Digital expert slams colleges over creative/technical split

Speaking at the i-Design interaction conference in London yesterday, Andy Cameron, creative director of interactive design at Fabrica in northern Italy, said, ‘Art schools are not doing their job because they are creating separation between design and technology.’

His view was reiterated by Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino, chief executive officer of Anglo Italian group Tinker, who called for an end to ‘silos’ in education.

She maintains that ‘design is in the back seat’ in interaction projects and that there ‘is no definition of an expert any more’.

A product designer by background, but now working primarily with engineers, Deschamps-Sonsino says, ‘We need to rethink the relationship between creative and technical partners and give credit where it’s due.’

Outgoing D&AD President Simon Waterfall told an audience comprising mainly interaction designers and service providers, ‘I don’t believe there should be pedigree [in digital design]. We’re not above or below the line. We’re on the line.’

Organised by Dynamo London with support from the University of Westminster’s New Media Knowledge unit and design consultancy Applied Information Group, among others, i-Design is an annual event run as part of the London Design Festival.