Helvetica, Lasagne & The 1975

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Helvetica, Lasagne & The 1975 A journey of personal and professional development during my time studying Graphic Design at the University of Salford ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 1

04 12 24 48 72

CRITICAL WRITING #1

CRITICAL WRITING #2

PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL WRITING #3

POSITIONING REPORT

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

4 / CRITICAL WRITING #1

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

CRITICAL WRITING #1

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

L CA TI I CR

AN D

PROFESSIONAL CO NT EX

TS

3

WHY I WRITE EXPLORING PERCEPTIONS OF WRITING IN RELATION TO CREATIVE PRACTICE There is a balance to be found between practice and theory Most of the writing I have done, during my time at university, has been reflective in nature. It has been essential in the development of my practice both artistically and academically. My most successful pieces of written work are about topics that interest me, are relevant to my degree and support the work I am doing. Since coming to university I have found myself to be much more enthusiastic about writing itself, mostly because of the variety between academic essays and personal reflection.

In this essay I aim to show how my relationship with writing has evolved throughout my academic life and how it has influenced my engagement within the community I am involved in. Another topic I will further explore is the importance of writing in correlation with language and how my language skills have improved immensely.

Finally I will discuss the use of writing as part of a way to document my experiences.

George Orwell talks about his 4 main reasons to write: “Sheer egoism, […] Aesthetic enthusiasm, […] Historical impulse […], Political purpose […]” (Orwell, 1946) 6 / CRITICAL WRITING #1

Reflecting on my reasons for writing in the past, I would say my personal reasons lie somewhere between aesthetic enthusiasm and historical impulse, although after reading some of my essays from my first and second year of university, I can definitely tell that political purpose plays a big part in my academic writing. It has made me realise the importance of my involvement in the politics of my industry and that politics has become increasingly prominent in my life.

The idea of moving between these reasons connects to Craig Oldham‘s thoughts on the interrelationship between practice and theory. “If you’re all theory you’re not going to be a good designer, and if you’re all practice your ideas will be nothing more than decorative but ignored wallpaper […] So it’s a balance, and you can’t have one without the other. Nor should you.”

(Oldham, 2017) This statement definitely resonates with me and allows me to reflect on where I fit on the spectrum. It is also interesting to observe other designers’ work and practice to find out what their balance looks like as well as how that is reflected in their work.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 7

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

8 / CRITICAL WRITING #1

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Writing improves communication & expression Reflective writing has allowed me to enhance my practice during my studies. I feel as though reflecting on my experiences has helped me define the main lessons I have learned during events and talks I attended outside of university. I can write much more extensively and freely about topics I am interested in. I think that through writing at university I have improved my ability to evaluate my research and what I have learned. It has also played a role in developing my critical thinking skills and my research has enabled me to better integrate into the design community.

Writing has furthered my education because it has allowed me to delve into unexplored subject matter which has helped me learn about new things. Furthermore, the preparation for writing has also helped me improve my research skills that I can now apply to all aspects of my practice. Writing is really useful for me to be able to summarise and make sense of large bodies of text.

It helps me to simplify complicated subject matter whilst, in addition, assisting me to remember information.

Something I have found interesting when examining my reasons for writing is that it has allowed me to not only reflect on experiences but also document them in the first place. The idea of reflecting on reflection has only become clear through looking at my recount of the events I visited last year. I feel as though I recall events differently to when I wrote about them originally, which makes me question whether the actual events were different than I remembered even then. This phenomenon is comparable to The Park where the protagonist thinks about how they do not know what story in their head they can believe: “The way I saw this event at the

time was quite different to the way I see it now […] I cannot know what ‘story’ is ‘true’” (Moon, 2004).

Another thing I have found beneficial is how writing has helped me to properly articulate my ideas. Having spent 10 years of my life writing essays in German, switching to different grammar and sentence structure is something I have struggled with since moving to England. As I often translate sentences directly from German when writing, it has helped me expand my vocabulary and I feel I am much more eloquent both in academic writing as well as every day life.

A negative effect of writing, especially in an academic environment is the pressure it puts on students and the anxiety it causes.

This is especially true for creative students as they are often not as academically inclined, many don’t enjoy writing or public speaking.

Often times, students will distort their tone of voice and try to sound more intelligent, which according to Daniel Oppenheimer of Princeton University (2005) is often counterproductive. It is the idea that students often aren’t writing for themselves, but to appease teachers and achieve a grade.

This causes an essential part of writing’s benefits to be lost. Writing allows the author to find their own voice, which should be understandable as opposed to being distorted through big words.

Reflective writing, however, is much more personal and, therefore, a more colloquial language can be applied. This is a much better way for creatives to express their views and partake in industry discourse. This connects to my reasons for writing, in that I most enjoy it when it surrounds a topic I am passionate about.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 9

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Much like in your creative practice, it is just about finding your style In conclusion, writing plays a large part in my life as an engaged designer, both in written and visual communication.

It allows me to partake in discourse within the industry, improve my language skills and reflect on the formative experiences I have during my time at university.

There are also other points that have become clear by reflecting upon my reasons for writing in this essay. They have become parameters for my writing in the future.

They will also serve as aims to assure that I am achieving my personal goals and producing honest written work.

The first aim I have identified is writing for myself. The many personal and professional benefits such as language development and industry engagement have been successfully identified within this essay.

References Moon, J., (2004) A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning, Routledge Falmer, London Oldham, C., (2017), Oh Sh*t What Now?, p.96 Laurence Oppenheimer, D. (2015). Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly. Princeton University, USA. DOI: 10.1002/acp.1178 Orwell, G., (1946), Why I Write, Gangrel, London

10 / CRITICAL WRITING #1

In the future I want to make sure that I am aware of why I am writing and find reasons for wanting to write myself as opposed to accomplishing a task.

The second aim I have for the future is writing as myself. Using a written version of your own voice is important for establishing yourself as a writer. Much like in your design practice, it is just about finding your style. I want to ensure that my essays meet academic standards, yet are still true to my personality.

My final future aim for my written work is to always ensure I am writing about something that interests me.

To sum up, I aim to always make my written work exciting in its production and make sure I learn as much as possible. With these aims, I am certain that I will be successful in all of my academic and reflective writing, as well as my creative practice.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 11

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

12 / CRITICAL WRITING #2

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

CRITICAL WRITING #2 ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 13

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

L CA TI I CR

AN D

PROFESSIONAL CO NT EX

TS

3

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE DESIGN INVESTIGATING THEMES LINKED TO CURRENT PERSONAL STUDIO PRACTICE Creatives want to find a more purposeful, socially beneficial use for their abilities Introduction Ethics in design has been a topic of discussion within the industry for many decades. From the original First Things First manifesto, published by Ken Garland in 1964, to its most recent update in 2014 that everyone can sign, creatives all around the world are constantly re-evaluating their social conscience. Rising tensions within politics have re-opened discussions about campaign branding. Extinction Rebellion have released all design specs for a creative approach to climate change that is accessible on a global scale. Students are encouraged to discuss social issues such as mental health and gender equality within their work.

The debate around the social responsibility of designers is more prominent than ever: “The discourse on how designers make ethical decisions is not about how and who they engage with but whether they engage at all.” (Abrahams, 2016).

This essay explores social responsibility in the creative industry, by first discussing the history of this topic as well as current developments. Next, two case studies on practicing designers will highlight the way this idea of personal ethics has been implemented successfully within the industry.

Then, the paradox of morals versus money will be discussed, as this is particularly relevant for new designers such as students.

Finally, the essay will conclude with a demonstration of resources available to those who want to define their ethics.

The First Things First Manifesto One of the first impactful ethics-focused movements within the creative industries was the First Things First manifesto, which was published in 1964 by Ken Garland and was signed and supported by a range of prominent creatives. The main message concerned the growing sector of consumerist advertising and the role creatives played in its perpetuation. However, it did also carry the notion of creatives wanting to find a more purposeful, socially beneficial use for their abilities. “[…] the high-pitched scream

BELIEF In an increasingly capitalist society - where there is no lack of ruthless competition how does a designer in the creative industry navigate adhering to their ethics while still making money?

14 / CRITICAL WRITING #2

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

& SAYING SOMETHING

We are now in the most critical time for designers to exercise their social responsibility. of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise […] But we are proposing a reversal of priorities in favour of the more useful and more lasting forms of communication” (Garland, 1964).

It has now been over 50 years since the first manifesto was written, and it has since undergone a few iterations. Adbusters published a revised version in 2000, which was signed by the likes of Jonathan Barnbrook, who advocates heavily for an ethical and political stance within every designers practice. His own application of this will be further discussed in the first case study. The most relevant version of the manifesto is that from 2014, written by Cole Peters. This version focuses heavily on design in a digital era, but also has a clear grasp on the increasing urgency of using design for good: “Ultimately, regardless of its area of focus or scale, our work and our mindset must take on a more ethical, critical ethos.” (Peters, 2014). Reviewing all three versions - although each were equally valuable in their own time period - it becomes clear that we are now in the most critical time for designers to exercise their social responsibility.

Case Study 1 - Johnathan Barnbrook Johnathan Barnbrook is often mentioned when talking about designers with clear opinions on politically and ethically laden work, as well as being a signatory of the 2000 FTF manifesto. He was also the first person interviewed in Adrien Shaughnessy’s “How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul”. When asked about the role of graphic design in political action, Barnbrook (cited in Shaughnessy, 2010) stresses that designers should not see themselves as political, but rather as socially responsible citizen‘s. This means he sees

ethical work as the standard every creative should have, not something that should be constantly pointed out or celebrated.

He often implements this in his practice through more direct messages and anarchic design approach. Barnbrook further specifies his opinions on ethics in design later on in the interview: “I don’t think it’s acceptable to work for things you don’t believe in […] There is a bit of me that would die if I were coerced to tell lies” (Cited in Shaughnessy, 2010).

Connected to his opinion on beliefs, Barnbrook further expands on this opinion in an interview for Design Week, where the question concerns advice he would give young designer entering the industry: “Have the strength in your beliefs. […] have an opinion, because the world is full of designers who don’t […] I think the way to be successful and generate work is to have your own world point of view. […] if you can make that clear there’s a real reason for people to come to you.” (Cited in Banks, 2016). He shares these views with Shaughnessy (2009), who discusses the idea of belief in his book “Graphic Design: A User’s Manual”, where he highlights the significance of advocating for your beliefs in producing meaningful work.

