Communications design would benefit from greater emphasis on pure research outside of commercial constraints. Pure research through exploratory projects unburdened by practical application could allow practitioners to make profound discoveries like new visual languages. The conventional approach elevates practice over theory and is pursued with commercial ends in mind, but free exploration of materials and methods could lead to innovative findings as it has in other fields like science and art.

1. Pure R
Comm esearc
unicat h in
ions D
esig n:
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al Dia ion
g Prof ession plorat
Exp andin Throu gh Ex
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a nd Pra

2. Hypothesis
The conventional approach to communications
design is to elevate practice over theory; it is
pursued with a commodified end result in mind.
However, communications design would benefit
from a greater emphasis on pure research outside
the constraints of commodified production.
Free exploration of materials, methods and context
would allow practicioners to make profound discover-
ies such as new visual languages, new substrates and
new mediums.

3. The conventional approach
to communications design
is to elevate practice over theory;

4. Practice Over Theory
1
http://graphichive.net/index.php?theType=templates

5. Design is pursued with a
commodified end result in mind.

6. Commodified
End Results

7. Commodification relies
on quantifiable approaches
—basing conclusions on
proven, measurable results.
The logic is: what has worked
in the past will continue
to be effective.

8. “designers rely on [...] abductive reasoning—
the logic of what might be. This is the art
of creating something that’s never been
before. The vocabulary isn’t important,
but the underlying concept is:
Designers don’t copy, they create.”
citation: Good Founders

9. Intrinsic Motivation
Motivation driven by the
“joy of discovery and the
challenge of creation”
1 Pink, Daniel H. Drive, The Surprising Truth About What motivates us.

10. Pure Research:
• Observation of the natural world soley for
the purpose of discovering unknown laws
• Driven by curiosity
• Motivated by the desire to expand knowledge.
• In contrast to applied research, which is research
investigating a specific, defined problem for
the purpose of practical application

11. Free exploration allows practicioners
to make profound discoveries...

12. Pure Research in Science:
Louis Pasteur

13. Pure Research
in Sociology:
Emile Durkheim

14. Pure Research
in Art:
Jackson Pollock’s
Action Paintings

15. Pure Research:
in Art and Music
John Cage

16. Pure Research:
Design
Annie Albers
“Unburdened by any considerations of practical
application, [...} uninhibited play with materials
resulted in amazing objects, striking in their new-
ness of conception in regard to use of color and
compositional elements––objects of often quite
barbaric beauty. ”

17. Next Steps
• Identify specific parameters for
a series of exploratory projects
• Execute the projects
• Write a series of essays describing
the outcomes
• Publish the findings in hopes of
sharing the knowledge gained with
other professionals.