Design Is Now In The Hands Of Citizens
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Democratization refers to the process of increasing the participation of individuals in the political decision-making process of a country.
Similarly, the democratization of design refers to the intent of making art and design software, tools, skills and knowledge more widely available and accessible to a wider audience (aka. the general public), thereby increasing citizen ownership and participation.
The past few years has seen the rapid rise of open-source and free-to-use tools and software, freely enabling everyone to create anything from videos to social media images, to e-commerce websites, to 2D and 3D graphics all without the need for paying for specialized training and sitting through hours of lessons and lectures.
An Inevitable Trend
The rise of free-to-use design tools in particular, is driven primarily by several factors - the rise of D.I.Y and Maker Culture as well as the growing importance of design in various fields and industries.
Traditionally, design software and tools are often too expensive, technically challenging to pick up, master or use, let alone purchase. In addition to these challenges, most of them require some form of basic knowledge or understanding to use effectively and in many cases, also require costly specialized training that spans several years, even decades.
As a result, they were often only accessible to professional artists and designers, as well as those who possess the resources and prior knowledge to use effectively.
However, with the emergence and proliferation of open-source, free-to-use and user-friendly design software, it is now possible for anyone to create professional quality designs within a matter of hours.
What YouTube, Instagram and TikTok Showed And Taught Us
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Social media platforms opened up the world to the unlimited possibilities of video content creation for both casual sharing, as well as the enormous potential monetization and sponsorship opportunities too. This brings added incentives for people to learn video editing, purely for the sake of creating slick videos which would rack up the view and likes counters and perhaps one day, go viral, in the hope that it could land them a windfall or potential lucrative partnership or sponsorship deals.
A “social media influencer” is now a viable career for many, however debatable and ridiculous that may sound.
No one saw the need to learn video editing until social media came about.
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Similarly, the rise of these free-to-use design tools has opened up new possibilities and opportunities for citizen participation in the areas of art and design as well.
With these tools, having creativity, artistic talent or design sense goes out the window completely. With hundreds of pre-made templates, thousands of sample projects, tons of online lessons and tutorials as well as a vibrant and supportive community of like-minded users and professionals, one can easily pick up art and design fundamentals “on-the-go” simply by using these software and are also able to create stunning designs and projects through Googling and following through with tutorial videos.
The Rise Of D.I.Y
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The rise of the D.I.Y and Maker Culture has also further fuelled this trend. With the availability of these design software, as well as the relative affordability, safety and reliability of machines like 3D printers, desktop CNC routers and laser cutters, more and more people are able to create and produce their own unique and custom designs all in the comfort of their own home, either as a personal passion project or a side hustle.
This has led to a growing number of self-styled and self-made entrepreneurial artists, creators and designers who are self-learnt and self-taught, rather than going through the conventional design education route.
Design As A Valuable Skill And Asset
The growing importance of design in various fields and industries has also driven the democratization of design tools.
As design has become increasingly recognized as a valuable skill and asset for many businesses and organizations, there has been a growing demand for design skills and expertise in a wide range of fields.
Industries like F&B, healthcare and even education are increasingly incorporating design in their workflow and day-to-day operations, leading to several potential design career opportunities in these industries that were previously unheard of.
This, in turn, has led to the subsequent development of even more specialized user-friendly design tools and platforms that can be used by people from a wide range of backgrounds and skill levels, thus, promoting inclusivity.
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Conclusion
Open-source and free-to-use is here to stay, whether you like it or not, whether you’ll use it or not.
It is now realistically possible and feasible for anyone to create professional-quality designs without the need for spending exorbitant fees on specialized training as well as sitting though hours of lessons and lectures.
It is mind-blowing to think that what was once only accessible and exclusive decades ago to those who could afford to enroll in expensive and prestigious design instituitions and universities is now made free, open-source and publicly available and accessible for everyone, regardless of skill level, economic or education background.
Now’s the time to fulfill that designer dream of yours.
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