It is obvious that both Barnbrook and Shaugnessy are connected in finding morals in design imperative, not only for being socially responsible, but for producing good work at all. Their approach is reflected in my own practice and that of my peers in design education, in that when designers do work they care about and believe in, it can often make their project stronger and more meaningful. They are both prime examples of how an independent graphic designer can be politically and socially engaged and use this to influence the world around them.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 15

INTEG INTEG INTEG INTEG INTEG BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

16 / CRITICAL WRITING #2

GRITY GRITY GRITY GRITY GRITY CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

*

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 17

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

It comes back to the idea of integrity

Case Study 2 - SomeOne, London In contrast to these independent designers, there are also well-established creative agencies that are leading by example when it comes to a public stance on ethics.

SomeOne, who are based in London, have worked with the likes of Disney, Audi and O2. Their Senior Designer, Tom Myers, explains his approach to ethics and the way the agency makes decisions about who they will work with in a blog post. Myers (2015) begins by highlighting that the clear moral obligations from a job ‘no booze - no fags - no gambling’ gave him a sense of security and it inspired him to see that the company was doing so well even with this approach.

This shows how even the simplest of morals, even if only a few, can have a large impact not only on a company’s sustainability, but can also uplift the employees and give them a feeling of purpose. At his next job, the company took on a seemingly positive brief for an Oil company. The brief soon changed, and Myers did not feel comfortable: “This felt like selling out.[… ] I handed my notice in. It felt black and white. I did it in a most petulant way, but this way I could at least sleep at night.” (Myers, 2015) His actions highlight the fact that personal ethics have an impact on workplace wellbeing, especially when you fundamentally oppose the work of the people you are doing it for.

SomeOne as an agency put this into practice with their main ethical motto: “‘We don’t work on anything that we wouldn’t use ourselves’”, Myers further explains, “Gambling? We might have a flutter. Booze? Yes. Would we shoot someone? No. Would we kill someone? No. It rules out jobs based on our own personal set of ethics.” (Myers, 2015) This approach is still purposefully relevant to both established and newer designers, as they navigate their decision making within a creative environment.

It is important to note that even SomeOne realise that it often isn’t as black and white, and not every moral dilemma has a clear answer. There are many discussions concerning ethics of design, even within other industries, that support this notion.

For example, in 2009, the Health Expectations Journal included a similar inquiry led by Laura Bix PhD and three other experts, including Kenneth Pimple PhD, Director of Teaching Research Ethics Programs in the USA. They discuss that medicine packaging that has been developed to be child safe/senior friendly is causing problems for people with disabilities: “[This] packaging frequently exclude[s] people with ‘overt or obvious disabilities’ and those who are unable to follow written directions” (Bix et al, 2009).

KIDS DON’T WANT RIFLES 18 / CRITICAL WRITING #2

An ethical designer must be aware that there is often not one clear solution that covers all possible problems. It is therefore important for each creative to evaluate their stance and act according to their personal ethics as much as they can within the constraints of the brief.

However, it is additionally important to be realistic about what you can achieve with this mindset. This is the final point Myers discusses in his blog post: “First Things First set out to free creatives from a life of their talents being used to forward unquestioned corporate goals. Don’t let your talents be bound to hollow ethical promises either.”

(Myers, 2015). It comes back to the idea of integrity. You can be extremely socially responsible as a designer, but it can’t be the only thing that affects your decision making process. Sometimes you have to set priorities and take into account whether the repercussions of your work outweigh the improvement you are trying to make.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

A designer can be socially responsible, even if only within their own environment

Rick Poynor, author of First Things Next, which appeared in Obey The Giant in 2001, addresses the idea of trying to influence the company you work for from the inside.

While he admits that “In theory, there is no reason why one shouldn’t attempt to disrupt established power structures from within” He also stresses that “in practice, this is sometimes proposed by students who have yet to try it […], [and] few seem to pull it off.” (Poynor, 2001). It is fair to state that this way of working is very optimistic, but it is wrong of Poynor to dismiss non publicised or uncredited attempts as having ‘not pulled it off’. Also, students or new designers who are only working to earn a living wage may be doing pro bono projects for causes they support outside of their job, which should also be taken into consideration.

A primary topic at the Diffuse panel at this years Design Manchester conference concerned the actions that the panelists take to create more inclusive environments.

Veronica Humphris, a Manchester based designer who was in the audience, told the

story of how in her current job, she was the only woman. She did not agree with the gender inequality within the company, but instead of resigning, she made it a priority to see how she could interrogate their hiring process and improve the circumstances for the next female candidate. (Humphris, 2019).

Humphris exhibits the sort of integrity a designer can have when it is not the client you must try to influence, but your own workplace. Furthermore, it is the idea of having an opinion and standing up for it - no matter what it is or where it is implemented - that she demonstrates. Humphris proves that a designer can be socially responsible, even if only within their own environment at first, but this can set a precedent for improved circumstances later on.

Defining your Ethics This essay has showcased designers and agencies that successfully implement their own ethics into their practice, but it has also highlighted that there is no right or wrong way to do it. Every emerging designer should be reflecting on their own morals and how they want to use their abilities in the world.

Already established designers should be doing the same thing, and reflecting on their socio-political stance within society. The First Things First manifesto set the benchmark for where our priorities should lie in such a pivotal time in society. Johnathan Barnbrook leads by example when it comes to designers being unapologetically true to their beliefs in their practice, and maintains the opinion that in a designer will attract more of the work they want to do through having strong stances. Adrien Shaughnessy seconds this by highlighting the importance of ethics in producing successful work. SomeOne prove that it is possible to set boundaries and later expand or specify these, while experts argue that there will always be consequences to even the most positive actions.

BEING YOUNG IN THE CITY

WHAT’S A FIVER?

Ethics versus Money One could argue that both Barnbrook and Myers have the freedom to decide what work they find appropriate because of their financial stability, and this is accurate in many cases. It is easy for someone who isn’t struggling to pay the bills to be picky about what work they take on. This also creates a certain disparity between people who can and can’t afford to be socially and morally responsible within their work. How can designers, especially young designers find a compromise in such a situation, where they can make ends meet while adhering to their morals and beliefs? If you receive work from a client but feel uncomfortable about the subject matter, what can you do?

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 19

N O O N PPPOONN PO

N O

PP ONN

ON N O

E SP

E SP

E SP

E ESS

20 / CRITICAL WRITING #2

PPOOONN

ES P

ES

ES

ES

S ES

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

S I B S NS IB

N I B NSIB

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

NSIB

IT IL

NSIB

IL ITY IL Y

NSIB

ILLIITTY II L ITY

NSIB

I

N I B NSIB

I IL ITY Y L T Y I I

N IB S

IL ITTY L I I Y L T I

NSSIB

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 21

BA (HONS) (HONS) GRAPHIC GRAPHICDESIGN DESIGN

Follow your personal beliefs There is a vast landscape of information and resources for designers looking to refine their own ethics. For example the AIGA has an AIGA Standards of Professional Practice that provides possible guidelines on how to be a socially responsible graphic designer in todays society. All designers can look at this and form their own opinion on what ethical causes resonate most with them, that will guide them throughout their careers. One of the key quotes in coming to this conclusion was that of Tom Myers : “Booze? Yes. Would we shoot someone? No.”(Myers, 2015).

It captures the essence of following your personal beliefs when it comes to being a socially engaged designer.

& SAYING SOMETHING In an ideal world, every designer would have strict ethical morals that would prevent them from taking on any harmful work, which would therefore force big corporations to adhere to these moral standards as well.

Until that is achieved, being aware of your own standards and implementing them as well as you can and as often as you can is the best way to be a socially responsible designer.

B

References Abrahams, T. (2016). The only way is ethics: what are the moral obligations of a graphic designer?. [online] It’s Nice That.

Available at: https://www.itsnicethat.com/features/ ethics-graphic-design-essay-131016 [Accessed 24 Nov. 2019].

Banks, T. (2016). Barnbrook: “Let’s not forget graphic design is an artistic discipline” . [online] Design Week.

Available at: https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/2-8-may-2016/ barnbrook-lets-not-forget-graphic-design-is-an-artisticdiscipline/ [Accessed 23 Nov. 2019].

Bix, L. , De La Fuente, J. , Pimple, K. D. and Kou, E. (2009), Is the test of senior friendly/child resistant packaging ethical?. Health Expectations, 12: 430-437. doi:10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00534.x Garland, K. (1964). First Things First, London: Goodwin Press

22 / CRITICAL WRITING #2

Humphris, V. (2019). Diffuse Panel at DM19.

Myers, T. (2015). Ethics in Design. [Blog] SomeOne. Available at: https://someoneinlondon.com/updates/ ethics-in-design [Accessed 25 Nov. 2019].

Peters, C. (2014). First Things First, Available at: https:// dpya.org/wiki/images/e/e2/First_Things_First_2014. pdf [Accessed 24 Nov. 2019].

Poynor, R. (2001). First Things Next, Obey the giant: Life in the image world. Berlin: Birkhäuser, pp.141-151.

Shaughnessy, A. (2010). How to be a graphic designer, without losing your soul (New ed.). London: Laurence King.

Shaughnessy, A. (2009). Graphic design : A user’s manual.

London: Laurence King. * In the style of The 1975 - Music For Cars

S

& CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

BEL

IEF B

G N I Y A S

ELIE F BE LIE

G N I H T SOME ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 23

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

24 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

PRACTICE REVIEW ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 25

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Creative Creative Direction Direction This Practice Review is a documentation of research into a field of practice that I find interesting and relevant to my personal, long term goals as a creative practitioner.

The field I have chosen is Creative Direction, relating to my strengths in idea generation and conceptual thinking. It explores existing design as well as relevant academic texts, to place my research within the context of existing practice.

26 / PRACTICE REVIEW

e n

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

What is Creative Direction?

•

Planning the layout and visuals for print and digital publications, products and advertising

•

Overseeing a creative staff team that produces art and designs to support that vision.

