Are humans still the highest authority of art and design?

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Are humans still the highest authority of art and design?

When have you looked at a piece of art and not felt something, joy, intrigue, boredom? Art enriches the lives of those who use it, just like design; which I cover in my talk. Art and design are intertwined, and both have changed over time. With the rise of technologies and new ideas, it’s time for us to think about the future of digital design.

Experiences becoming the centre of design

Since the 19th Century, artist have been focusing
on the internal to find inspiration for what they do. They began sharing their
inner thoughts, feelings and emotions; seen in artist like Van Gogh, Singer
Sargent and Munch. Experiences became the very meaning of art and the same can
be said for digital design.

Unique experiences and emotional connection can be seen in famous marketing campaigns. From slogans like “taste the rainbow”, to “just do”, the experiences of the users were key in connecting with them.

The rise of a new sort of experience

Although the experiences of the user is something we are always thinking about when designing, there is a new authority that is changing how our users connect. This new authority is artificial intelligence (AI). AI is moving into the core of modern society, from personal fitness devices, e-readers through to smart speakers like Google Home. Individuals are more reliant on AI to guide them through life and help make decisions on their behalf. Throughout art and design the highest authority has been human experiences, but AI is a new key consideration when thinking about user engagement.

Does design still rely on our experiences?

We have experienced design that focuses on the outside
world, then on ourselves and now on an intelligence that guides us. So, how
does this impact 21st century designs? The answer to this is
interconnection.

Stay with me here. We live in a world that is highly connected and we are striving more to find a harmony between our consciousness, ourselves and our environment. With the rise of mental health awareness, environmental architecture and sustainability, we are no longer looking for reflections of ourselves but a way to feel connected to it.

Designing through better connection

By focusing designs that centre around human interconnected
experiences, we can use the need to see ourselves, our world and our smart
technology to truly engage with our users. The new designs of the 21st
century needs to connect others with the world, with each other and with themselves.
Which can only be done by embracing what we have experienced before and using this
new technology to our advantage.