Abstract
The 2026 Design Principles and Practices conference explores “Design in Society,” examining the social impacts of design. This case study focuses on Values, Culture, and Knowledge Systems, presenting an emerging vision for graphic design history as a basis for redefining design values. Historically, the Western canon defined “good design” via Western standards dominating aesthetic and cultural value. However, there is increasing criticism of this monolithic view, and calls for a broader perspective have emerged. This shift has expanded the definition of “good design” to include a wider range of artifacts and experiences. A key example of this redefined approach is The Design History Reader, which offers a fresh perspective on design history. Rather than following the Western chronological model highlighting canonical heavyweights, this book approaches history through a thematic lens. The eight chapters are organized around core concepts that span geography and temporality: Herstory, Heroic Craft, Democracy on Demand, Appreciation vs. Appropriation, The Dark Fantasy, Visual Sovereignty, Spectacular Gimmicks, and The Black Experience. This reorganization democratizes the design canon, moving away from a Western-centric view to encompass diverse global contributions. Traditional binaries like good/bad, high/low, expensive/cheap, rare/ubiquitous, and professional/amateur are being replaced with new criteria for evaluation, such as dominant/minority, digitized/crafted, authentic/mass-produced, and global/local. These shifts challenge preconceived notions of professionalism and ‘good design.’ In this new framework, good design becomes more inclusive, and artifacts across the spectrum of design history are being reconsidered and their value amplified.
Presenters
Kristen CooganAssociate Professor, Graphic Design, Boston University, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Design History, Good Design, Design Values, Inclusivity
