“Clarity and eloquence” is delivered by Clement Mok, who has defined these as essential qualities in great design. Beginning in more traditional media, Mok has continued his groundbreaking work in the digital realm by marrying the visual and functional with technology and, then, painstakingly showing the rest of us how to communicate complex messages clearly in an information-overloaded world.
Promoting a holistic approach to design and envisioning design as critical to the corporate decision-making and problem-solving process, Mok states in his book, Designing Business: Multiple Media, Multiple Disciplines, “design's purpose has always been to define and solve problems.” Although design may have been relegated to a lesser role in the past, Mok sees the advent and evolution of technology as an opportunity to redefine the designer's role and the design process itself. Rather than positioning themselves as creative individuals beckoned near the end of a project to “work their magic” and produce digital designs from whatever direction is given, designers should be involved in the entire development process from diagnosing problems through determining solutions to launching initiatives. Mok credits Jay Doblin, a leader in product design and development, with the concept of “rule-based design systems” or the model for innovative development involving not only diagnosing issues and setting goals but also establishing priorities and constraints for individual projects. Ultimately, this approach serves clients most effectively.
The path that led Mok to articulate this position started with a basic desire to influence design direction. A graphic designer by trade, he worked in design positions for CBS Sports, a New York design firm, and Apple Creative Service, where he progressed from designer to creative director. Mok continued to grow as a creative presence and thought leader in the design world as the principal of Clement Mok designs and Studio Archetype, chief creative officer for Sapient, and president of AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts). Mok's career also included the launch of NetObjects, a software company that created web development software for designers.
Identity projects, the domain of graphic design, gave Mok his start. Graphical representations of company, brand, and product identity were applied to packaging, sales literature, and user manuals as well as trade show booths, signage, and collateral materials.
Mok defines a company's identity as its “vision and intent” and states that the “designer's job is to express the vision and intent in a pure, efficient form.” His approach to design in general and logos in particular was influenced by Paul Rand, who Mok says has demonstrated “the power of clear-thinking in problem solving.” Examples of pure, efficient logos that capture the essence of a company are the Mirage (casino) and One Server logos by Mok and the Westinghouse and (former) UPS logos by Rand.
The Macintosh graphic identity, which represented Apple as a company as well as the Mac product line, was developed by the Apple Creative Service team of which Mok was a member. The graphic encompassed the concepts of artistry and usability in a sea of simplicity. Eventually known as the “white look,” the design was an entry for Mok into national recognition as a designer. As he advanced in the Apple organization to a creative director role, functional issues became more prominent in his designs. For example, his design team directly influenced the Mac user's experience with its “open me first” packaging.
Mok's exploration into the impact of design on function started early in his career with a basic design using an unusual fabrication for a construction barricade. The selection of material in this instance caused the design to “fail” because dirt collected on the fabric, which dramatically changed the design aesthetics. Mok said that this experience was a turning point for him as he realized that designs should be functional and visually pleasing in order to be effective.
The Bauhaus movement and specifically photographer/painter Laszlo Moholy-Nagy as well as forward-thinking furniture designers Ray and Charles Eames heavily influenced Mok in his perspective regarding form and function. Collaboration among the disciplines of art, science and technology for the purpose of achieving proper function is central to the Bauhaus method of design. The Eames husband-and-wife design team integrated these concepts into their work by creating products (primarily chairs) with innovative, simplistic designs that made effective use of new materials and technology. Mok also credits the Eames with using design as a method of influencing social change in a responsible manner.
A unique aspect of Mok's style is the element of surprise. An image from a brochure during his days in New York shows the use of otherwise sparse visual images that demonstrate function but with an added sparkle of blue flowers. As a creative director for Apple working on the 1987 Annual Report, he created a memorable design by adding his personal touch to an otherwise sterile picture of computers; interestingly, Mok presented the image to the Apple CEO and other executives for approval but did not specifically mention that just to the right of the third computer on the floor was a lizard, which others noticed only after its publication. In contrast to this approach is the cover of an annual report for DSP Communications designed by Jennifer Sterling. The cover images do not seem to provide meaningful information about the company and, in fact, the name of the company appears on the spine of report rather than on its cover.
