As “Wonderful 70’s series”, I introduced Ingegerd Råman (Swedish designer) and Kirin Kiki (Japanese actress).
This time for the third person, Mr. Satoru Miyata representative of Draft Inc. Draft is a design company that deals with advertisement, promotion planning and production, planning and production of CI, VI, brand development. I have a chance to listen to the story of the president of the design company in Japan and I introduce it because I have learned so much.
“Working and living” it was the theme of the talking session, but the most impressive thing about me was Mr. Miyata’s way of thinking about “Looking at the moon”. The day before the talk was full moon night, so he talked about the moon story.
Although it may not a big deal “Looking at the full moon”, but you need to be conscious to reach there. First of all, you need to know when the full moon. This information is not included unless you are conscious of nature and moon on a daily basis. You need to care about the weather, and of course you need to decide to look at the full moon! Even if you know when the full moon is, you will miss the opportunity to look at it if you are busy on the day. It is only after having such a small consciousness that you can enjoy the full moon of 2018.
Besides, for example, how to catch a rainy day. Are you going to close the window saying “Oh, it is annoying” or listening to the sound of rain for that time.
I felt like he was telling us that it is important to carefully take care of the natural phenomenon that is happening. There was also a story of a more practical work, but I was interested in the root part of Mr. Miyata’s thought, so that I read the his book.
“DRAFT Satoru Miyata The way of work (only in Japanese)”. It is a book that summarizes Mr. Miyata’s “attitude towards work and way of thinking = work style”.
“What did you choose this job? Do you have the courage to penetrate that root?”
“Someday the opportunity to grow will come. Let’s believe that and work positively”
“The most important thing in branding, it is a feeling of the person making it”
“Everyone designs something. If you think so, something will change”
“What we need now is to redesign the whole business”
“Have not been swayed by consumer surveys”
“Nobunaga (a powerful daimyō of Japan in the late 16th century ) and Kukai (a Japanese Buddhist monk, civil servant, scholar, poet, and artist who founded the Shingon or “True Word” school of Buddhism) were creative directors”
“Designers can not just think about expressions”
“Become an equal partner for good design”
etc etc etc
…It is an on-parade of words that sticks to my heart as a designer. As a prerequisite for the design and responsibility to the design, I take off my hat to his words. Then, there are many words that illuminate the way like a mentor, it is a good opportunity to look back on yourself. I feel I could encounter a special book that reads over and over again.
The most impressive among them was the following words.
Design in a narrow sense, design in a broad sense
I think that design is very different depending on whether it is grasped in a narrow sense or in a broad sense. How to catch is completely different by people.The narrow sense of design is color, shape, words, letters… Think about how to look beautiful, convey it, and capture design as a so-called skill.
On the other hand, designing in a broad sense is not skill, thinking, for example, what kind of way of life is happy for people, think about what kind of society is good for that. Politics must do this in order to make a happy society. Instead of entering from the color and shape of things, there is a world view.
If the premise of what is design for you is different, what is success and what is wrong is different. I want to think about design in a broad sense.In reality, I think that there are still many people who capture the design in a narrow sense, but in the meantime how to capture design is changing. Design is not a theory but a fundamentally broad meaning, I’m happy if more people are getting more they capture it widely. Then the role of the designer will also change.
Indeed, there are some people doing activities that are not bound by the framework of the designer so far.
When I read this sentence I felt like I was satisfied with Mr. Miyata’s thought on looking at the moon and consciousness to hear the sound of rain. As I engaged in design, I became more interested in the broad sense of design. Ability to read ideas, postures, world view, atmosphere, etc. behind something visible as deliverables. Also I want to cherish them more when I become a position to create.
I think that keywords such as design thinking and branding are starting to be recognized because the idea of design in a broad sense is beginning to settle, and I am pleased that the place of activity of designers is spreading.
Anyway, although there is a word called branding now, Mr. Miyata who has been making brands for 40 years ago before becoming a word. As a partner he has been working for a long time close to the management of clients. Beginning with relationship creation, thorough product understanding, long-standing partnership. I felt a very polite and deep affection for the products or people, and does not compromise on all processes.
Mr. Miyata’s idea of design is as follows.
What is good design? I think good design is what is needed and useful for society. Design involves everything in the world. There is nothing to be established without design. Design job is more important than that.
(Since it is before publication, I can not write details but) When I heard his story, he taught about the projects under preparation as the next development other than the core business. “I think that it would be nice if it would be like this, I think I’m really looking forward to it, if I think what it will be like,” he said very pleasantly with eyes shining about his new business. I am impressed really in the broader sense capturing design and making it in real.
Currently he is 70-year-old, and he mentioned about age in his book
In my case, my strength did not grow until about 40 years old. Many things started to connect little by little in my 50’s, and the things I should do have come to be simple. It’s from 60’s, the real growth is. “My true growth has been in my 60’s and you will surely grow.”
He gives us courage to write like this.
I am yet to come. I hang on!
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Well, how was the “wonderful 70’s series” that got inspired by three seniors?
I hope my noticing leads to someone’s awareness and learning.
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DRAFT Inc.
D-BROS Design proructs born from draft. Lots of nice products!
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