Identifying competencies for future graphic design graduates in Malaysia: A Delphi study

Muhammad Zaffwan Idris,Shaw-Chiang Wong,Raffles University, Faculty Of Art And Design, Johor Bahru, Malaysi , ,Wee-Chuen Tan

doi:10.24867/jged-2021-3-013

Abstract

Traditionally, graphic design (GD) education focuses on the training of technical production skills to prepare graduates for entry-level employment. However, due to the new challenges and the expanding opportunities of emerging practices, GD graduates are expected to master a wide range of additional competencies beyond traditional scope. The study aims to identify the competencies required by future GD graduates in the context of Malaysia. A two-round modified Delphi technique was used to gain consensus from a panel of experts consisted of design educators and industry practitioners regarding the competencies needed by the graduates for effective work performance. A total of 108 competencies were generated. All accepted competencies were ranked ‘very important’ and ‘extremely important’ by at least 75 percent of the respondents in Round Two. These competencies could be classified into 29 subdomains under five components, i.e., cognitive competence, functional competence, personal competence, ethical competence, and meta-competencies. The findings of this study are useful for enhancing the education and employability of graphic designers as they provide a common vocabulary to relevant stakeholders about the standards of performance for new entrants to the GD profession.

Highlights

The demands on the professional practice of graphic design (GD) in the 21st century bear little resemblance to those of the past (Heller, 2015)
This study aims to identify the essential competencies that should be possessed by future GD graduates for effective work performance in the context of Malaysia
Individuals are allowed to share their views in an environment that is free of hostility, social pressure, and individual dominance as participant anonymous is generally secured during the group communication process (Andrews & Allen, 2002)

Summary

Introduction

The demands on the professional practice of GD in the 21st century bear little resemblance to those of the past (Heller, 2015). Graphic designers have often been viewed as ‘craftsmen’ or ‘decorators’ who focus on ‘the making of things and beautiful things’ (American Institute of Graphic Design (AIGA), 2015a). Rapid development in technology and industry has expanded the scope and content of graphic designers’ work (Dziobczenski & Person, 2017; Harland, 2016). Graphic designers are found to work in areas such as service design, strategic planning, innovation management, branding, and technology development (Davis, 2017). To meet the changing demands in practice, designers are required to adapt and acquire a new range of competencies in a broader range of disciplines and fields (Kiernan & Ledwith, 2014)

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion