Wong Shaw Chiang, Muhammad Zaffwan Idris, Tan Wee Chuen
Wong Shaw Chiang
Faculty of Design, Raffles University Iskandar, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Email: wongshawchiang@raffles-university.edu.my
Muhammad Zaffwan Idris
Faculty of Art, Computing and Creative Industry, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Tanjung Malim, Malaysia.
Tan Wee Chuen
Raffles University Iskandar, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
Abstract
As compared to other professionals such as architects, doctors, engineers, and accountants, graphic
designers have relatively lower professional status. Some people argue that this is in large part due to the fact that graphic designers have lighter responsibilities, i.e., they deal only with ‘the making of things and beautiful things’ instead of ‘life and death’ or ‘safety’ issues of their clients. However, many design scholars perceive graphic design as a strategic tool that can bring massive values to global organizations, markets, societies, and economies. In light of this ‘perception gap’, graphic designers must reconsider how they can strengthen or elevate their professional status among the public. Through conducting a comprehensive literature review, this paper aims to investigate and discuss the possible factors that have failed graphic designers to be recognized as professionals. It concludes that the conventional definition of the term ‘graphic design’ can no longer reflect the current state of the profession and that governing bodies must work towards developing an professional accreditation for graphic designers.
Key word: Graphic designers, professional status, standards of practice, accreditation, design thinking, and communication design.
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