•

Deciding how to turn ideas and messages into visuals

•

Choosing and approving photographs, artwork, graphics and designs

•

Creating and executing for a publication, product or campaign style guide

•

Meeting with and creating designs for clients or marketing and advertising departments

•

Presenting work to clients and making changes to a project’s direction as needed

•

Managing and motivating a team of graphic designers, web designers and artists

•

Keeping projects on budget and deadline

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 27

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Initial Questions What skills must you have to be able to take on such a role?

Who are key practitioners in the field? Who does work I am inspired by?

How you progress into this job?

What has the journey of Creative Directors that I know looked like?

How much information exists about progressing into my chosen field?

What challenges could I face as a woman aiming for a leadership role in the creative industry?

What work that has already been created in connection to this topic?

28 / PRACTICE REVIEW

“

“ “

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

If you consider yourself to be an ‘ideas’ person who can translate insights into market leading creative concepts with strong leadership and people management skills to inspire a team then this is the perfect opportunity. You have to have the experience, expertise and motivation to take on the responsibility of making Social Chain an agency globally recognised for our creative excellence. We’re looking for someone to be able to both pitch new concepts to clients and be a brand advocate. ___ (Social Chain, Manchester, 2019)

“

You will lead the creative function of the agency. You will be working across a number of brands at any time producing beautiful campaigns for FMCG/Retail, work collaboratively with the strategic partners in the business, mentor the juniors in the team, pitch your work in an engaging and articulate manor to clients. You will also be an advocate for the agency to future employees and clients. ___ (Network Marketing, Manchester, 2019)

Specifications Current job ads for Creative Directors There is no universally understood definition of Creative Direction.

Every creative director has a different day-to-day job. I identify heavily with being an “Ideas person” and the capability to “inspire a team”.

What stands out about this job description was the mention of

mentoring young people. Being in such a high position and helping young people to grow is a vital role I would like to play in the future, especially since I want to actively work for a more inclusive and equal environment.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 29

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

+--

From the job descriptions I have read, I think I would be capable of taking on such a position

I would only want to do so once I have gathered many years of experience.

It makes me question what my ideal practice would look like until then

30 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Paula Scher Creative Director, Partner at Pentagram Apart from the fact that she personally told me I’m a creative director when I met her at Design Manchester, Paula Scher is a great inspiration to me. She manages to pull off large scale projects and is a good example of how changing environments can influence our lives.

Figure 1: New Jersey Performing Arts Centre (Source: Scher, 2001)

Figure 2: Queens Metropolitan Campus (Source: Scher, 2010)

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 31

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Jessica Walsh Founder, &Walsh

What strikes me about Jessica Walsh, is that she was already very successful when working alongside Stefan Sagmeister, but broke away to do her own thing, creating a inclusive, diverse, multidisciplinary design studio.

She is also actively involved in the discourse around women in design.

As the founder of Ladies, Wine & Design, she is creating a support system for women, a vital part of changing the industry to become more empowering and inclusive.

Figure 3: Milly: Color Lover (Source: &Walsh, 2020)

Figure 4: Zumtobel Report (Source: &Walsh, 2020)

32 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Hannah Cross-Phillipson Head of Creative, Rapport

Although Hannah isn’t world-renowned, her job description is really intriguing to me. As head of creative, she leads a team at the beginning of a project during the Rapports work inspires me because idea-generation and planning stage. it isn’t just about branding, it is about events, an active changing of perception This isn’t a creative direction role, but it and behaviours in really understandable aligns with my skills extremely well. participation of the end user.

Figure 5: Fujitsu (Source: Rapport Agency, 2019)

Figure 6: Global Travel Group (Source: Rapport Agency, 2013)

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 33

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Being creative in an agency without being a graphic designer https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/28-january-3-february-2019/how-to-do-creative-work-in-studio-without-being-graphic-designer/

Interview on steps to becoming creative director from creative directors https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/18-24-february-2019/how-to-jump-from-senior-designer-to-creative-director/

The problem with aiming for a leadership role immediately is the lack of life experience https://www.creativereview.co.uk/what-does-a-career-in-design-look-like-today/

Gender and creative labour, applicable to design https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1111/1467-954X.12237

Creative Director UAL 4 Day Course, opportunities to further your skills in leadership roles https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/communication-and-graphic-design/short-courses/art-direction/creative-direction-csm

Parliamentary group addresses gender inequality in design https://search.proquest.com/docview/1473817092?rfr_id=info%3Axri%2Fsid%3Aprimo

Labour Market Analysis: Gender Equality focuses on labour in UK is applicable to design https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.salford.idm.oclc.org/lib/salford/detail.action?docID=435901#goto_toc

Key Sources 34 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

A topic I’ve become interested in through this research is women in leadership positions in the creative industry.

The amount of sources on the topic of gender equality and inclusion have made me think about the role I may play in changing the industry in the future. This could be the topic for my essay, exploring the importance of gender equality in the creative industry.

Ongoing gender inequality for leadership positions and design in general.

https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/resources/report/design-economy-2018

Ladies Wine Design https://ladieswinedesign.com

AIGA has an entire page dedicated to resources and information for women in leadership, with ambition to double amount of women in design. https://www.aiga.org/women-lead-initiative

San Francisco Design Week holding events for women in creative & design leadership. https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/resources/report/design-economy-2018

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 35

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Relevant Work Not only is there relevant literature, but I wouldn’t be the first to undertake research and respond creatively to such an issue.

It is an avenue of interest that is directly related to the influence I could have in my chosen field.

Figure 7: Seventy Zine (Source: Banks, 2018)

36 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Figure 8: That type of Woman (Source: Miná, 2019)

Figure 9: HKB-Zeitung Infographics (Source: Sàrl, 2019)

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 37

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Career Path 1

There were two main career paths I noticed. People have become Creative Directors either by progressing in a single company or by changing jobs often.

Samantha Sargent

Creative Director at HAVAS LYNX

• Creative Director

H4B Manchester Dec 2017 – Present • 2 yrs 6 mos

• Head of Design

Cheetham Bell - A J Walter Thompson Company Apr 2014 – Dec 2017 • 3 yrs 9 mos

• Senior Designer

Origin Creative Jun 2012 – Apr 2014 • 1 yr 11 mos

• Designer

CheethamBellJWT Feb 2007 – Jun 2012 • 5 yrs 5 mos

• Designer

Reform Creative Jun 2005 – Feb 2007 • 1 yr 9 mos

• Junior Designer - Placement True North 2003 – Apr 2004 • 1 yr

38 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Career Path 2

Something I found as a common pattern was people becoming directors of agencies they founded themselves, which could be another route.

Danielle Molyneux Designer + Director — Dotto.

•

Studio Dotto

Founder + Design Director

May 2017 – Present • 3 yrs 1 mo

• Freelance Graphic Designer Danielle Molyneux May 2013 – Apr 2017 • 4 yrs

• Senior Designer

Uniform Aug 2008 – May 2013 • 4 yrs 10 mos

• Designer

The Foundry Communications Feb 2005 – Feb 2008 • 3 yrs 6 mos

• Designer

Corporate Edge Nov 2003 – Feb 2005 • 1 yr 4 mos

• Junior Designer Sheppard Day 2000 – 2003 • 3 yrs

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 39

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

+--

A lot of these people have started out in designer roles which makes me hopeful I can do it too All of the searches I conducted were taking me to an overwhelming amount of men and I had to actively seek out profiles of women Many people had a title of “creative” as opposed to “designer”, which is something I’d like to further explore

40 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 41

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Make it Bigger - Paula Scher

Oh Sh*t What Now? - Craig Oldham

Women Design - Libby Sellers

42 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Book of ideas - Radim Malinik

How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul - Adrien Shaughnessy

All of these books cover different points such as the importance of creativity, freelance vs. agency, powerful women in the design industry and idea generation in a leadership role.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 43

Creat Cre Direct Dire BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

44 / PRACTICE REVIEW

tive eative tion ection CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

I have discovered new things about the field of Creative Direction and have a clearer idea of how to progress into such a role. I now have a better grasp on the direction of my future practice. I also learned more about issues surrounding women in leadership positions in the creative industry, which is something I would like to explore further using the sources I have gathered.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 45

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

References Anon, (2006). Parliamentary group addresses gender inequality in design.(women in the design industry).

Design Week, p.7.

Bright, L. (2019). [online] Lisa Bright. Available at: https://www.lisabright.com [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Conor, B., Gill, R. and Taylor, S. (2015) Gender and Creative Labour, The Sociological Review, 63(1_suppl), pp. 1–22. doi: 10.1111/1467-954X.12237.

Dawood, S. (2019). How to work creatively in a studio without being a graphic designer. [online] Design Week. Available at: https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/28-january-3-february-2019/how-to-do-creativework-in-stu dio-without-being-graphic-designer/ [Accessed 6 Dec. 2019].

Design Council (2019). The Design Economy 2018. [online] Design Council. Available at: https://www. designcouncil.org.uk/resources/report/design-economy-2018 [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Hassell, L. (2019). What does a career in design look like today?. [online] Creative Review. Available at: https://www.creativereview.co.uk/what-does-a-career-in-design-look-like-today/ [Accessed 7 Dec. 2019].

IAGA (2019). Women Lead Initiative. [online] AIGA. Available at: https://www.aiga.org/women-lead-initiative [Accessed 9 Dec. 2019].

Iris-worldwide.com. (2019). Iris. [online] Available at: http://www.iris-worldwide.com [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Indeed.com. (2019). Learn About Being a Creative Director | Indeed.com. [online] Available at: https://www. indeed.com/career-advice/what-does-a-creative-director-do [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Ladies, Wine & Design (2019). [online] Ladies, Wine & Design. Available at: https://ladieswinedesign.com [Accessed 11 Dec. 2019].

Malinik, R. (2018). Book of Ideas: 2: A Journal of Creative Direction and Graphic Design. 2nd ed. Brand Nu Limited.

Network Marketing Manchester (2019). Network Marketing - Marketing Recruitment hiring Creative Director in Manchester, United Kingdom. [online] Linkedin.com. Available at: https://www. linkedin.com/jobs/view/1545519337/?alternateChannel=paview [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Oldham, C. (2018). Oh Sh*T ... What Now?. King Publishing, Laurence.

