i+D - July/August 2018 - 25

Many of today's students are
"digital natives" who are applying their tech-savvy
approach to the learning process in ways not
previously seen.

The Present: Making the Most of Technology
It's impossible to have a discussion about the next design
generation without addressing technology. Many of today's
students are "digital natives" who are applying their tech-savvy
approach to the learning process in ways not previously seen.
"What I see that's really interesting happening with students
is that they have a very native ability to combine and merge
technology, whereas when I was in school or even teaching not
that long ago, it was very discreet," notes Cotter Christian,
assistant professor of interior design and BFA program director
at The New School, Parsons. In the past, he explains, students
would use Photoshop or CAD for specific tasks or projects, which
was a more linear approach than today. "What I see with the
students now is a much more fluid process," he says. "They use
the technologies interdependently in a very native way, almost
like it's instinct to do that, which I think is fascinating."

Tech-savvy design
students effectively
merge hand drawing
with digital tools
through educational
instruction.
(Image: RawPixel
on Unsplash)

At the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), proficiency
in technology and digital drawing tools is taught as early as
possible, according to Ellen Fisher, vice president of academic
affairs and dean. "Students don't necessarily come in with a
portfolio or even any drawing skills, but taking the idea that they
want to be here-that they're driven to design-we give them
those drawing tools from the beginning, both hand drawing as
well as technology," she says. "By the time they graduate, they're
quite skilled." Fisher points out that instruction in digital tools
at NYSID includes a range of software programs, including
Adobe Creative Cloud; Autodesk's Revit and 3ds Max; SketchUp;
and others. However, she adds the end goal isn't simply learning
a program; it also is about effective communication and
understanding construction documentation-both of which are
essential in the field.
Likewise, at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta,
Canada, design students are introduced to the latest
design software as well as hand drawing to ensure they
can communicate ideas quickly and effectively, explains
Helen Evans Warren, associate professor and chair of the
school's Department of Interior Design. "We incorporate
[technology] every semester, but we fully believe in still
keeping the hand sketching component for ideation and
quick explorations of maybe a quick perspective, a sketch to
communicate with our clients and/or contractors," she says.
"It's so important that students understand these tools."
Balancing hand sketching with digital tools is growing in
importance, as Evans Warren adds she has observed a shift
toward creating hybrid presentations to clients that blend
photorealistic renderings with more hand-crafted qualities.
Another change that's been occurring, thanks to technology,
is in the field of continuing education for professional designers,
according to Brynell D'Mello, executive director of the
Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC), based
in Toronto. "The IDCEC system heavily depends on technology,
and we have a paperless environment. All IDCEC operations are
online and web-based," she notes. "We have also seen a huge
shift in online continuing education where designers are keeping
up with online CEUs." D'Mello adds that technology has
made a big difference in the field, from programs used for
design planning to how designers keep up with recent trends.

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i+D - July/August 2018

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