John Maeda remakes RISD (and more)

December 29, 12:07 AMDesign Trends ExaminerNeal Shaffer

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If I had to pick just one wish for 2009, it would be this: that we see a continuation of the trend towards innovation and creativity as real factors in the transformation of American culture.

It might be optimistic to even call it a "trend" at all, since it's still a new and unproven thing. But it's happening, and I think it will continue to happen. In some sense, it actually has to happen.

This is something that John Maeda -- recently-named president of the Rhode Island School of Design -- understands completely. And as this Boston Globe article illustrates, he's doing something about it by injecting cutting-edge ideas about design and communication into the academic environment he's charged with leading.

What makes the article valuable, though, is not the story of what Maeda is doing at RISD. Instead, it's the lessons every individual and organization can learn from his approach. 

Transparency and interconnectedness matter, and they will matter even more when we turn the calendar to 2010 than they do now. But by themselves they aren't enough. They have to be implemented in a thoughtful and creative way, by people who are open to having their ideas vetted and scrutinized. 

Writing that down feels obvious, but there are still more people resisting the change than embracing it. Convincing them to change their minds and consider a new way of doing things remains a huge task.