Pentagram. (2019). Pentagram — The world’s largest independent design consultancy. [online] Available at: https://www.pentagram.com [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Rapport. (2019). Rapport - The People Activation Agency. [online] Available at: https://peopleactivation.com [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

San Francisco Design Week (2019). Women in Leadership & Design Workshop. [online] San Francisco Design Week. Available at: https://sfdesignweek.org/events/women-in-leadership-design-lounge-2/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

Scarrott, J. (2019). How to step up from senior designer to creative director. [online] Design Week. Available at: https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/18-24-february-2019/how-to-jump-from-senior-designer-tocreative-director/ [Accessed 4 Dec. 2019].

Scher, P. (2011). Paula Scher. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Social Chain Agency (2019). Creative Director. [online] Linkedin.com. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/ jobs/view/1611762655/ [Accessed 10 Dec. 2019].

46 / PRACTICE REVIEW

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

UAL. (2019). Creative Direction. [online] Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/subjects/communication-andgraphic-design/short-courses/art-direction/cr eative-direction-csm [Accessed 12 Dec. 2019].

Yeandle, S (ed.) 2008, Policy for a Change : Local Labour Market Analysis and Gender Equality, Policy Press, Bristol. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [13 December 2019].

Sellers, L. (2018). Women Design. Quarto Publishing Group UK. Shaughnessy, A. and Sagmeister, S. (2012). How to Be a Graphic Designer without Losing Your Soul. New York: Princeton Architectural Press.

Figures Figure 1: Scher, P. (2001). New Jersey Performing Arts Centre [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www. behance.net/gallery/7915751/New-Jersey-Performing-Arts-Center Figure 2: Scher, P. (2010). Queens Metropolitan Campus [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.behance. net/gallery/7960349/Queens-Metropolitan-Campus Figure 3: &Walsh (2018). Zumtobel Annual Report [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://andwalsh.com/work/ all/zumtobel-report/ Figure 4: &Walsh (2018) Milly: Color Lover [Photograph] Retrieved from https://andwalsh.com/work/all/millycolor-lover/ Figure 5: Rapport Agency (2019). Fujitsu [Event]. Retrieved from https://peopleactivation.com/work/strategyfujitsu-shape-the-future-of-society-sustainable-cities Figure 6: Rapport Agency (2013). Global Travel Group [Event]. Retrieved from https://peopleactivation.com/ work/strategy-improve-customer-experience Figure 7: Banks, Y. (2018). Seventy Zine [Publication]. Retrieved from https://yasbanks.co.uk/portfolio/ seventy-zine/ Figure 8: MinĂ , M. (2015). That type of Woman [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.behance.net/ search?search=that%20type%20of%20woman Figure 9: SĂ rl (2019). HKB-Zeitung Infographics [Newspaper]. Retrieved from https://www.behance.net/gallery/85384733/HKB-Zeitung-Infographics?tracking_source=searchall%7Cempowering%20women%20in%20design

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 47

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

48 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

CRITICAL WRITING #3 ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 49

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

L CA TI I CR

AN D

PROFESSIONAL CO NT EX

TS

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP HOW CAN WE INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF FEMALE CREATIVE DIRECTORS? A lack of female leaders is by no means a modern issue A lack of female leaders is by no means a modern issue. Women were only granted the ability to work around the late 19th century, most of them young and unmarried, as well as only being granted the right to vote in 1918. Gender stereotypes that have been solidified over generations are proving difficult to fully eradicate and are still influencing the world of work today.

The creative industry is no exception, something Rawsthorn (2014) explains in Is the design world still a boys club?, highlighting gender stereotypes perpetuated at the Bauhaus in the 1920s. Women had high hopes of applying to a design school championing equality, only to be urged into traditionally feminine roles, with disregard for outstanding skills in design. Even today, in the seemingly progressive industry of design, there is still a facade of equality.

Current statistics prove the serious lack of women in leadership roles. Now, majority of design students are women, yet their presence becomes more sparse the higher one looks in traditional hierarchy’s, leaving many people in the industry searching for reasons why women creative directors are still a minority.

50 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

This research aims to uncover potential setbacks that women face in the pursuit of leadership positions in the creative industry.

This will include and inquiry into external factors, such as societal structures, implicit bias and the gender pay gap, as well as internal ones, like confidence and imposter syndrome. It will also suggest practical solutions to these problems, including cultural intelligence, community support systems and alternative leadership styles that should be taken into consideration by individuals and large companies alike.

Addressing and understanding these key issues and the steps to resolve them will ultimately enable an increase in the amount of female creative directors.

Since Bauhaus, there has been significant progress both in education and society.

However, gender roles developed over hundreds of years still have wider implications today. It starts when women reach the age where they want to both progress in their career and could potentially start a family.

Although government regulations have been set, young women are still discriminated against when it comes to family planning.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

63 %

17 %

OF DESIGN STUDENTS ARE WOMEN

ARE IN LEADERSHIP ROLES

94 % GENDER SPLIT OF THE BOARD OF FTSE 250 BUSINESSES

6% The government has insisted that businesses over 250 people publish their Pay scales, yet

98 %

OF DESIGN BUSINESSES EMPLOY LESS THAN 50 PEOPLE

THE CURRENT

GENDER PAY GAP IS

20.3%

£

£

Figure 1: Gender Inequality Infographic (Source: Kerning The Gap, 2020)

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 51

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Families structured their employment differently depending on the age of their youngest child April to June, 2019 100

%

50

0

0 to 2

3 to 4

Both full-time

5 to 10

11 to 10

Both part-time

Father full-time, partner part-time Mother full-time, partner part-time

Figure 2: Families structured their employment differently depending on the age of their youngest dependent child (Source: Office for National Statistics, 2019)

52 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

16 to 18

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Changing the narrative around family planning An article in the Guardian discusses findings on the perception of potential mothers as less committed to the job and a burden on the employer: “one in seven employers would be reluctant to hire a woman they thought would go on to have children and 39% of young mums had been illegally interrogated about how being a mother would affect their ability to work” (Topping, 2018). Not only does this demotivate women to strive for higher positions in companies where they feel controlled and overlooked, but it is also a disturbing reality that these companies value profit more than the rights of their female workers.

In her TedTalk Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders, Sheryl Sandberg talks about the steps she has identified to increase the number of women leaders in the workforce. The step that could improve the issues around family planning is what she calls “making your partner a real partner” (2010). Equal responsibilities for childcare enables the mother to continue working and has been proven to benefit children’s development and the relationship between partners.

According to the Office for National Statistics “over half of mothers (56.2%) said they had made a change to their employment for childcare reasons, compared with 22.4% of fathers.” (2019).

By changing the narrative of men as the “bread winner” of the family as well as increasing the support for paternity leave and stay at home fathers, there could be a major increase in women staying in full time work even with young children. When it comes to fathers in a more active role in childcare, Finland are setting an example: “The government offers fathers nine weeks of paternity leave, during which they are paid 70% of their salary.” (Topping, 2017).

This contemporary perspective on a fathers role in childcare is allowing many women to rise to senior positions more successfully: “mothers in Finland are to a degree liberated from the constraints of motherhood by the country’s supportive policies.” (Topping, 2017).

This leads to the next point of salary.

The levelling of responsibility in childcare is only appealing to families if they can rely on the woman’s salary to sustain them. For most families, women take over childcare because it makes financial sense to keep the higher earning partner in work (Figure 2).

It is easy to observe how women are also monetarily undervalued in the creative industry by reviewing the gender pay gap.

The Cambridge dictionary defines this as “the difference between the amounts of money paid to women and men, often for doing the same work“ (2020). This leaves women at a disadvantage when it comes to independence and equal contribution to a relationship. Assuming both partners are in the design industry “Women take away roughly £22,000 per year and men take away £26,000. Women hold nearly a third of jobs in the sector” (Dawood, 2018) and if the partner is in a different industry, this disparity will likely be much higher.

The implicit disregard of half of our workforce is not encouraging women to pursue their career full time, therefore holding them back from reaching higher levels.

Money is largely a taboo subject, and even though there are government guidelines on the release of gender pay reports, employers still argue it is a matter of negotiation: “Equal pay has become a reward you get for being brave enough to ask” (Stevens, 2019). Women are less likely to negotiate their salary, which connects to Sandbergs point of women’s lack of assertiveness when ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 53

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Better prepare female students for the challenges they may face it comes to showing their worth: “Women do not negotiate for themselves in the workforce.

A study [in the USA] of people entering the workforce out of college, showed that 57% of men entering are negotiating their first salary [as opposed to] 7% of women.”

(2010). In contrast, a similar study also conducted in the USA found that in 2018, 45% of women now negotiate their salary (Gurchiek, 2019). This shows that there has been an improvement over the last 10 years, and gives a positive outlook for the future.

There are two main ways to tackle the gender pay gap and thereby increase the amount of women in leadership positions.

The first possible solution is to break the stigma around talking about money. Design Economy 2018 highlights Page\Park, an architecture and master planning practice in Glasgow, as a good example for this strategy: “moved to an employee-ownership model with a progressive open-salary model. Meaning more transparency about progression and salary increases, […] also breaking down hierarchical structures based on seniority.” (Design Council, 2018).

This model reduces the possibility for wage disparities based on gender, because employees can directly measure where they compare to their co-workers. While breaking down the hierarchy within companies does not increase progression into traditional senior roles, it enables women to increase their responsibility in a company.

The outcome is having more prominence in a company than they would otherwise in a traditional hierarchy model.

The second solution, which is especially true in freelancing, is building women’s confidence when it comes to negotiation.

Aforementioned studies have proven that women are less likely to negotiate their salary.

54 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

Global staffing firm Robert Half conducted a survey in which “70% of 2,800 managers surveyed expect candidates to negotiate. […] a study using U.S. data that found that men are more likely than women to negotiate when it is not explicitly made known that wages are negotiable.” (Gurchiek, 2019).

This research shows there is an element of confidence involved in negotiation that seems to be more common in men that women need to develop. Wright argues that these issues should be addressed in education: “Be more honest about where resistance and potential inequalities lie.

Few courses explicitly discuss the issue of gender in the contemporary graphic design industry, or the hierarchical structures and cultural machismo that persist.” (2014) This would better prepare female students for challenges they may face, and help them to overcome these and thereby increase the amount of women that make it to higher positions in the future. This would include salary negotiation, where all students could gain confidence when negotiating with a client or employer. The wider issue is that women have the same skills as their male counterparts and have to show that they are equally as valuable and therefore must be paid the same: “women should be trained in recognising their own skills and values too, and in “pushing harder” for fair pay while learning to dismiss the feeling of being “difficult” for doing so.” (Dawood, 2018).

