Communication Design or Graphic Communication Design: Demystifying the Impending Controversy

Abstract

The phrase ‘Graphic Design’ has been the adopted name for the branch of Visual Art that combines text, illustration and other visual elements to communicate messages. This name has reigned for decades, however, since the emergence of the digital revolution and the information age, different names have been adopted to replace the popular name graphic design. The adaptation of the new names has sparked controversy in the fraternity across the world, and these ideological positions have created confusion among people outside the profession regarding a definite name for the profession. In this paper, the researchers who are part of the fraternity and in academia sought the views and opinions of graphic design tutors in senior high schools in the Cape Coast metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana on the controversy through questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and a total of 10 graphic design tutors were used. The data was analysed and discussed using quasi qualitative-analytical approaches. The findings revealed that, there are diverse entrenched opinions of people in the controversy which does not suggest a possibility of compromise to adopting a definite name soon. To indicate their position in the argument, the researchers employed critical thinking and inductive reasoning to examine the facts that emerged from the views of the tutors discussed, and the findings from the analytical review, and concluded on what they believe should be the appropriate name for the programme.

Keywords: Graphic Design, Communication Design, Visual Communication Design and Graphic Communication Design.

DOI: 10.7176/ADS/86-04

Publication date:October 31^st 2020