INTERCULTURAL DESIGN GCD61304
INTERCULTURE DESIGN
Rafa Maritza Hertrian [0364958]
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's
University
Intercultural Design GCD61304
INSTRUCTIONS
Figure 1.1: MIB GCD61304/ INTERCULTURAL DESIGN
Rationale
LECTURES
Lecture 1: Introduction Cultural Sensitivity
Visual are powerful medium to provide most of our informatoin about the world.
"We live in a visual information culture" this means that most information
shared nowadays is through visual. For instance, videos for social media
contents or posters and pictures from platforms such as Instagram, Tik Tok,
and etc.
Cultural sensitivity in a design occurs when creating effective design that
can prevent uproars, this is one of the biggest challenges for
designers.
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Figure 1.2.1 Statistics on how human brain perceive visual
information |
Why do visual graphic exists?
- Universal communication
- To make messages easier to recieve by the audience in an eyecatching way
- simplification of communication
- Prevent language barrier
why do they look the way they do?
Visuals are
Everything that can be seen (1)
This definition is wide, all-inclusive including nature-
but nature is not culture unless there's a meaning and representation
connected to it.
Everything produced or created by humans that can be seen (2)
This proposes that visual is everything that can be seen and which produced by
humans for the purpose of visual representations that have functions,
content and communicative purpose.
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| Figure 1.2.2 Visual representation |
Design System - Addressing Cultural Sensitivity
Designers must be aware of cultural nuances, symbolism, and context to create
designs that are inclusive and resonate with diverse audiences. Cultural
sensitivity encompasses functionality, usability, and the overall user
experience.
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Figure 1.2.3 Visual design as a self representation |
Design Significance
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Figure 1.2.4 Design Significance Diagram |
Designers need to be able to identify the social, cultural, and political
spheres where the design elements reside. (You have to look back at the
root and the purpose of the design).
By understanding the significance of the graphics in its cultural
studies, philosophy, sociology, and origin story.
From the diagram above, artifacts and products are pretty much the final
outcome of the design itself.
Design System
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| Figure 1.2.5 Design System Triangle |
Different parts of the world can perceive things with different cultural
functions or values. For instance, in Western culture, the dots on a ladybug
represent the number of lucky months while in Japanese culture ladybugs
represent bad luck. These values nowadays are often implemented in
designs.
Cultural Sensitivity Awareness
Symbolism and Imagery
Certain symbols and images may carry different meanings in different
cultures. Designers should be mindful of potential cultural interpretations
to avoid unintentional misunderstandings or offenses.
Color Considerations
Colors can have cultural significance, and their meanings may vary across
different societies. Understanding the cultural associations of colors can
help designers make appropriate choices.
Typography and Language
Choosing fonts and text styles that are culturally appropriate is important.
Additionally, considering language variations and ensuring accurate
translations is crucial for reaching diverse audiences.
Inclusive Design
Designers should strive to create products and experiences that are
accessible and inclusive for people from various cultural backgrounds,
including those with different abilities and needs.
User Research
Conducting thorough user research, including ethnographic studies and user
testing across diverse groups, helps designers gain insights into cultural
preferences and behaviors
Localization
Adapting designs to specific cultural contexts through localization can
enhance the relevance and acceptance of a product or service
Cultural Awareness Training
Design teams may benefit from cultural awareness training to better understand diverse perspectives and sensitivities.
Practical
Project 1 - Proposal (Continuous Assessment)
After a discussion with my teammates, we all agreed to choose Nyonya Kebaya as
our theme to convey cultural sensitivity. Based on our research, Nyonya Kebaya
is a type of kebaya that originates from Malaysia and connects to the
Chinese-Malaysia ancestry. Hypothetically, this traditional attire is not worn
as often anymore. Although people still use it for formal events, we hope to
see the beauty of Nyonya Kebaya applied to daily life.
To achieve this vision, me and my group planned on promoting Nyonya Kebaya to
the younger generation so that its beauty can continue to live on. In our
preliminary planning, me and my group came up with three different media to
promote Nyonya Kebaya. This includes character design splash art, fashion
magazine, and mixed media art.