It is not only traditional employment where women are drastically undervalued.

According to the New York Times, a study

by Babson College found that “Female entrepreneurs actually pay themselves less than male entrepreneurs” (Mandelbaum, 2014) This proves that women lack the confidence to ask for the compensation their male peers do even in a freelance situation.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 55

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

WOMEN AS WORK IN P 56 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

S LEADERS PROGRESS ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 57

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Every member of the industry must be actively involved in change Sandberg attributes this to a difference in perception between men and women when it comes to success: “Women systematically underestimate their own abilities. […] Men attribute their success to themselves and women attribute it to other external factors” (2010) This connects to the further concept of imposter syndrome, which Oxford dictionary defines as “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills”(2020) This is a phenomenon that is extremely common in women and is a widely discussed topic within the creative industry.

In 2018, the British psychological society reported on a study that showed that men suffered from imposter syndrome more than women. They tested this by giving a questionnaire to a large group of male and female students measuring if they had feelings related to imposter syndrome after being told at random that they had passed or badly failed a standardised exam.

The results showed that women showed higher imposter feelings than their male peers, but reacted positively to the fake feedback, putting even more effort into the next exam. In contrast, the male students reacted negatively to the fake feedback, showing lack of effort and reporting higher anxiety. Women are criticised more often and men are put under pressure to do well. Due to gender bias, men may experience negative feedback less frequently and therefore could become demotivated or feel personally criticised. A paper titled Teams that listen and teams that do not: exploring the role of gender in group responsiveness to negative feedback, supports this statement: “In addition, there is research evidence to suggest that men are more likely to view negative feedback 58 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

as motivated by hostility on the part of the evaluator rather than by a desire to offer genuine feedback on their performance (e.g.

Feldman and Dodge, 1987)” (Karakowsky and Miller, 2002) This isn’t an accurate measurement of the term Imposter Syndrome. It isn’t applicable to this scenario because the men in the study were only exposed to this feeling short term and were not persistently unable to believe in their capabilities over a long period of time. They experienced high levels of stress and anxiety, not imposter syndrome. The manner in which women are described in the study even alludes to the fact that women are penalised for showing effort, or being confident in their abilities.

Improving these deeply routed issues such as confidence and imposter syndrome is the most fundamental way the number of women creative directors can be increased.

There are already multiple organisations in place for women to share their stories and support each other.

Kerning The Gap, specialise in the disparity between the amount of women in design industry and the amount of those in leadership positions. They offer mentor evenings and resources for women aiming for leadership roles with events like Finding Your Creative Voice. What stands out most about KTG, is their attitude towards men in the creative industry: “Men are not the enemy. They’re a critical part of the solution.

Without every member of our industry being actively involved in change, we’ll never achieve the equality we strive for.” (KTG, 2020) This is a vital element that is often missed in conversations surrounding gender balance in the workplace, and why feminism itself is widely misunderstood.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

MEN ARE NOT THE ENEMY, THEY ARE A CRITICAL PART OF THE SOLUTION ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 59

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

GRL PWR 60 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Gaining knowledge allows you to gain confidence There has to be more understanding from both sides to achieve an increase in women in the industry, a sort of cultural intelligence (defined by Forbes as the capability to function effectively in a variety of national, ethnic and organisational settings (2010)) that has to be learned by a new generation of leaders, both male and female.

As Imposter Syndrome is such a large issue in women, especially in creative fields where success of projects can be subjective, women can increase their knowledge through sources provided by KTG and the AIGA, who have entire pages dedicated to resources for women aiming for leadership positions.

Communities like this are vital, because it is important for women to celebrate each others successes and increase their confidence and be able to assert themselves when discussing promotions, salaries or negotiating in general.

Another example of this is Ladies, Wine & Design, an organisation that aims to build confidence and increase the percentage of women creative directors through practical steps i.e. mentorship circles, portfolio reviews, talks & creative meetups (2020). It is a global organisation where women in the creative industry support each other and build their network. Getting advice and feedback from other women in the industry can greatly improve confidence and can also open conversations around pay.

Harvard Business Review published an article, which states that a fundamental aspect of making space for women leaders involves development of personality: “Becoming a leader involves much more than being put in a leadership role […]

It involves a fundamental identity shift.

Organisations […] advise women to

proactively seek leadership roles without also addressing policies and practices that communicate a mismatch between how women are seen and the qualities and experiences people tend to associate with leaders.” (Ely, Ibarra and Kolb, 2013). The same authors of this article published a research paper in 2011 named “Taking Gender into Account: Theory and Design for Women’s Leadership Development Programs”, in which they developed principles to effectively prepare women for success: “we offer three design principles that we believe should undergird any leadership program designed for women: (1) situate topics and tools in an analysis of second generation gender bias, (2) create a holding environment to support women’s identity work, and (3) anchor participants on their leadership purpose.” (Ely, Ibarra and Kolb, 2011) There is a paradox that becomes clear in this topic. It has been established that a large amount of confidence is a trait attributed to men. Women showing confidence run the risk of being labelled arrogant. It has been shown that women can be perceived negatively for demonstrating the same traits their male peers are commended for. There is often a double standard for women to be confident, but not exceed the level that is the comfortable norm established in modern society.

Jordan Peterson, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto, states that life is rigged against women and “there’s a lot of reasons that men get paid more than women that have nothing to do with prejudice” (Peterson, 2017) because women choose lower-risk jobs.

While it’s true that there are more men in e.g. construction jobs, women still face prejudices that mean they earn less than their male counterparts for the same job.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 61

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Women need to support each other He also argues that it is not possible for women to adopt masculine traits, because they are more socially oriented and therefore tend to be more agreeable.

As a guest on the Creative Waffle podcast, Paula Scher reacts directly to Petersons views, agreeing that men and women can have different attributes: “The expectation of men is that [women] will not be assertive enough and even when they are, they will question it more” (Scher, 2018). This means that even when women display these attributes, they can sometimes be overlooked or discarded as something negative.

The aforementioned double standard shows how women are deemed unfit for leadership roles due to a lack of common traits displayed more often in men, but when they do, they are criticised. There is a clear lack of flexibility for different leadership styles, which would enable women to lead effectively using their characteristics to the companies advantage. We have to devise different ways of leadership and showcase them to the industry.

Scher highlights other issues with displaying these ‘masculine’ characteristics: “There’s expectation that women even have amongst themselves and the way they feel about other women who behave that way” (Scher, 2018). If women aren’t already being held back enough by these issues, there are also problems women face from peers. Most women who go against societal norms are widely ‘hated’, Scher says, even by other women. This could be due to women designers heightened visibility, because they are more famous when they rise to the top, e.g. Paula Scher is known as the first female partner at Pentagram and Jessica Walsh is known from Sagmeister and Walsh.

Walsh, founder of Ladies, Wine & Design 62 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

has had direct experiences with this. She noticed that an abundance of confidence and success can lead to a woman being disliked by other women “sometimes peers can be competitive or unsupportive of one another.” (LWD, 2020) This can also extend to coworkers. Walsh writes about these experiences in 12 Kinds of Kindesss, a series of blog posts about how to get along with your enemies: “In the last few years, since reaching a certain level of success and recognition in my field and on the web, the amount of hate mail, jealous remarks, and outright sexism I’ve experienced has multiplied exponentially.” (Walsh, 2016) This included other women attributing her successes to her looks or even to an affair with a colleague.

It is highly possible that this is coming from a place of jealousy, from both men and women. However, it isn’t helping to increase the amount of women in leadership, because women’s achievements are not being celebrated. This feeds back into imposter syndrome and is a subtle type of sexism that is being perpetuated by women. It is clear that to decrease the scrutiny these women leaders in design face, there has to be more of them and ‘highly successful’ women designers must become a standard.

The most effective way to do this is to highlight a wide range of women who are succesful. Women need role models, which will also helps them to evolve and develop their own style of leading. Ali Hanan, founder of Creative Equals, conducted a study with the Young Creative Council on lack of representation for women: “90% of young female creatives say they lack role models” (Hanan, 2016) She says a lack of visibility also results in a lack of mentorship and can even result in a lack of confidence.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Figure 3: Internet hate (Source: Walsh, 2016)

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 63

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

u l n ck w

m ake d

o an G !

your o

64 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

You can’t be what you can’t see It can be argued that design conferences worldwide are only adding women to their panels for statistical purposes, not based on their talent: “One of the reasons given is so few women are ‘known names’. This creates a double bind. If they’re never seen, they’re never ‘known’.” (Hanan, 2016) Many design events are already working hard to showcase women in the creative industry. Pechakucha Manchester (April 2020) had a 50/50 ratio of male to female speakers and Design Manchester hosted Paula Scher and Hansje van Halem at the 2019 conference. Events like these are allowing designers with already large platforms to reach new audiences of young female creatives, giving them women to look up to. If we give women a voice in traditionally male dominated environments, they can receive the recognition they deserve and reach more young female creatives.

Having more role models in the creative industry will therefore have a direct effect of women striving for leadership positions.

Women sharing their stories of success will better prepare the next generation of female designers for the challenges they may face.

One of the challenges these role models are likely to have experienced is a phenomenon called the Glass Ceiling Effect, which is when “gender (or other) disadvantages are stronger at the top of the hierarchy than at lower levels and that these disadvantages become worse later in person’s career.” (Cotter et al, 2001) This phenomenon shows that women face increasingly more problems the further they progress. It is difficult for women to climb the ladder when facing prejudices, and it becomes more difficult to overcome these problems the higher they climb in the industry. When women eventually reach a more prominent position, there is also

another issue, called the Glass Cliff Effect.

This phenomenon states that it is more probable that women are hired in leadership positions in a time of uncertainty and turmoil. It can be associated with a negative effect this may have on women leaders success rates. Ryan and Haslam, authors of “The Glass Cliff: Exploring the Dynamics Surrounding the Appointment of Women to Precarious Leadership Positions” argue that this shows positive associations with women’s leadership styles, because women are perceived as highly suitable for leadership in times of crisis in an organisation (2007).

They also explore this in a series of studies where participants decided who was best qualified for a leadership position in relation to a company’s performance: “participants were more likely to select the female candidate for the position when the company’s performance was declining than when it was improving.” (Ryan and Haslam, 2007). Proving there is a need for leadership that accommodates feminine characteristics.

