I recently attended a symposium where the objective was to explore the use of typical Human Computer Interaction evaluation methods for the assessment of creative work. Basically, they wanted to understand how best to evaluate art and design from the viewers’ perspective. I thought it was interesting how the disciplines of art and design were grouped together, with the latter, in my opinion, only requiring any serious consideration for evaluation.
Art is simply evaluated by the beholder (and I suppose the critic as well). Either it is liked and appreciated, or it is not. The artist is usually using some medium to express their views or interpretation of many things including an image, event, or emotion. The user, viewer, or the person who experiences the art does not have (in most cases) the opportunity to provide feedback that would affect the result.
Design, has a greater responsibility. Unlike art, it usually has a purpose beyond expression and is used in some way (there is an identifiable receiver or user), and therefore can be evaluated based on that premise. Design also has a whole host of challenges that art does not have. Firstly, designers usually have to work to a brief or framework that can limit their creativity. These could be constraints as a result of the target audience, size of a product, limitations in technology or user interface structure. They also will, more than likely, have to work collaboratively with a team made up of people from a variety of disciplines, all with a contribution to the final outcome.
As a result of this, they will have to adjust their designs based on stakeholder requirements and user evaluations, and still produce something creative within what may be very constrained boundaries. Alternatively, the artist, although partial to public praise, needs only to please themselves.
The artist would lose much by having to submit to an iterative process of third party evaluation and re-design - Essentially this type of evaluation needs to come from within. The artist looks inward and creates, where as the designer must look outward and create - Potentially a much more difficult task.
indicates required fields
Richard Bowers commented on 1 July 2009 at 5:57 pm
An interesting thought, although it focuses rather too heavily on a romanticised image of the artist that scarcely reflects actual practice. I’m sure many artists today still hold the view that it would be beneficial to all if their work progressed in an ivory tower, so to speak, but the reality is that “the target audience, size of a product, limitations in technology or user interface structure” are restraints that apply equally well to an artist who produces work for a public viewer in a public space. My modest experience as an artist and as someone who knows artists tells me that artists are having to work very exactly to briefs.
However, good artists, and good designers, are adept at pushing the envelope to ensure their visionary power is evidenced in the work. Mediocre artists and designers (I include myself) often fail to exert a strong influence and create compromised work that satisfies the rather limited expectations of the client.
Also, artists often have to work with teams - particulary when working to commission - and “adjust their designs based on stakeholder requirements and user evaluations”.
Sorry to go on, but “design, has a greater responsibility” is a remarkable assertion that reinforces your belief that the two disciplines are quite separate with design alone “requiring any serious consideration for evaluation”. What is extraordinary about that belief is that it is held seemingly in ignorance of the many examples of design making paradigm shifts as a result of observing developments in the fine arts. To be truthful, art and design have cohabited fairly productively over the centuries, learning and borrowing from each other.
Perhaps another interesting topic is the way in which software has turned everyone into ‘designers’ with varying degrees of success. I’d be interested to know your views on that.
Anne Stahl commented on 1 July 2009 at 9:37 pm
You forget to mention that the artist has the ‘un-defined’ responsibility to create a piece that is a cultural and historical importance. Otherwise, the ‘art’ would better be described as ‘craft’. True art, has the greatest of all responsibilities. It must be genuinely original and stand the test of time. In addition, most artists do work within (sometimes self-imposed) restraints. Hence why the difference between art and design isn’t really all that clear.
http://www.annestahl.com
Richard Bowers commented on 2 July 2009 at 11:38 am
Nice work at your site, by the way, Anne.
flashplayer commented on 6 July 2009 at 4:09 pm
Perfect!
Mark Geiger commented on 6 July 2009 at 6:49 pm
it0cEg Thanks for your insights
christmasrush commented on 6 July 2009 at 11:27 pm
Mornin`
Hey, great post, very well written. You should post more about this.
Jim Palmer commented on 21 July 2009 at 5:34 am
Bravo! Nice Article.,