#techdeterminism

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FIlm yang berjudulkan “Her” menunjukkan bagaimana sebuah operating system mempengaruhi pemikiran, perasaan, dan perilaku dari penggunanya.

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When technology determines who we are, one might struggle to have friends at all just because he doesn’t own a smartphone.

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TECHNOLOGICAL DETERMINISM

Has communication design been “determined” by technology? Yes? No? Maybe? Discuss your answer. Stand: Maybe.

Design comes from an idea not technology

No. Ideas come from you not from technology. Ideas are being generated and developed through our human’s brain based on their cultures and personal experiences. In the olden days when there is still no technology, people tend to experiment with the objects around them. During the process of making the product, people tend to trial and error and improve the mistakes until the best outcome is being produced. Without the advancement of technology, ideas are still able to generate as human beings are the ones who come out with the idea itself not technology.  

Design is a form of communication that can be achieved with or without technology.

No. Communication design is not determined by technology because it is a creative process that combines art, image, language, and technology regardless of its media. The creative process requires creative, critical, observational, quantitative and analytical thinking which technology is unable to replicate or replace. 

Firstly, take for example the art of advertising. It has existed since the middle ages before the advent of modern day mass advertising such a radio, television, internet for etc. Ancient Egyptians would use papyrus to make sales messages and wall posters. Commercial messages and political campaign displays have been found in the ruins of Pompeii and ancient Arabia. Lost and found advertising on papyrus was common in ancient Greece and ancient Rome. 

Signs today that would say cobbler, miller, tailor or blacksmith would use an image associated with their trade such as a boot, a suit, a hat, a horse shoe, a candle or even a bag of flour so that they would be able to communicate to the illiterate. In this case, technology would not be able to "advise" the best possible way to advertise to both the literate and illiterate target audience. 

Secondly, technology in the case of a computer and design softwares only aids in the production process (in terms of speed) of a poster design for eg. The same poster can also be achieved through the traditional hand-rendering and "cut and paste" methods when the technology was not available back in those days. Furthermore such creative software do not help isolate the best design solution despite the fact that it could churn out many other more variations the same time it takes to produce one manually by hand.

Last but not least, if technology is/was really "determining" communication design today, why is there still a need and value placed on the tactile if there's emphasis on the digital media? Technology is just another medium and aid for communication.

Design is determined by technology

Yes. Technology inevitably plays a part in determining design. This is because with progression and the need to speed up production, software and programs are developed. The idea of perfecting this craft also determines what kind of technology invention. For example, Adobe created InDesign - a type of publishing software to make layouts and adjust wordings. How precise you want it to be, you can control with the functions in this program. Design in this case is determined by digital technology. The craftsmanship progression can be seen through mass production of print. 

Design influenced by technology

Yes. "New-age" design is influenced by technology. Design over the years has evolved greatly due to the advancement of technology. In the past, design is just the simple conveying of messages and ideas to different target audiences. It is still the same now, but many other niches are added when a design idea is formed. With the invention and introduction of such high-tech devices, clients expect more innovative input as these "new" technologies are the "in-thing". Ideas used to be only expressed on print. A campaign only consisted of posters but now, it has slowly evolved into digital media.  A campaign now includes not only print media but also outdoor media, event promotions, web applications and even iPhone/iPad applications. Therefore, we feel that design is "determined" by technology as design follows along with the advancement of technology.

Communication is technology

Yes. Communication design is no doubt been determined by technology. It is because communication design itself, is technology. If design is plain and flat, or be it an artwork that is basic and does not make use of technology then it is just design. However with 'communication' being put into design, it then becomes communication design which is definitely determined by technology. With communication comes all forms of communicating and connecting with ourselves and the world. All these forms of communication consists of technology. For example, communicating through different mediums such as, the Internet, TV, mobile phones etc. Communication design can't take place if there is no involvement of technology.

Design exploits technology

Yes. In the modern days, design is no longer just an art but a platform to brainwash others. It uses modern media technology to influence others in their daily life and affect their opinions. 

 There are times that design exploits technology in advertising area. They use technology to create a positive impact in their product without good intention of how the message was being brought across to the consumer. The only objective was to use the most successful technological way to create a design campaign that will give them the best result.

Therefore, design has lost its purpose with the increasing dependent on technology. It’s no longer being created with in depth meaning but created for benefits purposes due to the conveniences of modern technology.

For example; OCBC Frank Card, It’s a new range of credit/debit card that came out by the bank. It’s a series of card that consumer can choose their preferences design for their card. As you can see, the bank is using design to market their new series of card. Design is make conveniences due to the easy accessibility in mass-producing. It can now use as marketing strategic to consumer to experience the product in a refreshing way. In short, all these were possible due to technology. Therefore, design has actually exploits technology.

Technology is a tool to aid in communication

Yes. Technology acts as a tool to aid in communication as it helps to solve its design solution in anyway. As technology moves along with time, it actually improved itself and also enhances design communication in many forms. And with the current advance technology, a lot of new gadgets and equipment are providing a lot of convenience to the users. Right now with simple phone application do wonders; just with a tap and it gives you all sorts of information you want and this is when technology plays a play as a tool in communication). 

How much has communication design been “determined,” by technology? Give examples. Typography is one major example that is a form of communication design and determined by technology. Typography exists because of language and type faces. The first form of writing is in pictures, eventually forming into words. From stone carvings to paper writing and eventually typing, the need to communicate words is determined by technology as a progress. Typography is also determined in a way of font creation. A typeface can tell a story or help to tell a story in the writing. For example, if a font is created in bold red letters, it can communicate a message. 

Another example is print advertisements. Almost all print ads in today are done using a computer and with softwares created by Adobe such as Photoshop and Illustrator. Without such technology, the making of prints is less efficient and the effects may not be enhanced or altered. Communication design has been determined by technology to a large extent because of how widely it is applied all over the world. Technology here helps in creating the after effects of both the print and response from target audiences.