Edinburgh Napier University

  Localised un-structured design communities can benefit the designer and the design
process [1]. To explore the concept of community and its impact on design, a series of
semi-structured interviews were conducted. The interview responses were given by
designers from a range of design disciplines and were aimed at understanding generic
significance and implications of design communities. The interviews were carried out
within informal settings with the intention of building up conservation through a flexible
question format. The answers given addressed the issue of designer interaction with
regard to past experiences and education, current processes, resources and influences
used, and the industry as a whole. The un-prescriptive nature of the interviews was
sought to facilitate more realistic, un-biased opinions from design professionals. The
aim of the paper is to reveal the opinions of designers and the examples they give to
suggest that un-structured communities are beneficial to their career. Furthermore,
examples are given of the impact educational, local and international communities can
have. This paper describes the importance of creative centers, be it educational or local,
in forming links with international centers in order to facilitate broader global
communities and networks. By using local networks of creativity the student and
professional designer has access to networks in an international context.