Erica Mason

Prominent design thinking and service design authors promote a collaborative and inclusive design setting called co-design. Co-designing is a creative process where organisations work with the general public on projects. Co-designing activates a broad range of perspectives, experiences and skills within a project so that designers can better understand how people from different backgrounds feel about a product or service problem. This research explores how graphic design has not engaged deeply with its audience as co-design suggests in Perth, Western Australia. Typically, graphic designers have substantial insight into human behaviour because they are constantly examining and creating communications to adjust it. However, this does not mean that graphic designers have intrinsic knowledge around the drivers and aspirations of every project stakeholder. Designing without ‘intrinsic knowledge’ of the people that are affected by our designs is built around assumption. In contrast, co-designing, a common human-centred method of service design, opens a channel for ‘authentic knowledge about people’ as it provides a pathway for intimate, individualised storytelling. Historically graphic design has actively engaged in storytelling using illustrative storytelling methods such as storyboards or comics. Research findings from this study have indicated sequenced visual communications are also effective mediums for storytelling and making sense of complex problems within co-design settings. However, Perth design experts have explained that they are yet to determine an effective co-design methodology for projects of varying sizes particularly smaller projects which usually commence with a call for a single artefact.

Graphic design, as a discipline, has continually evolved to meet the shifting needs of clients and industries. While its application in large-scale projects is well-documented, there is limited literature on smaller-scale graphic design projects, particularly in geographically isolated regions such as Perth, Western Australia. In Perth, graphic designers are often hired to produce artefact-driven outputs like websites, business cards, or brochures. The broader strategic value of graphic design skills tends to go underappreciated. Additionally, holistic, human-centred design methodologies, such as service design, are perceived as more valuable yet are frequently seen as complex and lacking clear frameworks for application. This research investigates how holistic, human-centred design processes can be applied to small-scale graphic design projects typical of Perth. It also explores the potential for graphic designers to move beyond artefact creation to embrace more integrated, systemic approaches. The findings indicate that increasing complexity in project problems requires contemporary methodologies such as design thinking and service design, which engage human-centred approaches. However, Perth-based designers face challenges in adopting these methods because they are often poorly defined and difficult to explain to non-designers. Tools such as the double diamond framework, while useful, can also be problematic if followed too rigidly. This study argues that designers struggle to communicate the value of holistic methodologies to clients, underscoring the need for clearer, more adaptable design processes in Perth’s small-scale project landscape.