15 Buzzwords for 15 Years: POSSIBILITY

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Susannah Ramshaw January 21, 2016

Susannah Ramshaw_ccAs the newest member of the Designmatters team – 3 months in and counting – I am delighted to kick off “15 Buzzwords for 15 Years” by reflecting on the word “possibility.” Even in my short tenure as Associate Director, I have discovered ways in which the word possibility fits into our department’s learning environments and philosophy.

Possibility fosters creativity. I recently attended my first Designmatters studio final, where I took in the amazing designs and professional-level prototypes the students had produced in just 14 short weeks. I was awestruck by the collaborative nature of these projects, developed together by students of varying disciplines. For me, the transdisciplinary studio environment embodies possibility; each student offers different skill sets, talents and ideas, which cultivate creative, diverse and innovative outcomes. One might even say the possibilities are endless…

15yearsDM.Possibility

#DM15yrs campaign designed by Vina Rostomyan

Designmatters embraces possibility over certainty. Being a part of the Designmatters team means you embrace what’s possible. It’s true for our entire community of collaborators: Our partner organizations develop design briefs with the possibility of positive design outcomes. Our faculty engage students by discussing possibilities for field research and fostering ideas for projects. Our students examine possibility through iteration and prototyping. That said, with possibility comes uncertainty: Will the partner be happy with the outcomes? Will the prototypes succeed or fail? While uncertainty lurks around Designmatters, the positive power of possibility fends it off.

I am thrilled to take on my new role with Designmatters. Every new job is a gamble – and this one seems filled with possibility.


Help us celebrate 15 Years of Designmatters by using the hashtag #DM15Yrs

Catch up on the entire campaign at  designmattersatartcenter.org/category/dm15 

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