A research paper by Dodd, reiterates the leadership differences between genders (2012). The research on these phenomena proves that times are changing and people want new leadership styles, but highlights that women may be appointed to these positions at a time where they may have a higher chance of failure.

A possible solution that is further highlighted

by Dodd, is an alternative approach of leadership positions, which could be especially interesting between men and women (2012). When dealing with interpersonal leadership roles between men and women, it would be best to incorporate cultural intelligence. This can only be of benefit for companies, as they are enhancing the good traits of each leader as well as providing support for women.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 65

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Women are taking back their power Another issue that can be improved through using cultural intelligence is the lack of women in authoritative jobs. If it is a large percentage of men on hiring committees and on panels, the demographic who will benefit most is men. Ali Hanan describes scenarios where women are being added to juries, so they seem inclusive. However, the percentage is still so small that the woman’s opinion may be discounted.

Finally, a key point to highlight is the possibility for women to become creative directors without relying on traditional career paths and company hierarchies. More and more women in the design industry are choosing to go freelance, as well as founding their own studios, of which they become the creative director. Examples of this can be found throughout the Internet, especially in job sites like LinkedIn (Figure 5).

It is clear that juries exclusively made up of men will have a different perception of what is being judged: “I don’t think it is a coincidence that the most awarded work in our industry is usually sports brands, beer and or male grooming products. Ads that are made by and for young men. Guess who’s judging the work – young men.” (Ryan cited in Hanan, 2016).

This shows that there is a barrier between men and women in the industry. This is also shown in Figure 3, where a panel of exclusively middle aged men are deciding which women have been most influential in advertising. This proves there is still a lack of women making decisions and influencing the creative industry, even in situations surrounding their own gender.

The British government are also aware of this change and want to support young women in becoming successful independently. An example of this is the “Women in Innovation Awards” which was first introduced in 2016, where each year ten women secure £50,000 and have access to coaching, mentoring and innovation growth support: “Diversity in businesses is a proven driver of economic growth.”

(Campbell, 2020). Women are starting to receive more support from the government and other funding operations that will allow them to pursue successful careers outside of traditional career opportunities. This could also be an indication for the future of creative studios, where women who start hiring as they expand their company will be more aware of potential hardships and therefore strive to establish more diverse companies from the beginning.

Putting female creatives on juries is one of Hanan’s five points to increase the amount of female creative directors (2016). A way to increase this number could be with cultural intelligence. With a better understanding and openness towards people that are different to oneself, in this case men and women, there could be an increase in women on juries, which would result in a much higher diversity within jobs, panels and awards. It is also important to note that it is also a generational issue that is likely improve immensely over the next few decades, in line with the improvement that has been seen throughout history.

66 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

This essay aimed to identify potential setbacks that women face in the pursuit of a leadership position in the creative industry, as well as suggesting practical solutions to these problems. It has established that there are multiple ways to increase the amount of women creative directors that are becoming more accessible every day. Solutions to external factors have been successfully highlighted through examples demonstrated in the industry.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

50

Most Influential Women in 2016

In Media, Marketing & Advertising

Who will be at the top of the list?

JURY MEETS TODAY TO DECIDE

Figure 4: Recent award show jury reflects the urgent need for change in the industry (Source: Hanan, 2016)

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 67

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Laura Jane Boast

Founder, Creative Director, Designer at LJB Studio

•

LJB Studio

Founder, Creative Director, Designer

Jan 2014 – Present • 6 yrs 5 mos

• Founder

Design Giving Jul 2017 – Present • 2 yrs 11 mos

• Graphic Designer BWA Design LLP Nov 2008 – Oct 2013 • 5 yrs

• Graphic Designer

Typocom Visual Communication Dec 2007 – May 2008 • 6 mos

• The University of Salford

MA (Hons), Communication Design, Distinction 2007 - 2008

• The University of Salford

BA (Hons), Graphic Design, 1st Class Honours 2004 - 2007

Figure 5: Experience (Source: Boast, 2020)

68 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

A positive outlook on the future A multitude of resources have been provided to improve internal factors. It is clear that there must be a societal and institutional shift rather than individual change, but it is not possible to have one without the other.

There have been immense improvements over the last few decades that project great advancements in the future.

The biggest challenge faced within this essay was avoiding generalisation about character attributes when talking about large demographics like men and women, as it is these stereotypes within society that are part of the problem.

Upon revisiting the research within the Practice Review chapter, personal steps to become a creative director in the future are now clear.

There is an opportunity for further research about alternative leadership strategies, one of particular interest being shared leadership roles. It is also of interest to explore more of these strategies to further define a personal approach to one day being female creative director.

References Benton, S., Miller, S., & Reid, S. (2018). The Design Economy 2018 [Ebook] (pp. 17-19). The Design Council.

Retrieved from https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/ resources/report/design-economy-2018 Catalinac, K. (2018). Female Creative Directors Seem Different to Male Creative Directors. Retrieved 1 April 2020, from https://modus.medium.com/female-creativedirectors-seem-different-to-male-creative-directorsac1fdf81b98 Cotter, D. A., Hermsen, J. M., Ovadia, S., & Vanneman, R. (2001). The glass ceiling effect. Social Forces, 80(2), 655-682. doi:http://dx.doi.org.salford.idm.oclc. org/10.1353/sof.2001.0091 creativeequals. (2020). Retrieved 27 May 2020, from https://www.creativeequals.org Creative Waffle. (2018). ep. 56 paula scher - women in design & how to get to the top in the creative industry [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=G0D5E922xsc Dawood, S. (2018). Gender pay gap: women in graphic design earn ÂŁ4,000 less than men. Retrieved 27 March 2020, from https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/3-8april-2018/women-graphic-designers-earn-4000-lessyear-men-gender-pay-gap-shows/

Dodd, F. (2012). Women leaders in the creative industries: A baseline study. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 4(2), 153-178.

Ely, R., Ibarra, H., & Kolb, D. (2011). Taking Gender Into Account: Theory and Design for Women’s Leadership Development Programs. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 10(3), 474-493.

Forbes.com. 2010. CQ: The Test Of Your Potential For Cross-Cultural Success. [online] Available at: https:// www.forbes.com/2010/01/06/cq-cultural-intelligenceleadership-managing-globalization.html#59c1c77725bb [Accessed 27 May 2020].

Gurchiek, K. (2019). Study: Women Negotiate Pay When Given the Chance. Retrieved 27 May 2020, from https:// www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-news/pages/moreprofessionals-are-negotiating-salaries-than-in-the-past. aspx Hanan, A. (2016). Five ways to get more female creatives to the top in advertising. Retrieved 27 March 2020, from https://www.creativereview.co.uk/five-ways-on-how-toget-more-female-creatives-to-the-top-in-advertising/ Ibarra, H., Ely, R., & Kolb, D. (2013). Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers. Retrieved 27 March 2020, from https://hbr.org/2013/09/women-rising-the-unseenbarriers

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 69

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

In: Lexico. 2020. Imposter Syndrome. [online] Oxford: Oxford Dictionary. Available at: https://www.lexico.com/ definition/impostor_syndrome [Accessed 27 May 2020].

In: The Cambridge Dictionary. 2020. Gender Pay Gap. [online] Available at: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ de/worterbuch/englisch/gender-pay-gap [Accessed 28 May 2020].

Siddall, L. (2014). Rebecca Wright on the ratio of girls with design degrees vs. those in the industry. Retrieved 17 March 2020, from https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/ rebecca-wright Stephens, E. (2019). What are the biggest hurdles faced by women in the design industry?. Retrieved 11 March 2020, from https://www.invisionapp.com/inside-design/ hurdles-women-design-industry/

Jarrett, C. (2018). A new study claims that, under pressure, imposter syndrome hits men harder than women. Retrieved 27 March 2020, from https://digest. bps.org.uk/2018/06/01/a-new-study-claims-that-underpressure-imposter-syndrome-hits-men-harder-thanwomen/

Topping, A. (2018). UK bosses believe women should say at interview if they are pregnant – report. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/19/ uk-bosses-believe-women-should-say-at-interview-if-theyare-pregnant-report

Karakowsky, L., & Miller, D. (2002). Teams that listen and teams that do not: Exploring the role of gender in group responsiveness to negative feeback. Team Performance Management: An International Journal, 8(7/8), 146-156.

Topping, A. (2017). Finland: the only country where fathers spend more time with kids than mothers. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian. com/lifeandstyle/2017/dec/04/finland-only-countryworld-dad-more-time-kids-moms

Ladies, Wine & Design. (2020). Retrieved 27 May 2020, from https://ladieswinedesign.com Mandelbaum, R. (2018). There Is a Salary Gap Even When Women Pay Themselves [Blog]. Retrieved from https://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/thereis-a-salary-gap-even-when-women-pay-themselves/?_ php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=1 Office for National Statistics. (2019). Families and the labour market, UK: 2019 (p. 7). Retrieved from https:// www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/ peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/ familiesandthelabourmarketengland/2019 Peterson, J. (2017). Epic RANT on Gender “Equality” - Jordan Peterson on why there are so few women at the top [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=eieVE-xFXuo&t=427s Rawsthorn, A. (2014). Is the design world still a boys club?. Retrieved 27 May 2020, from https://frieze.com/ article/design-7 Resources. (2020). Retrieved 27 March 2020, from https://www.kerningthegap.com/resources

Walsh, J. (2016). Step 07: Kill Them With Kindness [Blog]. Retrieved from https://12kindsofkindness.com/ the-steps/kill-them-with--kindness/jessie/ WE’RE NOT THERE YET. (2014). Marketing, 119(7), 15. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.salford. idm.oclc.org/docview/1540983400?accountid=8058

Figures Figure 1: Kerning The Gap (2020). Gender Inequality Infographic [Infographic]. Retrieved from https://www. kerningthegap.com Figure 2: Labour Force Survey household dataset, Office for National Statistics (2020). Families structured their employment differently depending on the age of their youngest dependent child [Infographic]. Retrieved from https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/ peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/ familiesandthelabourmarketengland/2019 Figure 3: Walsh, J (2016). Internet hate [Digital Illustration]. Retrieved from https://12kindsofkindness. com/the-steps/kill-them-with--kindness/jessie/

Ryan, M., & Haslam, S. (2007). The Glass Cliff: Exploring the Dynamics Surrounding the Appointment of Women to Precarious Leadership Positions. The Academy of Management Review, 32(2), 549-572.

