Design and technology

In many respects, it is curious that the term graphic design is given to a profession in which the time spent on actual design represents such a small proportion of the whole job. In practice, the designer acts as a co-ordinator, his or her knowledge having to incorporate extensive aspects of every ancillary reproduction process from typesetting systems to complete magazine or book printing. This knowledge permits the designer to make aesthetic decisions with the maximum amount of flexibility within each technical parameter, and indeed such aesthetic awareness must be used to police the standards of technological advancement. It is important, therefore, that the designer is totally familiar with every aspect of the design process in order that he of she may tackle with confidence and assurance the most important part of their involvement – that of design itself.