Thursday, July 18, 2013

Bureaucracy and Design

I have recently been laid off from my job as a designer and find myself in the very Kafka-esque world of the New York City and New York State benefit system. 
Although I have no need to discuss the unfairness of working hard, being taxed and the expectation of support when that job is no longer there; I will like to speak of the lack of a communication and design system, and one of branding of these agencies and their offices. 

First of all there seems to be no design or thought of it. The walls are the colour of hospitals (hardly anything good ever happens there), the chairs are uncomfortable, the lighting harsh and makes everyone look like a criminal when all they want is help. 

An assortment of sometimes old and  odd posters, flyers, letters and booklets. No system seems to be in place to make the process easier to understand, or to streamline the process.


The design of forms and notices seem contrived for confusion. The design of materials from agency to agency seem without connection. Even as they are umbrella-ed under the same state of city governmental agency—AccessNYC

I wonder who would be brave enough to take on this enormous re-design and branding issue?

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