Figure 4: Hanan, A. (2016). Recent award show jury reflects the urgent need for change in the industry [Digital Poster]. Retrieved from https://www.creativereview. co.uk/five-ways-on-how-to-get-more-female-creatives-tothe-top-in-advertising/

Sandberg, S. (2010). Why we have too few women leaders. Presentation.

Figure 5: Boast, L.J. (2020). Experience [Linkedin Page].

Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/in/lboast/

70 / CRITICAL WRITING #3

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

GRL PWR

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 71

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

72 / POSITIONING REPORT

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Positioning Report

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 73

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Get in!

Applying to study graphic design in the North-West of England was an exciting experience, it was a welcoming and creative environment that I looked forward to being part of one day! When I came to the Salford open day, it was like I had always dreamt it! What stood out to me was the openness of the studio, the community feel of the course and the tutors, who all had different things to offer! Working collaboratively and meeting new people was exciting.

Salford open day

r! n offe a t o g I

I started getting rejections from other applications due to my lack of experience, which was disheartening, but I realise now that I could have benefited from more experience e.g. through a foundation year. Salford was my first choice university and as fate would have it, the last reply on UCAS 74 / POSITIONING REPORT

My favourite part about it was that it was very practice focused! After my open day at Salford, I knew it was where I wanted to study! I had barely any experience with traditional graphic design in my education. That is why I did many self-initiated projects and joined a weekly portfolio course to get into the university. I felt very motivated, because I wanted to do this for a living and learn as much as I could.

that I was waiting for. When I received the email that Salford had offered me a place, it was one of the proudest days of my life! It felt like Salford believed in me and my potential and I was determined to make the most of this opportunity and prove that I deserved to be there!

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

First year was everything I had hoped it to be, I made new friends and immersed myself in learning basics of graphic design. From the beginning I knew I had a lot of catching up to do, often comparing myself to peers that studied design at college or A-Level.

I treated first year with just as much weight as any other year, as I wanted to set myself up for success and establish a way of working to succeed in the future.

The most prominent learning curve during first year was that my education until university had been theoretical, but graphic design could only be learned by doing it (if we’d have written a test on colour theory, I would have aced it).

“

During the module “Process & Application” I worked on a brand guidelines document for a local festival. At the time it was my dream uni project, as I had always wanted to design merchandise. Before I came to uni, that was the most prominent form of graphic design I consumed.

I have since learned how it influences the world in endless ways.

Considering the amount of experience I had at the time, I’m still proud of the project to this day. Feedback I received on projects was always positive, but it was apparent that my technical skills needed improvement!

You've come a long way quickly. Keep on pushing and learning like this - you'll very quickly be making professional standard work

First day of uni

elines SFTOC Guid

First Year ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 75

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

“

Second Year In Second year I further defined my practice. I had a better understanding of design and wanted to start experimenting with more processes such as printing, binding and formats like UI/UX. I became more involved in the design community and started attending events. Although I was gaining confidence in the industry, I still felt like my skills were not as good as my peers and I didn’t see myself as a designer. This changed when I realised that working hard can sometimes be stronger than talent alone, which was the most important thing I learned during second year.

You’re clearly a very engaged student, who works incredibly hard to further your knowledge, both critically and practically.

House BroughtonBall Gala

This was especially true when I was working on my Personal Dossier, a research and reflection document part of “Critical and Professional Contexts 2” surrounding my experiences during my second year at university.

What excited me most about the project was the creative freedom over the final outcome, meaning different formats could be incorporated into one document. My idea was very ambitious and the support I received from technical staff played a vital role in making the vision a reality.

76 / POSITIONING REPORT

Personal best projectDossier ever!

The intricacy of the structure and amount of varying processes that went into the project made my Personal Dossier the largest and most complex project I’ve ever completed. It taught me to be ambitious and increased my confidence as a designer.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

There was a certain reluctance in me to start third year, because I knew once it started it would be over very quickly.

The biggest difference in my final year, was that I started to feel more established as a creative. Completing placements and freelance jobs over the summer helped me to feel like I could confidently call myself as a graphic designer. Projects flowed with more professionalism and structure, which came from the experience and skills gathered during the previous years.

“

A very accomplished, creative and well researched body of work

A bit of freelancing!

A social distancing party game app Third year played an important role in defining my direction as a creative, I therefore have a few favourite projects that I really enjoyed. One of them was part of the Social Designers 24 hour briefs. I developed a social distancing app for families to play games with household items. This project showed me how important it is to be a designer that is engaged in current discourse.

Not only can you create things that provide information on serious matters, but also create a response that can positively contribute to the conversation.

Third Year ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 77

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Exp 78 / POSITIONING REPORT

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

periences Experiences Attending events has been a major part of my university experience and is something I will continue to do in the future. These events have had a large impact on my practice and I have learned many things about design and myself from each one.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 79

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Design Manchester

My voice has power and I can use my skills for positive change!

Extinction Rebellion As part of Design Manchester, the school of arts and media collaborated with Extinction Rebellion to organise a series of talks and workshops throughout the school.

It was an inspiring day, where students were encouraged to express themselves about the climate emergency.

I took part in the punk publishing workshop, where students produced creative solutions to the climate problem through collage. The day was empowering, because creative people were coming together and everyone used their creativity for good.

80 / POSITIONING REPORT

The day taught me that my voice has power and that I can use my skills for positive change! There were so many different workshops that I wanted to attend, but between the all-day punk publishing and attending the talk by Extinction Rebellion, there wasn’t time to take part in as many events as I would have liked. If an opportunity like this one arose again, I would make sure to plan the day better to make the most of all the amazing events. It was such a creative day and I will never forget the atmosphere of community and support it created for everyone involved.

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Conference I attended my first ever Design Manchester conference and it is definitely one of my favourite events.

Some of the speakers I had never heard of before, which allowed me to expand my horizons and expose myself to new work by talented creatives.

Paula Scher talked about her experiences in the creative industry, which was extremely interesting.

Hearing her story motivated me to pursue my goals. I wish that I’d taken more notes on all of the speakers advice and experiences, but I also enjoyed just taking in the visuals.

The most important thing I learned at this event was how everyone has a different journey within design, which gives me a lot of hope as a young creative in the industry. It is a great event with so many different things to offer and I can’t wait to go again!

Paula Scher The highlight of my day was bumping into Paula Scher outside of the afterparty. I had to find the courage to speak to her quickly, but I managed to tell her that I really admire her work and that one day I wanted to be a creative director. After speaking to her for a while, she said I sounded like one and I was completely over the moon.

I was absolutely starstruck and visibly nervous but I’m so glad I spoke to her, because she is such an iconic creative and a leading woman in the industry, who is a role model for myself and many of my peers.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 81

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Networking Event Preparation

Invitations In true Salford Graphics tradition, we ventured out into Manchester to personally invite as many studios as we could to Salford Bazaar! I was excited to meet new people and give them something I was proud of. I was nervous to speak to industry people because I wanted to make a good first impression. It was a great experience to see so many people happy to see us and excited to attend our event, especially when seeing the physical invitations! I wish I could have seen more of the studios, but I realised how difficult it is to strike a balance between asking for a tour and not wanting to interrupt someone at work or be too persistent. All in all, the day was really fun and people were nice to be such good sports! I’d definitely recommend it to anyone, handing out invitations is one of the most interesting parts during the networking event organisation and a rare opportunity that should be fully taken advantage of!

82 / POSITIONING REPORT

This year I took part in the creation of the Level 6 Networking Event!

Idea generation and planning of the event were my main roles, as well as the production of invitations.

In the beginning it was challenging to get the project going, organise the communication of over 50 people and to come to agreements. This was because we had vastly different ideas for the event, which was to be expected, since we all felt responsible for the success of the night! After a lot of hard work we managed to form a final idea and that is how Salford Bazaar was born! Taking part behind the scenes was a lot of fun and even though, on reflection, I’d have liked to be more involved in an administrative role, I enjoyed supporting others, as well as being able to produce the physical aspects for the event!

Some lovely people we delivered invitations to

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Salford Bazaar Then it was time for the main event.

I entered the evening with no particular people in mind that I wanted to speak to, so I wasn’t nervous at all. That is until I was sat in front of someone and realised I had to speak about my work, which was very scary, even with preparation! I managed to speak to a lot of really nice people.

A positive aspect of the night was the useful feedback I received on my work. It was encouraging that

industry professionals could identify my strengths and wanted to help me get further in my career by naming positions I could fit. I didn’t speak to many people in similar positions to what I’m interested in.

Looking back, I probably didn’t know of everyone that was there, so in the future I will make sure I know more about people that are coming. This will help better identify people in my chosen field so I can get more specific advice!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 83

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Ladies, Wine & Design I attended my first Ladies Wine & Design networking event, “a bit of social”.

I was surprised at how comfortable I felt being around so many new people, but I think it was being around so many lovely, talented women that made it such a fun experience!

There were many inspiring women who I have followed for a long time and have even spoken to online that I finally got to meet in person.

As someone who feels strongly about the celebration of women in the creative industry, knowing that there is such a large support system out there is really empowering and is definitely something I want to get involved in!

so many lovely, talented women!

Thinking about the future, I know that LWD could be a useful resource for me when I move back to Hamburg, or wherever I end up for that matter.

I’d love to get involved in a community of inspiring, creative, like-minded women in the future, so I can’t express how grateful I am that LWD exists!

84 / POSITIONING REPORT

I attended Fuse Directory’s event Speak Up, hosted by the founder, Jaheed Hussain. I was in awe at how amazing the evening was, it was very well organised and the speakers, all creatives of colour, were absolutely incredible! It was so encouraging to see to see these creatives get the platform they deserve to showcase their talent.

A highlight of the night was watching my course mate Kofi speak about his experiences making music. The thing I remember most is how much I laughed, every speaker was hilarious in their own way. It made me realise that even in such an increasingly inclusive industry, I still live in a bubble, which is something I am actively changing. These diverse, funny, and talented creatives are bringing fresh perspectives to the design industry! Fuse really proves how one person can influence a large discourse within the creative industry, especially when it is focused on empowering others!