Our ideas and plans are all compiled into the proposal below:
Process of Sketch
For the preliminary ideas, I was in charge of proposing the fashion magazine.
I came up with the idea of mixing current fashion trends with kebaya.
Rationale - Fashion Magazine
The idea of creating a magazine cover page is heavily influenced by Vogue fashion magazine. For more than a century, Vogue magazine has been a leading source of information on fashion on a global scale.
It contains editorials that set trends, high-end fashion photography, and in-depth articles about models, designers, and cultural figures. Vogue's recognizable covers and impactful articles help to define and mold the always-changing fashion industry. Fashion magazines may be a crucial resource for the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage within the fashion industry through the use of attractive graphics, cultural narratives, and educational material.
Fashion magazine is a good platform to promote Nyonya Kebaya as our main concern is that it is less worn nowadays. Magazines can reintroduce the beauty of Kebaya to the younger generation as it should be both informative and attractive. This can be a great source of pride for the local community, it is possible that the aesthetics of a magazine cover page can summarize the purpose, culture, emotion, etc. of an attire. Fashion magazines have the power to use clothing to tell narratives. Readers can learn more about the origins and cultural significance of Nyonya Kebaya by including articles, interviews, or editorials that explore the garment's history, significance, and cultural heritage.
Below is our presentation of the proposal:
Project 2 - Field Study (Continuous Assessment)
We discussed the ideas that we proposed and we decided to choose a fashion
magazine as a medium to promote Nyonya Kebaya. We then proceed to do the
research so that we get a deeper understanding of the cultural significance
of Nyonya Kebaya in Malaysia. Some of our groups went to the National
Textile Museum to do an observatory, some did the online survey, and
one of my peers went to Ang Eng Boutique to do an interview with the artisan
who is responsible for the boutique.
In the interview, we focus on asking how their boutique promotes Nyonya
Kebaya to the younger generations and how they get a bigger audience. The
results of the interview and other research results are all in the file
below:
Project 3 - Final Project (Final Assessment)
As we finished the research and analyzing it, we understood the overall idea
of Nyonya Kebaya. Then we proceed to discuss how we want the fashion
magazine to look like. The concept of the fashion magazine is to combine
current fashion trends and Nyonya Kebaya. We all agree to make the layout of
the design have a vintage style. This is to complement the Kebaya as it is
a vintage item and we want to give an emphasis on the modern
accessories.
The fashion trends we combine with Nyonya Kebaya include Acubi, Coquette,
Dark Academia, Gothic, and Office Siren. These fashion trends are popularized
on TikTok, which is a social media platform that is often used nowadays by the
current generations.
My Sketching Process:
Final Product
Fashion Magazine: Vogue Kebaya
Feedback
Week 2
The lecturers remind students that the final product of this module is determined by our own decisions. Hence, it is up to us to determine the standard of the final product.
Week 3
After showing our proposal to Ms. Noranis, she told us to add the research methodology since we haven't added it to our proposal. We're also suggested to interview a local artisan as a credible source for our research.
Week 4
We have done an observatory research in the National Textile Museum as our research and Ms. Maria instructed us to do the interview that we planned as soon as possible. She also suggested adding another research method which we decided to be a survey of Taylor's University students.
Reflection
Experience
In this module I have learned not only design knowledge, I also learned how to work with others. This was a very insightful experience since I haven't got a lot of work that requires a team. I enjoyed working with intercultural design projects as it allowed me to see how other designers interpret their design skills when it comes to creating something. It also teaches me how to respect others' opinions while also learning how to convey my opinion so that others can grasp what I offer to the work.
Observation
Cultural Sensitivity might be a topic that is important to bring up in this era because based on the survey that me and my teammates have done, people are becoming less and less knowledgeable regarding their cultural heritage. Learning about cultural sensitivity inspired me to re-introduce the culture that is overlooked in this era of westernized culture.
Findings
Cultural sensitivity in the design field can be found in every inch of the design that is created. For instance, it can appear on the layouting and typography. Therefore, it is very important for designers to be more aware of cultural sensitivity so that their design is suitable for wider range of audience.
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