As computing grew as an industry and the Internet became viable as a communication method, Mok refined his ideas regarding design. The culmination of his own experience, the influence of others, and the emergence of the website as an information source as well as a business marketing tool led him to establish Identity Design, Information Design, and Interactivity Design as three essential ingredients of successful communication in the digital environment.
First, he defined identity as more than a graphical representation that is consistently applied on corporate stationery, product packaging, television commercials, print ads, and sales literature. Rather, as an expression of character or “vision and intent,” identity is presented and reinforced through all a customers' interactions with the company to include communications with sales and customer service representatives as well as visits to websites. Therefore, a website should reflect a consistent identity although it may or may not imitate its broadcast or print presence. An example is the redesign of Hallmark Greeting Cards' site. The site redesign presented below was performed by Sapient with Mok as Chief Creative Officer. Although the “before” website used multiple images that were recognizable as Hallmark, the feel of the Hallmark “experience” was not present. The redesigned site involved creating and implementing a digital brand identity that supported and reinforced the corporate identity.
In addition to visual appearance, Mok emphasizes the significance of information architecture in design. Drawing upon the works of Edward Tufte, who possesses expertise in the graphical representation of data, and Richard Saul Wurman, who conceptualized the role of information architect with the goal of “making the complex clear,” Mok states that information should be given context and purpose. Information design is the “meaningful organization of information” and in the digital world can be expressed in many ways including linear, hierarchal, and parallel relationships. Interactivity design is not GUI (graphical user interface) design only but rather the design of the entire user experience. Content structure (information) must be integrated with interactivity to facilitate meaningful, efficient communication.
As a thought leader in design and internationally known presenter in his field, Mok has had a dynamic influence on design while simultaneously integrating the needs of his corporate clients and concerns of design peers into his philosophy. His website, www.clementmok.com , has relatively simplistic visuals and is easy to navigate; once inside, though, an experienced and observant user can see how an extensive amount of information is presented in multiple ways, all that match specific user needs and interactivity styles. Although many websites do not pose challenges in terms of information architecture, Mok has worked with many that have. His solutions begin with establishing purpose and progress through defining methods of organizing information, profiling users, and designing navigation tools aligned with the targeted users' thought patterns. Examples include websites for Random House and IBM, both with multiple divisions and extensive content.
That a designer should bring clarity rather than confusion to a project seems to be in contrast to the philosophy of many present-day digital designers. On the surface, David Carson's designs seem to celebrate ambiguity with their unclear graphics in multiple layers. Initially, navigating his site, www.davidcarsondesigns.com , is somewhat tricky. However, Carson's use of symbols eventually directs the user effectively and methods of navigation are displayed consistently and reliably. Once “inside” the site, the visual design is often simplistic. The entry visuals reflect his content, which on the day I visited were well-stated contrarian views of U.S. military intervention. In dramatic contrast to a positive user experience is Jennifer Sterling's site, www.jennifersterling.com . Sterling uses barely legible type and seems to disdain the idea of clarity. There are some seemingly clever techniques of web design but they distract from rather than enhance the user experience; in fact, they provide an illusion of user control that I soon realize is false, which is all the more disturbing. Questions that come to mind are “are we there yet?” and “is that all there is?” primarily due to long wait times. I concede that I do not “get” Sterling's designs and so assume that I am not in her target audience.
Today, Mok consults on product development projects and maintains www.visualsymbols.com , a source of royalty-free images. The “character” (George) that appears on this billboard came from Mok's library and was used by many digital-era companies.
Much of what Mok has advocated in information and interactivity design now seem to be industry-wide practices, which perhaps illustrates his sphere of influence. His visual style and overall approach may be more conducive to the corporate environment and accepted by the corporate client as desirable. However, his concepts can be adapted to many environments and target audiences, advancing design as critical element of all worthy activities.
Bibliography
Designing Business: Multiple Media, Multiple Disciplines . Clement Mok. Adobe Press, 1996.