Design and the Message
I had a really interesting talk with my buddy Chris Zoephel yesterday about a book he is reading. The book is called The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch. In this book, Hirsch says that the medium eventually becomes the message. This is similar to a thought I have carried in ministry that says “what you save them with, is what you save them to.” From my point of view in youth ministry, this means, if we save people with games and frivolity, then that is what they think has saved them (even though verbally they might say that it is God). I’ve seen this paradigm played out enough that I believe it. But what Hirsch says is that the mediun becomes the message.
So taking this into the practical world, I am not sure I agree. Steve jobs is quoted in saying, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” He also says, “Design is the fundamental soul of a man made creation.” I believe in these ideas. Design is important. It’s a big deal. From Garr Reynolds to Seth Godin, people of success and excellence believe design is a part of the product as much as any other part.
I’m not saying that products and messages can’t be good and have success apart from good design, but they aren’t great without it. There are times when the content of a message overcomes its need to have good design. In fact, to be great, I think you have to have both. Proof of this is my recent purchase of a mouse habitat for my daughter. I found this one habitat that was just cool looking (Habitrail Ovo). I would have bought it if not for the visual image of mise poop on it.
But, I wonder if the way it was designed was actually the message. I’m not sure I could go that far. Preaching is definitely a medium, but I don’t think it has become a message all its own. TV is a medium, but it is capable of many messages, many often contrary. Even video games play this same rule. So I don’t think I can go as far as saying that the medium becomes the message, but I do see the point.
