An Exploration into the Future of the Digital World
As Related To Graphic Design and Advertising
[Written October 1993 — this is another paper I wrote in graduate school while at RIT. It was written for an Electronic Photography class — early early digital photography using 1st generation digital cameras, capture devices (scanners) and photoshop to create new imagery. I hadn’t yet made the mental shift from being a graphic designer to being an interactive designer. It’s interesting to look back at what I was thinking in terms of future from 2025 — the future for the person who wrote these words. A lot of my predictions have come to pass while some are still a dream for the future.]
I see the future of the digital world moving in several directions. Related to the field of graphic design and advertising, digital imaging is having and will continue to have a profound effect on the way business is done. The digital revolution is like a tidal wave that has only just begun to trickle onto the beach and we haven’t seen anything yet.
In advertising and design the effect will be to globalize competition. This is already happening in many other industries and to some extent with large agencies. As smaller firms catch up and recruit young and more computer literate talent they too will become competitive on a global scale. Now, not only can we use Fed Ex but we never have to leave our own workstation. All we need is a computer and a high speed modem. [haha — high speed internet wasn’t even thought about at this time- note from 2025] I believe that these will get faster and more powerful so that there will be no reason not to transmit everything through phone lines.
The industry that has suffered from the beginnings of the computer revolution and the thought that anyone with a Mac can design will begin to separate again. Clients will realize that it’s not the computer but the brain and the talent driving the computer that’s important and will again return to quality. The narrow gap that is evident now will become wider and our industry will once more be recognized as knowledgeable professionals.
Traditional art directing will change also. Art directing, particularly of freelance and contract talent (photographers and Illustrators) will be done ‘on-line’. Digital links between photographer and art directors will become commonplace. This has already started to happen. Art directors will no longer have to go on location or to the photographer’s studio. They will work over a computer interfaced directly with the photographer and approve shots from their own work stations. This will save clients money in travel expenses and free up the Art Director, who spends a fair amount of time waiting, to do other tasks thereby increasing his billable hours. In addition this revolution will allow agencies and studios to increase their pool of talent. The competition for a job could come from across the country or across the street.
As consumers become more integrated into the computer world and are linked ‘on-line’ into services and networks the whole nature of advertising and design could change as we know it. Ads and information can be styled and transmitted directly to the consumer. They will be specifically targeted to that consumer based on the types of networks and conferences that he/she is interfaced with. Now not only will we have junk mail but junk e-mail. [that was prescient for something super obvious-note from 2025]
This trend in inter-connectivity and the potential for the graphic designer is further supported by the mergers between cable and phone companies and the next wave of interactive entertainment and information retrieval. The designer will play a role in the way the average consumer will see his new world. The potential for advertising manipulation is also high in this format. The capabilities for more specific and accurate target marketing can be determined by the types of programs and information accessed. Advertising will become a custom built entity and will easily be done electronically.
How design interacts with the world of printing is also being dramatically changed. Agencies and studios have to be more informed about more of the process than ever before. There will be changing roles for personnel. The traditional production manager may have to be more familiar with the printing knowledge of stripping and separations if this type of work is to be done on the desktop. Lower end jobs will be processed entirely in house while higher end and more complex jobs will go outside. Agencies will be connected directly to a printer or group of printers for specific jobs. Printers will have the capabilities to print on machines like the Xerox Docu -Tech on the specified paper for short runs and only go on press for longer runs.
One of the things that I see in the far future is the acceptance and wide use of virtual reality. [Not yet even here in 2025-note from 20205] This media as a tool for design and communication has the greatest potential of all. I think it will become the greatest and most powerful tool for selling to the American consumer. With enhanced virtual reality we will be able to experience the thrill of a new car and try out several different models without leaving our home. We will be able to ‘taste’ the latest soft drink and ‘smell’ the newest perfume. The market place will become smaller, more competitive and more specialized.
For my personal career I see a greater influence from computers and the need to become less specialized and more of a generalist. Knowledge of all the relevant disciplines and the latest trends in different areas of the digital revolution are going to be important for success. I will have to be versed in multiple software programs and know what the next wave of technology will bring in order to stay competitive. As the world becomes more specialized and decentralized, it is also going to be important to make the right contacts and build a network of core people needed to get the job done. Design and production as always will stay a team effort.
