4-2 Activity: Social and Cultural Considerations

12447Overview
As time goes on, our views about the world and one another evolve. Designs that were deemed acceptable in the past may no longer be considered appropriate today. In addition, designs are reaching a broader audience due to far-reaching technology. Therefore, graphic designers must do research to determine the needs of their audiences as well as to understand cultural and social nuances before creating a design. Insensitive designs can offend the audience’s cultural/social heritage and have a negative impact on the brand you are designing for.

This activity will help you understand the importance of cultural and social sensitivity in graphic design.

Directions
Review any two of the designs in the GRA 290 Module Four Activity Case Studies in the Supporting Materials section for their use of cultural and social sensitivity.

Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:

Assess how your chosen designs demonstrate cultural sensitivity. Consider the following questions to guide your response:
What makes these designs culturally informed and/or sensitive?
Why do you think this advertisement/campaign was well done?
What cultural considerations may have been considered while the designer was coming up with the design?
Assess how your chosen designs demonstrate social sensitivity. Consider the following questions to guide your response:
What makes these designs socially informed and/or sensitive?
What kind of underlying social messages do the designs communicate?
What aspects of the designs help emphasize the underlying social messages?
Summarize the importance of cultural and social sensitivity in graphic design. Consider the following questions to guide your response:
Why should graphic designers be culturally and socially aware?
What might be the consequences of designs that are not culturally and/or socially sensitive?
Explain the graphic designer’s responsibility for being culturally informed and sensitive in their work. Consider the following questions to guide your response:
What considerations must a graphic designer keep in mind when designing for varied audiences?
What kind of audience research should graphic designers conduct?
Explain the graphic designer’s responsibility for being socially informed and sensitive in their work. Consider the following questions to guide your response:
How might designers use their skills to create socially relevant designs?
Why is it important for graphic designers to be aware of social issues?
What to Submit
Submit your analysis as a 2-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. If you reference any sources in your response, cite them according to MLA style.

Supporting Materials
The following resource supports your work on the assignment:

GRA 290 Module Four Activity Case Studies
Use this resource to select two advertisements for your activity.