Speak Up a huge success

Fuse

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Kofi’s talk was fantastic!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 85

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Two + Two I took part in the Two+Two event, where two creative and two marketing students work together to solve a live brief. I was excited for the day, but also apprehensive about working with people I had never met before!

We received support from industry professionals who all had different backgrounds and expertise. The biggest challenge our team faced was that we were all very passionate about our creative process, so we had to work hard to understand each other!

Speak to as many different people as you can and learn as much as you can from them!

86 / POSITIONING REPORT

This made me realise how much of a bubble our studio can be, because many of my peers have similar creative processes, making it easier to work together. This day taught me to use these opportunities to learn as much as you can and to speak to as many different people as you can!

If I took part in something like this again, I’d maybe take a less active approach at first to really use the opportunity to learn from others, especially if they do things differently!

Two of my course mates, Mariana and Stefan won the brief, another event where I was proud to be a Salford student!

You smashed it!

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

More Events Pressision Print

Charity Dodgeball SalforDisco Final Cut

2019 Degree Show PechaKucha

SeeSaw Crit Evening ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 87

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Opp 88 / POSITIONING REPORT

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

portunities Opportunities During my time at university I engaged in many industry opportunities. Involvement in external projects helped me gain skills as well as learn a lot about the world of design. Some of them even turned into more long-term collaborations!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 89

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Broughton House What started out as three week volunteering work (organised through the university’s engagement team) resulted in many more projects, and I have now been working as their Freelance Designer for over a year!

Working with Broughton House, a veteran care home in Salford, has brought me some amazing experiences, as well as teaching me how to be a designer in the real world!

One of the first projects I ever did for Broughton House was the programme for their annual Gala Ball. Attending the event was a very surreal experience, because it was the first time my work was being used by hundreds of people and I was proud of this achievement.

It showed the impact design work could have on a greater good, especially when working for a charity.

Working from Mallorca

Freelancing

During the summer between second and third year, I worked remotely on my first paid freelance job for Broughton House, from Mallorca.

Especially when working remotely without the possibility of in-person meetings, communication is essential, even if it’s just to make sure you’re both looking at the same document! Having worked with Broughton House for a while, my relationship with them is quite casual, which can be both negative and positive. There is flexibility in working, when there is a level of trust between the client and the designer. This can result in a lack of structure, because there is no formal brief in place. This is what I want to start implementing on freelance jobs with this client and others in the future. I want to develop more clarity and structure before starting a project as opposed to taking things step by step, which will improve the experience for both myself and the client!

This opportunity taught me about my way of working and that I value the flexibility of freelancing, even though it is a skill I still need to perfect. After this experience, I could imagine working as a freelancer, which is not something I had ever considered before.

90 / POSITIONING REPORT

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

ITV Coronation Street

Photo envelopes to be scattered on the floor for a break-in scene I did a placement at ITV Coronation Street Studios in Media City in September 2019. I spent one week in different areas of the art department, which was then extended to another week in the design department. It was interesting to see the effort that goes into the show behind the scenes, with designed leaflets and posters to make it realistic. It’s very strange to think so much work goes into these designs but they are barely noticed by the viewer. I felt very comfortable with the routine of an office space, as well as

Thats a magazine spread I made!!! On Television!!! with the creative freedom I was given.

The highlight of the experience was of course that my work was aired on national television. I appreciated the low-pressure environment, with many small tasks to complete which made it easier to get work done efficiently.

I learnt about my ideal work environment, because at first I was overwhelmed with the ten hour work day, something I would have adjusted to if given more time. This experience taught me to embrace the culture of a company and take part in as much as you can!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 91

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Adapt Studios A three month placement at Adapt Studios, at The Sharp Project, during my first semester of third year. Being one of the final year students that did a placement alongside their studies was a goal that I set myself in first year, which is why getting this placement was a massive accomplishment.

Due to the length of the placement, it was also the first time I was properly integrated into a company, with email and lanyard etc., which was very exciting. During this time I improved my technical skills, as well as getting a better understanding of a company offering services outside of design.

n job! ig s e d l a e r t s ir f y M Another interesting point I thought about during my placement was the what kind of causes I want to support and work for, as well as helping me realise that “just making money” isn’t as important to me as I thought. It goes without saying that not all work is super creative, in fact most of it isn’t and someone has to care about the bottom line, so the work can’t always be experimental. I enjoyed my placement at Adapt and it definitely brought some reality into my university studio bubble.

It gave me an insight into the kind of company I want to be part of.

I now have some great experience that will help me when I finish university and I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity!

92 / POSITIONING REPORT

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Social Designers

Getting started is the hardest part!

I took part in an eight week program organised by Social Chain, where I completed a series of 24 hour briefs.

In this case, the pressure of such little time and competing with your peers was what made it exciting!

The best part about the Social Designers was that all briefs were open to interpretation, meaning I had complete creative freedom to experiment and play to my strengths! 24 hours is not a long time at all, so it really forced me to get started as soon as possible, which is often the hardest part.

Social Designers taught me that I need to be more confident in my ideas and that I don’t need someone else to give their approval of my ideas to give me confidence in them. It made me realise how university is a bubble and I might not have as much support in the real world, so I have to learn to trust my gut.

The program definitely fulfilled it’s purpose as a simulation of agency life!

That is something I will apply in the future when working in a professional environment. All in all the briefs were really fun and really enjoyed taking part in a project like this!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 93

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Hon Me 94 / POSITIONING REPORT

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

nourable entions Honourable Mentions There were some other main factors that made my uni experience as amazing as it was! The lessons I learned and experiences I had largely influenced the person I have become during my time at Salford!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 95

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Volleyball Playing on the University’s Volleyball team during my time at uni was an important part of my experience, because I was keeping fit while having fun with my team. In third year, I volunteered to become Chair of the committee. The old committee had dissolved without a new one in place, meaning I had to rebuild the entire committee from scratch.

At first I was very unsure in my position, because I had no guidance and had to work really hard to regain control of the club accounts, as well as finding and contacting all the right people.

At times it could also be really stressful keeping up with correspondence for so many different parts of the club, from finances to fixtures.

96 / POSITIONING REPORT

I was lucky to have other committee members to rely on. Once I got the hang of it, things started to improve within the club. The goals I set at the beginning of the year were reached, such as increasing the amount of members in the club and organising team shirts.

My greatest accomplishment as Chair was completing a successful handover to the next round of committee members, who were elected at a meeting I organised.

It was really important to me that nobody would have to go through what I went through at the beginning of the year.

Even though It was a very difficult role, I’m proud of what the committee was able to achieve and I feel like I made a difference to the club.

Go team Salford!

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

Staff

Thank you!

During my time at university I spent a lot of time in the bookbinding studio run by Emma and John, our technical demonstrators. It was a massive source of support during my second and third year, both personally and professionally.

I made some amazing friends in the studio space and was inspired by sharing work and getting feedback.

My most fond memory in the studio

was when Emma helped me to create my Dossier. Her positive, can-do attitude supported me in achieving my design dreams and I couldn’t have done it without her! I wish I’d have had more time there during my third year, but I’m motivated to incorporate the mindset and skills I developed in Emma’s workshops in my future practice.

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 97

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

Studio

Studio life has undoubtedly been the most important experience during my time at the University of Salford.

From the amount of support, to the many laughs and inside jokes, the late night Wagamamas orders and trips to McDonalds, to celebrating everyone’s achievements together. But it also wasn’t easy, there were challenging times during deadline where emotions and tensions could run high.

The most important thing I learned from the community in the studio is that surrounding yourself with positive and inspiring people can completely define your university experience.

surrounding yourself with positive people can completely define your university experience

My faves!

98 / POSITIONING REPORT

Friends

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

I have met people who will continue to inspire me and will stick together as a community, even in hardship.

Some of my fondest memories in the studio actually happened during the lockdown over Zoom, doing work all day, screen sharing work for crits and even having a (few) cheeky glass(es) of wine at the end of the day, accompanied by an online game of pictionary.

I can safely say that I have made friends for life and have built a community of inspiring and supportive creatives within the Manchester area.

It is bittersweet that I will be leaving Manchester soon, but I’m excited to build something like that wherever I go and take the Manchester creative community feel with me!

Love you guys!

ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 99

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

That’s it!

The last three years have flown by.

I am grateful for the things I have learned and everything Salford has enabled me to achieve. At times it was very overwhelming and stressful, but I’m happy that I reached my goals and well as creating amazing memories.

Like everything else, you never truly know what you’ve got until it’s gone and it makes me sad that my uni experience was cut short. Looking back I can confidently say that I worked as hard

100 / POSITIONING REPORT

as I possibly could have and that I’m proud of what I accomplished.

I achieved all my goals such as getting placements, achieving my desired grades and making the most of my university experience. What I want to apply in the future is that my hard work really does pay off and I can achieve anything I put my mind to, so I’m excited to fully embrace any opportunity that comes my way in the future!

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

New Adelphi Building

What’s Next?

Right now I’m glad to say I have absolutely no idea where I’m going to end up. Uni has taught me that there are so many opportunities out there that I might not even know about yet!

I’m just excited to try lots of different things, whether that’s freelancing, work experience or travelling.

to find where I fit into the creative industry and see all the places I can go.

I have become a life-long learner and want to spend the next year further defining my practice and learning new skills. I want to do a bit of everything in the future and I know I want to grab any opportunity with both hands!

I’m nervous to start the next chapter of my life, the admittedly very scary chapter of adulthood, but I can’t wait ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 101

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

The University of Salford, Manchester

Christmas in April

Bongo’s Bingo on Zoom e Day May ‘19 w/ Yas, Holly & Louise Deadlin

ry r Art Galle Manchestoeber 2017 Oct End of Season Ball

102 / POSITIONING REPORT

Future Leader Experience

CRITICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONTEXTS 3

// The 1975 // ABIIOR

Making d oor signs

8 Weeks in Mallorca Passed my driving test August 2019

2017

ht out Birthday tnyigear in firs

21st Birthday

2020 ELIZABETH KERSHAW / 103

BA (HONS) GRAPHIC DESIGN

2017 - 2020 Elizabeth Kershaw BA (Hons) Graphic Design The Univerity of Salford Manchester, England 104 / CRITICAL WRITING #1