3 different solutions.
 Initially I will start to explore the possibilities of typography when it is taken off the computer and transformed into a three dimensional object. I will do this by using a multimodal response, through a specific selection of words. The challenge will be to create typography on a large scale while keeping the integrity of the letterforms. This is essential to my project, as I want to display my craftsmanship as well as my graphic design training in respect to typography. I have produced this small-scale experiment with the ‘wood’ (fig 7). This was a fast mock up using multimodal design. Next term Iaim to start with a neutral typeface, to see what it can say a multidisciplinary approach is applied. The type must be treated in a way that engages people to pick it up, move it or play with it. I will also document this process of creating this typography as it could accompany the project.
 Another option is to design mini installations as an experiment to see how the students of Massey interact with them and compare it to other collages. This would be a test to see if the multimodal function of the typography has been successful as the meaning could change in a different context.
 I would also like to create an immersive ludic experience as a way of exploring the possibilities of design as a holistic discipline. I could do this either at the Massey Open day for future students to play with in order to educate them on the scope that design holds. I could hold a creative competition to encourage participation.
 Finally I would like to look into a typographic playground for students. This would mean that I could construct typography and then deconstruct it as a way of engaging them to interact together through spatial design. Through deconstruction it will allow the audience to see through and examine the internal structure of a letterform and it will also allow them to understand how design disciplines have been combined to make this form of experimental typography.
 Research theories and precedents have informed this project, which has given me a strong foundation to continue with in semester two. However I do plan to continue my research into environmental typography and extend my knowledge on play theory. I want to also research the act of participation to gather more understanding and strategy’s to engage my audience during my purposed installations. Before coming back for semester two I also plan on experimenting with three-dimensional typography so I have something to start with as it may be a timely process.Â
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